#16 HOUSTON (11-1) at #4 CINCINNATI (12-0); 4 PM ET; ABC … If any of this year’s conference championship games qualify as potentially truly historic its the All American Conference between #4 Cincinnati and Houston. Win, and the unbeaten Bearcats have a chance to become the first non-Power 5 conference team to make the CFP playoff. And Cincinnati, which was 9-1 in 2020 with their only loss a 3-pointer to Georgia in the Peach Bowl, is full value for where they’re at these days. Indeed, Cincinnati looks to have as many quality prospects for the 2022 draft as most of the other top Power 5 programs. The Bearcats, for example, have at least a couple of players with at least some opening round potential in athletic QB Desmond Ridder (#9, 6-3, 215) and CB Ahmad Gardner (#1, 6-1, 200), a rangy cover corner with a chance to be the second CB off the board this year after LSU’s Derek Stingley. The Bearcats defense also features one of the more disruptive edge rushers in the country in DE Myjai Sanders (#21, 6-0, 255), who is something of an odd size, but is very explosive off the snap and should get plenty of second-day consideration. For good measure, Cincinnati also has a lot of depth with a small army of players who could get some later-round consideration including RB Jerome Ford (#24, 5-10, 215), who has averaged just over 100 yards per game so far this season; WR Alec Pierce (#12, 6-2, 210); TE Josh Whyte (#81, 6-5, 235); DTs Curtis Brooks (#92, 6-2, 295) and Marcus Brown (#98, 6-2, 295); LBs Darrian Beavers (#0, 6-4, 225) and Joel Dublanko (#41, 6-3, 240), CB Coby Bryant (#7, 6-0, 200); and safeties Ja’von Hicks (#3, 6-1, 205) and Bryan Cook (#6, 6-1, 210).
And while it won’t be quite the challenge of playing at Notre Dame, Cincinnati will have a battle on their hands against Houston. Indeed, the Cougars have won 11 straight coming into the game and like the Bearcats are ranked, although thye don’t have quite the front-line talent of UC. Houton, though, does has a pretty good 5T DE in Logan Hall (#99, 6-6, 275) who could sneak into the latter part of the second day, while CB Marcus Jones (#8, 5-8, 185) and C Kody Russey (#66, 6-2, 295) should get some third-day interest, although neither is very big. CB Jones, who picked off 5 passes this year is fast and doubles as one of the top P returners in the country. At the same time, junior QB Clayton Tune (#3, 6-3, 215), who has completed 68% of his passes this fall including 26 for scores, could be someone to keep an eye on for 2023. .
