CINCINNATI  –  The Big 12 Conference announced the 2023 football schedule on Tuesday, and the University of Cincinnati will host five league opponents at Nippert Stadium with seven home games overall next fall.  

Cincinnati will join the Big 12 on July 1, 2023. The Bearcats’ first season in their new Power 5 league will feature one of the most challenging, and among the most exciting, schedules in school history. 

Cincinnati’s first conference game as a member of the Big 12 will be a marquee matchup against Oklahoma on Sept. 23 inside Nippert Stadium. 

Other highlights include renewing old BIG EAST rivalries with road contests at Pitt (already announced) and West Virginia as well as the first-ever matchups with Iowa State and Baylor with both teams coming to Nippert Stadium. 

The bye weekend will be Oct. 7. 

The Cincinnati 2023 Football Schedule (home games in bold)

• Eastern Kentucky – Sept. 2 
• at Pittsburgh – Sept. 9 
• Miami (Ohio) – Sept. 16 
• Oklahoma – Sept. 23
• at BYU – Sept. 29 (Friday night)
• BYE WEEKEND – Oct. 7 
• Iowa State – Oct. 14
• Baylor – Oct. 21 
• at Oklahoma State – Oct. 28 
• UCF – Nov. 4 
• at Houston – Nov. 11 
• at West Virginia – Nov. 18 
• Kansas – Nov. 25 

As previously announced, Cincinnati will open the season by hosting Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 2 before traveling to Pitt to restart the River City Rivalry against the Panthers on Sept. 9 at Acrisure Stadium. UC hasn’t faced Pitt since 2012. 

The Bearcats close out non-conference play by welcoming Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 16 to Nippert Stadium in the 127th Battle of the Victory Bell. 

Cincinnati opens its Big 12 slate by hosting Oklahoma on Sept. 23 in a game that will pit two of the only 14 teams that have ever played in the College Football Playoff. Oklahoma appeared in the 2016, 2019 and 2020 CFP, while UC advanced to the 2021 CFP. TCU is the only other Big 12 team to qualify for the CFP. 

After the clash with the Sooners, UC will travel to Provo, Utah, to face BYU on a Friday night – Sept. 29. 

Following a Oct. 7 bye, Cincinnati will host Iowa State on Oct. 14 and Baylor on Oct. 21 over back-to-back weeks before traveling to Oklahoma State on Oct. 28. 

Cincinnati closes out the schedule by hosting recent-AAC rival UCF on Nov. 4, traveling to Houston on Nov. 11 and West Virginia on Nov. 18, and closing out the regular season by welcoming Kansas to Nippert Stadium on Nov. 25. 

RESERVE YOUR 2023 SEASON TICKETS NOW

• Current season ticket holders have until March 31 to renew their tickets for 2023. 
• The Bearcats Ticket Office is also accepting deposits for new football season tickets here. There are a limited number of deposits available. 
• A limited number of single-game tickets will go on sale this summer. 

THE BEARCATS ARE BACK
Cincinnati is coming off a 9-4 season and its fifth consecutive bowl appearance. The Bearcats hold a record of 53-11 (83%) since the start of the 2018 season, which ranks among the Top 10 winning percentages in the nation. 

Cincinnati football has the 12th-most wins in college football over the last 15 years (since 2008), winning 70% of its game with a record of 133-59 to go along with seven conference titles, seven 10-win seasons and 12 bowl appearances in that stretch. 

Scott Satterfield takes the reigns as the 43rd head coach in Bearcats’ history this season. He will guide UC into the Big 12 behind a team that includes All-Americans Dontay Corleone at defensive tackle and Mason Fletcher at punter, as well as all-conference defensive lineman Jowon Briggs and linebacker Deshawn Pace. 

2023 OPPONENT CAPSULES 

Eastern Kentucky (Sept. 2)
Series Record: UC leads 2-0
Last Meeting: 2008

at Pitt (Sept. 9)
Series Record: Pitt leads 8-4 
Last Meeting: 2012 

Miami (Ohio) (Sept. 16)
Series Record: UC leads 60-59-7
Last Meeting: 2022

Oklahoma (Sept. 23)
Series Record: Oklahoma leads 2-0
Last Meeting: 2010 (at Paycor Stadium)

at BYU (Sept. 29)
Series Record: BYU leads 2-0
Last Meeting: 2016

Iowa State (Oct. 14)
First Meeting

Baylor (Oct. 21)
First Meeting

at Oklahoma State (Oct. 28)
Series Record: OSU leads 2-1
Last Meeting: 1983

UCF (Nov. 4)
Series Record: Tied at 4-4
Last Meeting: 2022

at Houston (Nov. 11)
Series Record: Houston leads 15-13
Last Meeting: 2021 (AAC Champ.)

at West Virginia (Nov. 18)
Series Record: WVU leads 16-3-1
Last Meeting: 2011

Kansas (Nov. 25)
Series Record: Series is tied 1-1
Last Meeting: 1997

COURTESY UC ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS