In this preview, FC Cincinnati faces their franchise’s first ever MLS Cup Playoff match. The Cincinnati Bengals faces a potentially tough game in the Big Easy. Plus, the week ahead in Cincinnati area college sports.

FC Cincinnati at New York Red Bulls, Saturday at Noon Eastern on WSTR-TV (64). MLSSoccer.com/MLS App (English audio), UniMas and TUDN (Spanish audio).

After clinching their first playoff berth last Sunday with a 5-2 win in the nation’s capital. FC Cincinnati will travel to Harrison, NJ to face the New York Red Bulls. In the opening match of the MLS Cup Playoffs. Cincinnati’s heads into the playoffs as the Eastern Conference’s fifth seed with 49 match points. The Red Bulls are the fourth seed with 53. These team’s tied 1-1 on July 9th in Cincinnati. Then had the same result in New Jersey on August 20th.

Cincinnati Bengals at New Orleans Saints, Sunday at 1 PM on CBS, WLW-AM (700), WCKY-AM (1530) and WEBN-FM (102.7).

Cincinnati returns to daytime this week after back-to-back primetime games. While both teams will head into Sunday with 2-3 records. New Orleans and Cincinnati are having rather different seasons. Two of New Orleans’ losses were by eight points or more. All of Cincinnati’s losses were through last second field goals. Cincinnati’s wins were by relatively comfortable margins. While the Saints’ wins were by one possession.

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will face his predecessor Andy Dalton’s this Sunday. Though whether Dalton will play depends on Jameis Winston’s health. Winston missed the last two games due to a back injury. One Bengal that could give Dalton or Winston a hard time on Sunday is Vonn Bell. The safety snagged three interceptions in the last two games.

College Football

Miami (Ohio) at Bowling Green, Saturday at Noon on ESPN+ and WMOH-AM (1450).

Thomas More vs. Cumberland (Tenn), Homecoming, Saturday at 1:30 PM.

Mount St. Joseph at Anderson University (IN), Saturday at 1:30 PM.

No.13 Kentucky vs. No.23 Mississippi State, Saturday at 7:30 PM on SEC Network and WCKY-AM (1530).

Notre Dame vs. Stanford, Saturday at 7:30 PM on NBC and Peacock.

College Sports Spotlight

Xavier’s men’s golf team is hosting the Xavier Invitational. Today and tomorrow at TPC River’s Bend in Maineville, OH. Northern Kentucky’s team is also taking part in this invitational. Xavier and Northern Kentucky’s men’s tennis teams will compete in the ITA Ohio Valley Regional. That event will take place in Louisville, KY Thursday-Sunday. Xavier’s women’s tennis team will compete in the Buckeye Invite in Columbus, OH Friday-Sunday.

Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Xavier’s cross-country teams will face each other Friday. All competing in the Bradley Pink Classic Friday at 1 PM in Peoria, IL. NKU, Thomas More and Mount St. Joseph’s cross-country teams will compete a different event. In the Jenna Strong Invitational this Friday in Wilmington, OH. Meanwhile, Xavier’s swimming team will host their Alumni Meet Saturday at 11 AM. At the Heidt Family Champions Center at the O’Connor Sports Complex in Cincinnati. While Xavier’s women’s lacrosse team will face Marquette and Oregon Sunday in Chicago.

In Cincinnati Bearcats news, Cincinnati’s women’s volleyball team will host Wichita State Friday at 6 PM. Along with hosting Tulsa Sunday at 12:30 PM. Cincinnati’s baseball team will face Ohio State in Columbus Sunday at 1 PM. Meanwhile, Northern Kentucky’s women’s volleyball team will host Robert Morris Friday at 6 PM. On Saturday, the team will host Youngstown State at 4 PM. While NKU’s men’s soccer team will host Cleveland State Saturday at 7 PM. NKU’s women’s soccer team will host Milwaukee Sunday at 1 PM.

Thomas More’s women’s volleyball team will host Central State Thursday at 7 PM. TMU’s men’s rugby team will host Adrian Friday at 8 PM. In Mount St. Joseph’s athletics news, MSJ’s soccer teams will face Translyvania on Wednesday. The women’s team will face Translyvania on the road at 7 PM. At the same time, MSJ’s men’s team will host Translyvania. While those soccer matches are going on. MSJ’s women’s volleyball team will host Hanover.

Mount St. Joseph’s soccer teams will host a doubleheader on Saturday. MSJ’s women’s team will face Manchester Saturday at 1 PM. The men’s team will face Manchester at 3:30 PM.