Each season, there are a handful of teams in college football that turn out to be surprises. And Cincinnati football can make a case as one of them this season.
The Bearcats are 5-1 on the season and 3-0 in Big 12 Conference play, having risen to No. 24 in the US LBM Coaches Poll — their first top-25 since 2022. It’s the best start for Cincinnati in the Scott Satterfield era.
Cincinnati’s hot start to this season can be attributed in part to its offense, which is one of six teams in the conference to still be perfect in the red zone (24 of 24). And it’s led by second-year starting quarterback Brendan Sorsby.
After putting together a career season with the Bearcats last season, the former Indiana football transfer has taken a next step in his development this year.
The statistics back up Sorsby’s progression with the Bearcats, as the two-time Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week is the Big 12’s highest-rated QB by Pro Football Focus (90.6) and total quarterback rating (84.1), ranking him third and 10th nationally, respectively, in those metrics.
Here’s a look back at Sorsby’s transfer to Cincinnati from two years ago:
Why did Brendan Sorsby transfer to Cincinnati?
When Sorsby entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal in 2023, it came during a coaching staff change at Indiana with the firing of Tom Allen and the hiring of Curt Cignetti. Sorsby was one of nearly 40 Hoosiers from the 2023 roster to enter the transfer portal, according to 247Sports.
Cincinnati announced his commitment to the program on Dec. 7, 2023. He was listed as a four-star recruit and the No. 18-ranked quarterback in the transfer portal according to 247Sports rankings.
After redshirting his true freshman season at Indiana, Sorsby made seven starts for the Hoosiers in 2023, which included a five-touchdown game at Illinois and a three-touchdown effort at Penn State. That starting experience helped Sorsby beat out redshirt junior Brady Lichtenberg and true freshman Samaj Jones for the Bearcats’ starting job last year.
“He’s made a lot of plays,” Satterfield said in August 2024 when explaining why Sorsby won the starting job. “He gives us a great situation as far as running the quarterback as well as throwing the ball. He’s got a good command of what we’re trying to do. Having said that we’ve got full confidence in the other two quarterbacks as well to go in and move our offense.”
The 6-foot-3 quarterback has not lost that job in his two seasons and has since become one of the top quarterbacks in the Big 12.
Brendan Sorsby stats at Cincinnati
In his two seasons at Cincinnati, Sorsby completed 348 of 542 passes (64.2%) for 4,261 yards and 32 touchdown passes.
He enters Saturday’s game against Oklahoma State four touchdown passes away from tying his career high for touchdowns in a single season at 18, which he set last season with the Bearcats. He has only thrown one interception this season, which came in the season opener vs. Nebraska.
Here’s a year-by-year look at Sorsby’s stats in his two seasons at Cincinnati:
Brendan Sorsby college stats
Here’s a year-by-year look at Sorsby’s stats in college:
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Why did Brendan Sorsby transfer to Cincinnati? Former Indiana QB’s decision, explained
Reporting by John Leuzzi, USA TODAY NETWORK / Cincinnati Enquirer
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