Cincinnati Bearcats fans hope for CFP top four with rout of SMU, Utah's blowout of Oregon
Cincinnati Bearcats' fans are hopeful that UC's rout Saturday of the SMU Mustangs coupled with the Utah Utes' 38-7 blowout of the Oregon Ducks on Saturday will propel Luke Fickell's squad into the top four teams in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Many of the fans who watched the Bearcats' impressive win Saturday at Nippert Stadium against SMU on Senior Day hoped to get home in time to settle in for a primetime showdown between Oregon and Utah.
Fans chanted "Let's go, Utah!" during the second half of UC's 48-14 win, knowing that a loss by Oregon might make room for the Bearcats among the top CFP's top four. Senior quarterback Desmond Ridder led a dominant effort earlier by UC, from Ridder's 53-yard touchdown pass on the Bearcats' first offensive play of the game to Ridder's first TD catch as a Bearcat.
Utes leading rusher Tavion Thomas, who played his first two seasons at UC before transferring to Utah, was among players UC fans rooted for Saturday night. Thomas scored three touchdowns on Saturday night and rushed for 94 yards on 21 carries.
Utah, which improved to 8-3 with the win, was favored by Las Vegas sportsbooks to beat Oregon, which fell to 9-2.
Social media reactions:
— Cincinnati Football (@GoBearcatsFB) November 21, 2021
Thank you @GabeMadsen53 #TheCincinnatiUtes
— Mason Madsen (@masmadsen) November 21, 2021
the College Football Playoff committee could totally OWN all of its haters by letting Cincinnati into the playoff. I’ve been talking to a lot of the biggest CFP committee haters and we’d all feel super owned if they did that.
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) November 21, 2021
Cincinnati heading into the College Football Playoff pic.twitter.com/JWSeupBRb5
— Gump Cathcart (@bubbagumpino) November 21, 2021
No 1 takeaway from today: Would love to see Ohio State-Georgia.
No 2 takeaway from today: Cincinnati has one hell of a shot at the playoff.— Dennis Dodd (@dennisdoddcbs) November 21, 2021
We knew Cincinnati would need help for the College Football Playoff selection committee to take the Bearcats seriously, but it is still *ridiculous* that it takes Oregon being shellshocked to get to the point of thinking they’ll actually be in the top four.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) November 21, 2021
Hard to imagine how the College Football Playoff Committee could keep Cincinnati out of the Top 4. But they've done some impressive gymnastics to obstruct the Bearcats the last two years, so nothing is given.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 21, 2021
Utah better not look too good tonight. The committee might rank the Utes ahead of Cincinnati.
I'm kidding.
Kind of.— Keith Jenkins (@MrKeithJenkins) November 21, 2021
Everything's coming up Cincinnati.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) November 21, 2021
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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Oregon's loss could propel UC Bearcats into top four of CFP rankings
