The stakes were high for the Bearcats as they came into the 2015 season. Unlike in the Big East era when all Cincinnati had to do was win the conference to earn a BCS Bowl bid, a task they’ve pretty much gotten down to a science, UC has to jump through more than a few obstacles to play among college football’s elites. The term “BCS” is but a forgotten memory, and thankfully I might add, but there idea of high-profile bowls.
In order to get there for UC they basically had to win their conference, outright if possible, and be tabbed as the highest ranked team among the Group of Five schools.