CINCINNATI — The University of Cincinnati football team is scheduled to open the season on ESPN when the Bearcats travel to the University of Arkansas Sept. 3.
Kickoff times were announced Thursday afternoon for three of the Bearcats' games this upcoming season. The season opener at Arkansas is set for a 3:30 p.m. (ET) kickoff on ESPN.
It will be the Bearcats' first-ever matchup with Arkansas and UC's first regular-season game against a Southeastern Conference opponent since traveling to Knoxville to battle Tennessee in 2011.
The Bearcats can't wait for training camp this summer.
"I'm ready to go," UC defensive tackle Jabari Taylor said Tuesday afternoon. "I'm about ready to hit the field now in all honesty."
UC plays host to Kennesaw State at 3:30 p.m., on ESPN+ on Sept. 10 at Nippert Stadium. UC has the nation's second-longest home win streak (27 games) entering this upcoming season.
On Sept. 17, the Bearcats travel to Paul Brown Stadium to play Miami University for a noon kickoff on ESPNU. It will be the 126th Battle for the Victory Bell.
The Friday, Nov. 11 game against visiting East Carolina is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
Kickoff times haven't been announced yet for the other games at Nippert Stadium including Indiana (Sept. 24), South Florida (Oct. 8), Navy (Nov. 5) and Tulane (Nov. 25 or 26).
The two-time defending American Athletic Conference champion Bearcats will start conference play at Tulsa on Oct. 1 and travel to Southern Methodist University (Oct. 22) and University of Central Florida (Oct. 29) in consecutive weekends following a bye.
The team's final road trip of the regular season comes at Temple (Nov. 19). The American Athletic Conference Championship will be on Dec. 3.
The Bearcats (13-1 in 2021) return 12 starters and are led by reigning consensus national coach of the year Luke Fickell.
UC has a 44-7 record since the start of the 2018 season.
