CINCINNATI — The University of Cincinnati Bearcats are inviting fans to a free pancake breakfast Saturday, beginning at 9 a.m. on the Sheakley Lawn, ahead of a 10 a.m. practice at Nippert Stadium.
The event is a chance for fans to meet the players and celebrate what the team calls one of the nation's premier offensive lines. The first 100 fans will receive a custom syrup bottle.
The Bearcats return all three All-conference offensive linemen from last fall's Joe Moore Award semifinalist squad. The team had the fewest sacks and tackles for loss among Power Four teams in 2025, finishing third in the nation in yards per carry and eighth in yards per play.
Center Taran Tyo, who is entering his fifth year, said the group is focused on building on last season's success.
"Last year we did a lot of good things, but this year we're just trying to focus on getting even better, and one of the things our line coach says is, Coach Cardwell, he's always like, we're just getting started," Tyo said.
Left tackle Joe Cotton, also in his fifth year, said the unit's consistency is what sets them apart.
"I think it's just the consistency that we bring day in and day out," Cotton said. "You know what you're going to get from each one of us, and each one of us are completely different people. Like I said, each day we're gonna be the same person. We're going to bring the energy, we're going to bring the intensity because we know how important that is for the team."
Evan Tengesdahl, the highest-rated player in the Big 12 and highest-rated guard in the game, is a senior from Dayton entering his fourth year at left guard. Tengesdahl said the group has built a strong connection heading into the season opener.
"There's definitely pressure, but we're very comfortable with that pressure. We play very well together. We're a very connected group, so we don't really feel that pressure. I feel like we get better and better as we keep playing throughout the year," he said. "In the off-season, we built a connection pretty much immediately with the O-line, that starting five, so we just keep building on that."
The pancake breakfast concept ties directly to a point of pride for the offensive line. Cotton explained the football meaning behind the theme.
"It was all Zach Sipe's idea and a big part of our game and something we take a lot of pride over is pancakes, which is taking our defender and getting them on the ground and then we land on top of them," he said. "We have a whole pancake board up in our room, so it's pretty much just playing with a lot of intent, playing with some nastiness, and it's a big thing that O linemen are known for."
The event has also brought the linemen into the spotlight in new ways, including a "Saturdays with Us" pancake box promotion. Tengesdahl said the attention has been welcome.
"This is the Saturdays with Us pancake box. It's kind of something the media people came up with to show some light on the O line because people really don't look at the O line too often and we have a really good one, so we're just kind of shining some light on that."
Cotton added that the media experience has been a first for the group.
"Being on the front is kind of something that we've never really been a part of, so it's been a lot of fun doing some extra media. It was my first time cooking pancakes."
Tengesdahl said the breakfast is about more than football — it's a chance to connect with the people who support the team.
"Just being able to get in front of the community, show them who we are as people, just a different side to what they see on game day, just show our personalities and just get to know the fans and all the people that support us day in and day out," he said.
"We're gonna be there. You're gonna see us lifting pancakes, having a good time starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, and that's gonna be on the Sheakley Lawn right before the 10 a.m. practice."
The center echoed that sentiment, saying the event is about rallying the community around a team with high expectations.
"It's just something to get the community involved with one of the really strong parts of our team this year. Going into this season we're putting a lot of stress on ourselves and on the other people on the O-line to step up, we have to be the leaders. This year feels special — every part of this team is special — and we feel like this is a really special year that we can go and get things done."
Quarterback JC French, a transfer from Georgia Southern, said the offensive line is the foundation of everything the team does.
"They do the dirty work. They're in the trenches all game. They're blocking 300-pound D-linemen every single play," he said. "They're the heart and soul of this offense and the team, to be honest with you. We go as far as them, and I think it's very important that they do get the recognition because they are doing the hard work — the dirty work on Saturdays."
French said he is also looking forward to the community event.
"I'm really excited just to see the community, see everybody support our team, really just kind of get to know more people around the community, because they support us so much during season," he said. "I think we're really excited to kind of give back to them."
The Bearcats open the season at Nippert Stadium against Boston College on Sept. 5.
This segment aired on CINCY LIFESTYLE and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI.
