This Friday the Bearcats (9-2, 6-1 AAC) welcome in the Tulane Green Wave (9-2, 6-1 AAC) to Nippert Stadium with an opportunity to host the AAC Championship on the line. However, for the Bearcats there is much more at stake, a 32-home winning streak, an opportunity for a New Year’s Six Bowl Game, a third straight AAC Championship. The winner of this Friday’s contest will be the host of the AAC Championship game, and if that happens to be the Bearcats it would be their third straight season hosting a conference championship. However, if the Bearcats lose on Friday and the UCF Knights defeat South Florida the Bearcats will be eliminated from playing in the conference championship game where the Knights will travel to New Orleans to take on the Green Wave, where the Green Wave would look to avenge their 38-31 loss to the Knights back on November, 12th.
“Obviously this week is huge, that’s obviously for everything. This one is for all of the marbles,” said Bearcats head coach Luke Fickell. “This is the start of the championship. This is what we prepare for, this is what we envisioned, this is the one goal that we don’t talk about that we have when we start camp.”
The Bearcats know what is at stake come Friday as the Green Wave bring such a high-powered offense to Nippert Stadium where they are led by junior quarterback Michael Pratt and junior running back Tyjae Spears. Pratt has been slinging the rock this season, as he is having the best season of his young career, Pratt has completed roughly 66% of his passes on the season, where he has thrown for 2,220 yards and 20 touchdowns. Pratt has made tremendous strides and was someone Bearcats head coach Luke Fickell gave a lot of praise too heading into Friday’s matchup with the Green Wave.
“They have done a great job, when you look across the board and see all the older guys they have, it’s not hard to figure out why they have been successful. They are really successful right now. They have a guy at the helm that is a winner in every sense of the measure,” said Fickell. “Pratt missed the Bearcats game in 2021 due to injury, but Fickell said he told Tulane head coach Willie Fritz before the game last season that he isn’t sure he has been more impressed watching a guy like Pratt on film and how tough and physical he is. He is a winner, he’s a competitor and it’s not hard to tell either. I think the combination of all those things, along with their ability to run the football and create some things along with their consistency across the board it’s not a surprise to me when you watch them play that they are in this situation.”
