The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

CHRIS Ferguson and the Cincinnati Bearcats are assured a bowl game this postseason and many pundits are speculating where the ‘Cats will end up when the full slate of games are unveiled this weekend.

Cincinnati finished the season 10-2, 6-2 in the American Athletic Conference after winning a combined eight games the last two seasons. It was their first 10-win season since 2012.

They await the results of the AAC Championship game between No.8 UCF and Memphis for their final placement in the conference and bowl selection.

ESPN college football analyst Kyle Bonagura slots the Bearcats to play the Miami Hurricanes in the Independence Bowl, December 27 in Shreveport, Louisiana. Both Sports Illustrated (Georgia Tech) and SB Nation (Boston College) projects Cincinnati to play in the Military Bowl, December 31 in Annapolis Maryland.

CBS Sports (Southern Mississippi) and Athlon Sports (Duke) projects the Bearcats to play in the Gasparilla Bowl, December 20 in Tampa, Florida.

Ferguson, a 6’5” 303-pound senior offensive lineman, won the starting job at right tackle in the offseason and went on to start 11 games. He was also one of 10 members of the Bearcats football team to earn his degree (Criminal Justice) last April.

As a freshman, he was initially recruited as a three-star recruit on the defensive line, following his senior season at Lake Nona High School in Orlando, Florida, when he recorded 17 total tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

After a redshirt true freshman season, he shifted to the offensive line but did not see playing time in the 2015-17 seasons.