Big 12 era begins for Bearcats
Bearcats look to flourish in a Power 5 conference
The University of Cincinnati officially entered the Big 12 as a conference member on July 1, 2023.
Cincinnati Athletics hosted a Big 12 Bash at Rhinegeist Brewery to celebrate the university's entry into the Power Five conference with festivities beginning at noon Friday. Local radio personality Mo Egger began the formal program at 7 p.m.
The Big 12 announced on Sept. 10, 2021, that UC, along with Houston, UCF and BYU, would join the conference, kicking off an exciting fall that saw the Bearcats' football team become the first Group of Five program to reach the College Football Playoff.
The Big 12 boasts one of the biggest, most loyal fan bases in all of sports. Since their teams travel well in terms of fan support, the city, state and region will also benefit from the growing economic impact of Big 12 fans coming to Cincinnati each year. UC officials say the Power 5 membership will enable the university to re-energize its alumni and co-op connections in Big 12 states, too.
Become a Bearcat
Whether you’re a first-generation student or from a family of Bearcats, UC is proud to support you at every step along your journey. We want to make sure you succeed — and feel right at home.
Related Stories
Duo authentication changes coming January 2026
November 10, 2025
Effective Wednesday, January 21, 2026, Duo authentication via SMS text messages and phone calls will no longer be supported. Switch to the Duo Mobile app on an iOS or Android device (such as a smartphone or tablet). The Duo Mobile app supports Duo Push, which offers the most secure and user-friendly authentication experience.
Hoxworth Crosstown Shootout Blood Drive challenges Xavier & UC students, alumni and fans
November 10, 2025
Hoxworth Blood Center is proud to bring back the Crosstown Shootout Blood Drive Challenge, a citywide effort that unites Bearcats, Musketeers and fans across Greater Cincinnati to help save local lives through blood donation.
New approach could treat cancer by rearranging tumor cell structures
November 10, 2025
The University of Cincinnati’s Jiajie Diao, PhD, and colleagues have published new research showing a proof of concept that rearranging the location of lipid droplets within cells can increase the effectiveness of cell starvation, making it a potential cancer treatment. The research was published as the November cover story in the journal Trends in Biotechnology.