Cincinnati Bearcats football stuns No. 8 Texas Tech 37-24 behind JC French's 4 TD passes, Cole Tabb's 173 yards

Cincinnati delivered one of the biggest wins in recent program history on Saturday, Oct. 24. The Bearcats beat No. 8 Texas Tech 37-24 at Nippert Stadium, ending the Red Raiders’ unbeaten start behind career days from quarterback JC French IV and running back Cole Tabb.

French threw a career-high four touchdown passes and Tabb ran for a career-high 173 yards and a score, the Associated Press reported. It was Cincinnati’s first home win over a top-10 team since beating No. 7 Rutgers 30-11 on Nov. 18, 2006.

Cincinnati vs. Texas Tech final score

Cincinnati 37, No. 8 Texas Tech 24. Kickoff was at 12:03 p.m. ET in front of 38,088 fans, according to Texas Tech.

Cincinnati improved to 5-2 overall and 2-2 in the Big 12. Texas Tech fell to 6-1 and 3-1, missing its chance to start 7-0 for the first time since 2013. It was the Red Raiders’ first loss since the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 2026.

How the Bearcats pulled off the upset

Texas Tech led 6-3 early after two Stone Harrington field goals, but the Red Raiders were already making mistakes: quarterback Will Hammond lost a fumble and drew an intentional grounding penalty that forced Tech to settle for kicks, per the AP.

Then Cincinnati scored 21 points in the second quarter:

1. Tabb’s 4-yard touchdown catch put the Bearcats ahead 10-6.
2. Malachi Henry caught a 5-yard touchdown with 1:37 left in the half for a 17-6 lead.
3. After an interception by MJ Cannon, Cincinnati went 75 yards in 27 seconds. Tabb’s 51-yard run set up a 2-yard touchdown catch by tight end Lyviel Waters for a 24-6 halftime lead.

Texas Tech said the 18-point halftime deficit was its largest since trailing Texas 26-7 in November 2023.

The Red Raiders got back in it in the third quarter when safety Peyton Morgan intercepted a deflected French pass and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown. The play was initially wiped out by a targeting call, but the call was overturned on review, and a failed two-point try left it 24-15.

Cincinnati answered with a nine-play, 80-yard drive capped by French’s fourth touchdown pass, a 17-yarder to Larenzo Fenner, late in the third quarter. Tabb’s 58-yard touchdown run with about six minutes left sealed it.

Key numbers

French’s passing yardage comes from AP reporting summarized by NBC Sports.

Cincinnati, which came in averaging 231 rushing yards, had minus-6 on the ground in the first quarter but finished with 252 rushing yards at 6.1 per carry, the AP said. Texas Tech had entered with the fifth-best run defense in the FBS (82.0 yards per game) and as the only team yet to allow a rushing touchdown, per the school, before Tabb’s fourth-quarter score ended that streak.

Texas Tech also hurt itself with season highs of 12 penalties for 80 yards and lost the turnover battle 3-2.

The Brendan Sorsby backdrop

The game carried extra tension. The AP reported that Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire wanted his players focused on a College Football Playoff push rather than lingering bad blood after quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s transfer from Cincinnati fell through amid gambling allegations. Bearcats fans chanted Sorsby’s name at times during the game.

What it means in the Big 12 standings

The loss knocks Texas Tech from the unbeaten ranks in the Big 12 at 3-1, while Cincinnati climbs back to .500 in league play at 2-2. Full standings will update after the rest of the week’s games; check the conference’s official site for the latest table.

What’s next

Cincinnati hosts No. 10 Utah on Saturday, Oct. 31. Texas Tech hosts Arizona the same day.

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