The Anatomy of a Collapse: How Cincinnati Folded Like a Cheap Suit
And so we arrive at the Liberty Bowl, where Cincinnati faces Navy in what should be a celebration of a season’s hard-fought battles, but instead, it looks more like an autopsy report for a program that completely lost its way. Because let’s be blunt: the Bearcats started the season with a scorching 7-1 record and a No. 16 ranking in the US LBM Coaches Poll. They were the darlings, the new blood, finally getting a shot in the big leagues of college football. Everyone was buying into the hype, but just like every modern-day startup that over-promises and under-delivers, Cincinnati utterly failed to close the deal.
But the real, screaming red flag here isn’t just that they lost four out of their last five games to limp into this bowl game. No, the true scandal—the part that exposes the rot at the core of college football—is the constant noise surrounding quarterback Brendan Sorsby. Is Sorsby playing in the bowl game? Cincinnati’s QB plans for the Liberty Bowl are the main headline, and that tells you everything you need to know about the lack of commitment and culture in this program. A service academy team like Navy—built on discipline, sacrifice, and playing for something bigger than oneself—is the perfect contrast to this kind of modern-day mercenary behavior. It’s a battle between an institution where the player’s commitment is non-negotiable and one where the player’s commitment is up for negotiation based on their personal career trajectory and future earnings potential. It’s pathetic. It’s exactly what’s wrong with the entire sport.
The Mirage of P5 Status: When Pressure Turns Diamond to Dust
And let’s look at the context, because this isn’t just about one bad stretch of games; it’s about the psychological breakdown that happens when a program moves from being the top dog in its old conference to being a bottom-feeder in a new one. Cincinnati’s move to the new P5 landscape—whatever a P5 is even called these days—was supposed to elevate them, but what it really did was expose them. They had a decent run of recruiting and talent accumulation. The 7-1 record proves they had the raw ingredients. But when the pressure ratcheted up and they had to face teams week after week that matched their talent level, they folded. They simply did not have the mental fortitude to handle the grind. The coaching staff failed to instill a winning mindset, and the players—instead of fighting through adversity—started looking for the exits.
Because when you start asking about whether a star player will suit up for a bowl game, it means one of two things: either he’s injured and the team is completely lost without him, or he’s already checked out, preparing for the NFL draft or scouting his options in the transfer portal. Both scenarios speak to a complete culture rot. A team with real heart, a team that truly plays for the name on the front of the jersey, wouldn’t have this question hanging over its head. They would be preparing for one final chance to prove themselves, regardless of who is under center. But Cincinnati isn’t that team. They’re a team that started the season with the look of a contender and ended it with the stench of a quitter.
The Old Guard vs. The New Mercenaries: Navy’s Role as the Antidote
But here is where the matchup against Navy gets interesting, because the Midshipmen don’t care about the transfer portal, they don’t care about NIL money, and they definitely don’t care about a ‘proven model’ prediction from some computer program. They play a style of football that is almost extinct in today’s game—the triple-option offense—and they play it with an intensity and discipline that Cincinnati simply cannot match, especially not in a game where half the players are probably already thinking about Christmas break. The Midshipmen play for something tangible: service, honor, and a shared commitment to a future that extends far beyond the football field. The Bearcats, by contrast, are playing for absolutely nothing; they’re playing to fulfill a contractual obligation for a bowl game that means nothing to them.
And this is why you have to laugh at all the analysts talking about ‘scouting reports’ and ‘3 keys for UC Bearcats win vs. Navy’. The only key for Cincinnati to win this game is to actually give a damn. But based on their performance down the stretch, and the uncertainty around Sorsby, it’s highly unlikely they will find that motivation. The Navy football team, by its very nature, is designed to play with a chip on its shoulder and a relentless, unforgiving approach. They are not more talented than Cincinnati, but they are absolutely more cohesive, more disciplined, and more motivated. This isn’t a game decided on talent alone; it’s a game decided on heart, and Cincinnati’s heart is clearly not in it anymore. The Bearcats’ program, which once prided itself on being a tough, gritty underdog, has become soft and entitled. They got a taste of P5 life, and it proved to be too much for them.
Looking Past the Liberty Bowl: The Future Implications for Cincinnati
Because let’s be real here: the Liberty Bowl is a consolation prize for a team that had national aspirations just a few weeks prior. This entire season has been a massive disappointment for Cincinnati fans who believed the hype. They were promised a new era of dominance, a chance to truly compete with the heavyweights, but what they got was a humiliating reminder that they are still a long way from being a true P5 program. The 7-1 start was a complete anomaly, a statistical outlier, and the four losses at the end of the season are the true representation of where this program stands. The move to the new league was supposed to be a step forward, but this season, especially with the collapse and the drama surrounding the QB position, feels like a massive step backward.
And this is the ultimate lesson of the 2026 Liberty Bowl: a ‘proven model’ may predict outcomes based on statistics, but it cannot predict human failure or a complete lack of commitment. Cincinnati’s players, and perhaps the coaches, have already quit. The only question left is how badly Navy, with its relentless focus and discipline, will expose that lack of heart. This game isn’t just about a win or a loss; it’s about the soul of college football. And in this matchup, Navy represents the soul, while Cincinnati represents the hollow, money-driven shell of what the sport has become. The Bearcats’ season was a tragedy, and the Liberty Bowl is just the final, depressing act.
