The game had it all: Cincy alum Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift making their first public appearance together since their engagement went viral, a last-minute interception, and coach Scott Satterfield trying to blame his own home crowd. The Cincinnati Bearcats football team showed improvement on a few things from last season, but Thursday’s 20-17 season-opening loss to Nebraska ended in an eerily familiar way.

The dagger came with 34 seconds left. Brendan Sorsby, who had slogged through an uneven night, tried to push Cincinnati just a little closer into field goal range. Instead, his deep ball landed in the arms of Malcolm Hartzog Jr. for a late interception, sealing the Bearcats’ fate. Scott Satterfield broke it down bluntly: “That ball from Sorsby has to be a little more out to the sideline or deep where nobody can get it but the safety made a great play from the opposite hash.” He didn’t stop there. “I really believe if that interception falls incomplete, we were going to go down and score the football on that final drive.” For a team desperate to shake off the ghosts of last season, the ending felt all too familiar.

That interception capped off what was statistically one of Sorsby’s worst outings as a Bearcat. His 13-of-25 line for just 69 yards and a single pick translated to a 67.2 passer rating—his lowest since transferring in. The deep game was nonexistent, with Sorsby failing to complete a pass beyond 14 yards (0-for-3). Passes sailed high, timing routes missed the mark, and rhythm never materialized. Passing was almost invisible in the first half—just 20 yards before halftime. For all the offseason talk about new weapons and a refreshed scheme, Thursday night looked more like a rerun of last year’s stalled air attack.

What made the loss sting even more is that Cincinnati’s defense did its part. Against Dylan Raiola, one of the more composed true freshmen we’ve seen in recent years, the Bearcats limited Nebraska to controlled, short-yardage gains. Raiola was efficient, completing 33 of 42 passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns, but Cincy’s secondary largely kept the big play off the table. The defense forced enough punts to give the offense multiple late chances, holding Nebraska to just 20 points in a Big Ten grinder. That’s usually a winning formula. But bend-but-don’t-break only matters when the offense can cash in.

Ironically, the offensive line—the most criticized unit last season—showed promise. The rebuilt group opened lanes for the run game, powering 202 rushing yards on 30 carries, with backs repeatedly bursting into the second level. The pass protection held up, too; Sorsby had pockets and time on several drops. It wasn’t the line that crumbled. It was the execution from under center and the lack of rhythm with an untested receiving corps. Nebraska’s corners clamped Cincinnati’s wideouts; there were no consistent playmakers.

And so here the Bearcats sit again, staring at a six-game losing streak that dates back to last season. In nine of their 12 games in 2024, UC gave up a score in the final minutes of the first half. The numbers tell the story: under Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati has consistently failed to close halves with authority, surrendering momentum in key moments. Thursday’s collapse was another reminder. This loss will gnaw at the Bearcats because the ingredients for a win were there. As much as Satterfield wanted to point fingers — even at his own crowd — the truth is simpler.

Scott Satterfield sounds off about Arrowhead Stadium

Cincinnati head coach Scott Satterfield didn’t hold back when reflecting on Thursday night’s narrow loss to Nebraska. For him, the sting wasn’t just about the interception at the end or missed opportunities on offense—it was about how little Arrowhead Stadium actually felt like home.

“This was Cincinnati’s home game. It didn’t feel like that. That was one of the loudest stadiums I have been a part of throughout my career. The crowd defiantly effected the game,” Satterfield said afterward, his frustration echoing the sentiment many Bearcat fans quietly feared. That statement wasn’t just emotion talking. The noise clearly got to Sorsby and the Cincinnati offense, which sputtered through most of the night.

The run game showed flashes, but Satterfield admitted they “have to find a way to run the ball more effectively,” a theme that has nagged the program since last season. With Nebraska’s defense bottling up every passing lane, Cincinnati needed its ground attack to carry the load, but it simply wasn’t consistent enough. Now the Bearcats turn the page quickly. Next up, it’s a 3:30 p.m. kickoff for the Nippert Stadium opener against Bowling Green on Saturday, Sept. 6.