After the college football regular season ended, seven ACC schools, five Big Ten schools and six Pac 12 schools announced they didn’t want to participate in a bowl game this season. Since then, among the 29 bowl games scheduled to take place, more than 50 players have reportedly opted out of playing in their postseason game.
In the Peach Bowl on Jan. 1, the No. 9 Georgia Bulldogs could be missing eight players, including their best pass rusher, defensive back and offensive lineman.
The No. 8 University of Cincinnati football team hasn’t had a single player opt out.
“I think that they know that it's a reward,” head coach Luke Fickell said. “They know what they've sacrificed for. They want to finish.”
On Dec. 27, Fickell called a team meeting to discuss the upcoming Peach Bowl. He told UC’s players that there were nearly 120 college football teams that would want to trade places with the Bearcats, heading into a New Year’s bowl game matchup against one of the best programs in the SEC.
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“(We) have an opportunity to play in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, to play on January 1, to play against the Georgia Bulldogs, a historic obviously blue blood team, one of the greatest traditions in the country,” Fickell said. “How many people wouldn't trade places with you?”
That message resonated across the team.
“It means a lot, just being able to have this chance in the Peach Bowl against a great team,” sophomore tight end Josh Whyle said. “We've been so close the past couple years, just being able to be here is going to be really a dream come true.”
Bearcats shook off rust after AAC title game: When UC won the American Athletic Conference game over Tulsa, the Bearcats committed eight false start penalties and dropped multiple snaps.
Fickell attributed those miscues to the four-week layoff the Bearcats had before that game. With another game and a full week of practice, Fickell said the team should be in better shape against Georgia.
“I really hope as coaches we have learned from those and as players have learned from those,” Fickell said. “We'll be tested, we'll see, we'll find out. We can't tell you that we know exactly. There's not some magic that we went and did to say we're going to limit all those mistakes. We're going to be right back in rhythm.”
Gerrid Doaks is ready to bounce back from AAC title game performance: During UC’s first eight games this season, senior running back Gerrid Doaks averaged 17 carries per game for 82.5 yards.
But in the AAC title game against Tulsa, Doaks had only seven carries for 13 yards.
Doaks said he’s recovered from a lower body injury and is ready to return to his featured role in the offense against Georgia.
“It's doing good right now,” Doaks said. “Doing everything I can just to get it back healthy. In the game, of course it was frustrating. Championship game. But at the end of the day I know we had a room full of running backs that's capable of taking over the game, getting the job done.”
In the Bearcats’ biggest games this season, the offense has leaned on Doaks. He had one of his best games of the year against Houston, when he had 105 yards on 20 carries. In the wins over Houston and Central Florida, Doaks averaged 22 carries for 140.5 yards.
UC junior quarterback Desmond Ridder said the running game is a key part of the Bearcats’ balanced offense.
“We can give the ball off to Jerome Ford or Gerrid Doaks, let them go make carries,” Ridder said. “It is a team effort and everyone around us makes plays.”
Two Bearcats get All-American recognition
On Monday, senior safety James Wiggins and sophomore cornerback Ahmad Gardner were named to the Associated Press All-American second team.
Wiggins had 32 tackles this season and six passes defended. Gardner broke up six passes and had three interceptions.
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