Gilyard and the 'Cats hope to celebrate in Pitt. (AP Photo/Tony Tribble)
The perfect scenario has two parts. Part 1: the No. 5 Cincinnati Bearcats leave Pittsburgh on December 5 with a victory completing its perfect season, clinching a second consecutive Big East championship, and securing a guaranteed BCS bowl birth.
Part 2: the Nebraska Cornhuskers beat the No. 3 Texas Longhorns in the Big 12 championship game later the same night.
[See also: Bearcats remain No. 5 in BCS after victory over Illinois]
If, and only if, both parts of this scenario occur, UC may be headed to a national championship game against the SEC champion.
Most pundits agree on the following:
- Cincinnati will jump No. 4 TCU in the BCS standings with a victory over Pittsburgh Saturday (TCU is idle);
- the winner of the Florida v. Alabama SEC championship game will be guaranteed a spot in the BCS championship game;
- Texas will be the second team in the championship game if it defeates Nebraska in the Big 12 finale;
- Should Texas lose and Cincinnati win, Cincinnati would be the most logical replacement for Texas in the BCS championship game.
To say that Saturday's game against the Pitt Panthers is the biggest game in Bearcat football history is putting it mildly. A national championship? Cincinnati football? Despite the most impressive season in UC football history, dreams of a title shot against Florida or Alabama could come crashing down with a slip-up in the final regular season game.
Clearly, Cincinnati must take care of business before worrying about other teams. But after their victory at Pitt, you can believe that Kelly and his men will be clued to their televisions, rooting on Nebraska.
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