USA Today released the preseason edition of its coaches poll this afternoon, and the hype around the 2016-17 Bearcats continues to grow. UC is ranked #25 according to the coaches.
We know very well that these preseason polls are often worth less than the paper they’re printed on, so take that ranking with a grain of salt, but it is still very nice to see the Bearcats coming into the season already on the national radar – the last time that happened was the 2013-14 season, when Sean Kilpatrick led Cincinnati to an AAC regular season title.
What’s also great about this preseason ranking is that UC will be tested early and often in non-conference play, as opposed to blowing through bottom-feeder after bottom-feeder early on.