Saturday’s game against No.9 Notre Dame Football is a milestone for No.7 Cincinnati Football. Not only because it’s a top ten clash featuring various local connections. Cincinnati’s journey to this game adds to it’s significance.

There’s a plethora of local Notre Dame Football connections going in Saturday’s game. Including Notre Dame’s current and Cincinnati’s former defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman. Along with Notre Dame’s Northern Kentuckian tight end phenom Michael Mayer. Then there’s Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly. Set to take on the team he left to accept one of College Football’s highest-profile jobs.

Cincinnati Football has been on an interesting journey since Brian Kelly left in 2009. Kelly brought Cincinnati Bearcats football to new heights during his three seasons as head coach. Building from and improving upon his predecessor Mark Dantonio’s success. Just as Dantonio did after his predecessor Rick Minter’s departure. Minter ushered in a new era of prominence for Cincinnati Football. After years of being an afterthought; while Cincinnati’s men’s basketball program was a among the best in the nation. Sellouts at Nippert Stadium were practically unheard of then.

The program climbed into the AP Top 25 during Kelly’s first season in Cincinnati. Rising to a season-best No.15 after beating Rutgers Football. This was back in the glory years for Rutgers in the Big East. In the previous season, Cincinnati beat then No.7 Rutgers in one of the most epic conference games in program history. In Kelly’s second season, Cincinnati advanced to it’s first Bowl Championship Series/ New Year’s Six bowl game. Through their appearance in the Orange Bowl in 2009.

In Kelly’s third and final season, the Bearcats had an undefeated regular season. Winning a second-consecutive outright Big East Conference championship. The Bearcats rose to a program high No.4 in the AP Top 25. Their lone defeat that season was in the Sugar Bowl. Which Kelly didn’t coach in after accepting the Notre Dame head coaching position.

Cincinnati maintained it’s national prominence during the Butch Jones era. Sharing the Big East titles in 2011 and 2012. The 2012 season marked the end of two eras for Cincinnati. Butch Jones left to take on Tennessee Football’s head coaching job. It was also the end of the Bearcats’ time in the Big East. After the conference split with non-Football Bowl Subdivision schools staying in the Big East. While Cincinnati and the Big East’s other FBS level schools established the American Athletic Conference.

Into those breaches stepped Tommy Tuberville; who coached the Bearcats from 2013-2016. The biggest highlight from that era was Cincinnati sharing the AAC title in 2014. That season ended with the second-consecutive 9-4 finish for Cincinnati. This turned out to be the peak of the Tuberville era in Cincinnati. The Bearcats slumped to a 7-6 record in 2015 and a 4-8 record in 2016.

Tuberville broke a stretch of Cincinnati head coaches leaving for higher-profile programs. The team wasn’t ranked and didn’t win a bowl game during the Tuberville era. This marked a low point for the Bearcats in the 21st century. Luke Fickell stepped in to bring the Bearcats out of an abyss. His 4-8 first season aside, Fickell is doing that and taking the Bearcats to new heights.

Cincinnati and Kelly go into Saturday’s reunion respectively in a good place. Last season was the Bearcats’ best since the Kelly years. With an undefeated regular season and winning the AAC title. Culminating with their best performance in a BCS/New Year’s Six bowl game. Through their three-point loss to Georgia Football in the Peach Bowl.

This season, the Bearcats have been consistently in the top ten. Along with that, they’re accepting an invitation to the Big 12 Conference. Putting the Bearcats in better shape to get a future College Football Playoff berth. Meanwhile, Kelly set a Notre Dame Football record with his 106th win last Saturday. Notre Dame has been a national title contender for much of Kelly’s tenure in South Bend. Which they have not been on a consistent basis since the early 1990’s.

Saturday’s game could be one of the best college football games of this season. That’s a testament to both Notre Dame and particularly Cincinnati’s perseverance. Cincinnati’s putting themselves in position to make this a competitive game. Something that seemed improbable when this game was originally proposed.

Saturday’s top ten clash in South Bend, IN is set to kickoff at 2:30 PM Eastern on NBC.