No. 1 – 2009 -12-1 record
The least surprising entry on the list, the 2009 Cincinnati Bearcats easily come in as the best football team in program history. Undefeated season, Pike to Binns and back-to-back Big East Champs. Third straight Big East Coach of the Year for Brian Kelly. This was the year where everything clicked for the Bearcats, especially on offense where the two-headed quarterback monster of Tony Pike and Zach Collaros helped the Cats average 38 points per game (4th in the nation) and saw the Bearcats climb all the way up to No. 3 in the BCS. They would finish the season ranked 8th the highest finish in school history. This roster featured some all-time great Bearcat players as well. Isaiah Pead was a menace out of the backfield, Mardy Gilyard was an electric all purpose receiver, and the roster also featured a few guys named Derek Wolfe, Jason Kelce, and Travis Kelce. I wonder if those three guys ever made anything out of themselves? The only blemish on an otherwise perfect (literally) season, was a 51-24 bloodbath at the hands of Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators. I was there and I still don’t honestly believe UC scored 24 points in that game. The game was also played on the heels of Kelly bolting UC for Notre Dame. Time heals all wounds however as Kelly and this 2009 team was just brought back to Nippert Stadium this past season to be rightfully honored as one of the top teams in program history. Sugar Bowl be damned, 2009 was the best season of Cincinnati Bearcats football that any of us have seen.
