In this week’s review, a historic championship weekend for Cincinnati Football. Local college basketball programs begin conference play. Plus, the Cincinnati Bengals prepare for prime time.

Cincinnati Football wins AAC title and New Year’s Six berth

A historic weekend for Cincinnati Football is now complete. The Cincinnati Bearcats won the American Athletic Conference Championship Game on Saturday night. Beating Tulsa Football 27-24 in the rain at Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium. Cincinnati’s Cole Smith clinched the title through a last-second 34 yard field goal. Boosting the Bearcats to their first AAC championship game victory.

As many expected, the Bearcats were snubbed from the College Football Playoff semifinals. Finishing eighth in the decisive CFP Top 25 rankings released on Sunday afternoon. Despite being undefeated and winning their conference championship. The snub was due to a combination of factors. Not being able to play for roughly a month due to COVID-19. Along with being a Group of Five conference program. No Group of Five school has ever qualified for the CFP.

CFP snub aside, Sunday marked another program first for the Bearcats. Earning their first invitation to a New Year’s Six Bowl in the College Football Playoff era. The No.8 Bearcats will play in the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Day. Facing No.9 Georgia Football in Atlanta at Noon Eastern time on ESPN. This is Cincinnati’s first invitation to what is now a New Year’s Six bowl since 2010. When the Bearcats faced and lost to Florida Football in the Sugar Bowl.

The College Basketball Weekly Roundup

The AAC title game wasn’t the only local game with last-second heroics last weekend. Northern Kentucky native Adam Kunkel came through in the clutch for Xavier Basketball. Making a buzzer-beating three-pointer on Sunday afternoon at Xavier’s Cintas Center. Beating Marquette Basketball 91-88 in Xavier’s Big East Conference season-opener. Kunkel transferred from Belmont Basketball; getting a transfer waiver to play earlier this month.

Kunkel is off to a hot start with the now No.22 Xavier Musketeers. In three games with Xavier, Kunkel has a college career-high 52.9 field goal percentage and 40.0 three-point percentage. This was Xavier’s first game since December 9th. When the Musketeers beat Oklahoma Basketball by 22 points. Xavier subsequently had three games postponed since then due to COVID-19.

These were games against Providence, Seton Hall and DePaul Basketball. No make-up dates have been announced for the DePaul and Providence games. The Seton Hall game will be played on December 30th. Xavier’s next game is against Creighton Basketball this Wednesday. Tip-off in Omaha, NE is scheduled for 3 PM Eastern on FS1.

Elsewhere, Cincinnati Basketball began AAC play last Wednesday. Losing 74-71 to South Florida Basketball at Cincinnati’s Fifth Third Arena. Cincinnati climbed their way back into this game. After trailing by 12 at one point in the second half. Cincinnati’s road game against Georgia Basketball didn’t feature a similar second half comeback.

Cincinnati fell to 2-4 with their 83-68 loss to Georgia on Saturday night. The Bearcats didn’t lead past the 13 minute mark of the first half. Bearcat fans hope the upcoming Peach Bowl goes much differently. The Bearcats next basketball game is this Tuesday afternoon. Cincinnati will face UCF Basketball at 4 PM Eastern on ESPN+.

Northern Kentucky Basketball began their Horizon League schedule last weekend. Splitting back-to-back home games against Youngstown State Basketball. Winning 79-64 on Saturday and losing 70-60 on Sunday. This year, Horizon League opponents will play each other on back-to-back days at the same location. Instead of facing an opponent once at home and once on the road. Northern Kentucky will visit Oakland Basketball this Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s game starts at 7 PM Eastern and Sunday’s game starts at 3 PM Eastern.

Cincinnati Bengals: losing streaks, injuries and prime-time

The Cincinnati Bengals will try to snap two losing streaks and extend one tonight. When they face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Cincinnati on ESPN’s Monday Night Football. Cincinnati will try to extend Pittsburgh’s two game losing streak. While trying to snap their 11 game losing streak against the Steelers. Along with their five-game regular season losing streak.

Ryan Finley will be the Bengals starting quarterback tonight. Due to being the Bengals only quarterback not sidelined by an injury. Brandon Allen and Joe Burrow are both recovering from knee injuries. Allen was Cincinnati’s starting QB for their last three games. Coming in one game after Burrow suffered his season-ending injury.

The Bengals will also have to do without veteran defensive tackle Geno Atkins. Not just tonight but for the rest of this season. Atkins was placed on injured reserve last week. Due to a shoulder injury he suffered during training camp. Atkins was mostly limited to third down plays as a pass rusher. This is the first season in his 11 year NFL career that he didn’t record a sack. Atkins has the second-most sacks in Bengals history; trailing former teammate Carlos Dunlap.

Tonight’s game is being simulcast in Cincinnati on ESPN and WLWT-TV. Kickoff at Paul Brown Stadium is set for 8:15 PM Eastern time.