The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

CHRIS Ferguson and the Cincinnati Bearcats are faced with the most important segment of their schedule with an opportunity to earn a spot in a New Year’s Six bowl game.

Cincinnati, ranked No.19 in the College Football Playoff Rankings and No.17 in the AP Top 25, are all set to face the Temple Owls on Saturday and a win will give the Bearcats the American Athletic Conference East division outright.

The Bearcats are currently on an eight-game win streak while Temple comes in with a two-game win streak of their own (7-3, 4-2 AAC). The game will air at 7pm on ESPN2.

It will be Ferguson’s final game of his collegiate career at Nippert Stadium.

The Bearcats (9-1, 6-0 American Athletic Conference) will conclude the regular season in a matchup of ranked teams on November 29, when they travel to face No.18 Memphis (9-1).

The Bearcats are also currently the highest-ranked Group of Five team in the nation.

Ferguson began the season four starts this season at both left and right tackle, but missed two games against UCF and Houston with an ankle injury. Since his return, he has played at several positions along the offensive line. Ferguson was able to return for his sixth season when he was granted an eligibility-extension waiver by the NCAA because of injuries suffered earlier in his career.

After not seeing the field the previous four years, Ferguson won the starting job at right tackle last season and went on to start all 13 games of a season which concluded with the Bearcats win over Virginia Tech in the Military Bowl.