Saturday, Sept. 5 • 7 p.m. • ESPN3
ALABAMA A&M
at
CINCINNATI
Nippert Stadium (40,000/UBU Speed Series 55M)
Cincinnati, Ohio
Television
Jim Barbar and Wayne Gandy
Cincinnati Radio - WLW-AM 700 (flagship)
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the first meeting between Cincinnati and Alabama A&M … The Bearcats look for their 14th straight win in a home-opener … Cincinnati’s last game against an FCS opponent was a 66-9 win against Northwestern State in the 2013 season … The game will be the first at Nippert Stadium since the facility’s $86 million renovation.
ALABAMA A&M
0-0
Head Coach
James Spady (UTEP ’95)
4-8, second season
NOTES
Alabama A&M went 4-8 last season in its first year under head coach James Spady … Spady spent four seasons as an assistant at Nevada before taking over at Alabama A&M … The Bulldogs play four of their first five games on the road … Alabama A&M last faced an FBS opponent Sept. 13, 2014, when they fell to UAB, 41-14 … Alabama A&M has just eight seniors on its 2015 roster … The Bulldogs return their top three rushers from last year, but must replace their starting quarterback and top receiver … RB Harvey Harris rushed for 651 yards and six touchdowns on 156 carries, while RB Brandon Eldemire had 530 yards and six TDs on 143 carries … The top eight tackle leaders from last year return to lead the Bulldogs’ defense … LB Bryan Browner had a team-high 83 tackles with seven tackles for loss as a true freshman … DE Anthony Lanier registered 54 stops with 18 tackles for loss, four sacks and two forced fumbles on his way to All-SWAC firs-team honors … CB Dexter Reese registered a team-high five interceptions and had nine pass breakups … Alabama A&M’s most prominent football alumnus is Hall of Fame receiver John Stallworth, a 1974 graduate.
CINCINNATI
0-0
Head Coach
Tommy Tuberville (Southern Arkansas ’76)
18-8, third season at Cincinnati
148-85, 19th season as collegiate head coach
NOTES
Cincinnati is the runaway favorite to win the American Athletic Conference East Division as well as the outright conference title in the league’s preseason media poll … The Bearcats return 13 starters from a 2014 squad that went 9-4 overall and tied for the conference crown at 7-1 in The American … Cincinnati has won at least nine games in each of the last four years and in seven of the last eight … After playing their home games at Paul Brown Stadium last year, the Bearcats return to an upgraded Nippert Stadium, where they have gone 16-3 in their last 19 games … The offense is led by QB Gunner Kiel, who threw for 3,254 yards and a league-leading 31 touchdowns last season … A deep and talented group of receivers is led by WR Shaq Washington, who had 66 receptions for 761 yards and four touchdowns last season … WR Mekale McKay and WR Chris Moore had eight TDs each last year, while seven players finished with at least two touchdown receptions … RB Mike Boone stepped in as a freshman to lead the Bearcats in rushing (650 yards, nine TDs) … The defense must replace six starters … S Zach Edwards registered 121 tackles and two interceptions.