# List of Cincinnati Bearcats football seasons

This is a list of seasons completed by the Cincinnati Bearcats football team of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Since the team's creation in 1885, the Bearcats have participated in more than 1,200 officially sanctioned games, including 16 bowl games.
The Bearcats have been a member of numerous athletic conferences. From 1910 through 1924, the Bearcats was a member of the Ohio Athletic Conference. In 1925, the team joined the defunct Buckeye Intercollegiate Athletic Association, where it won 2 conference championships. From 1947 to 1952, the Bearcats was a member of the Mid-American Conference. From 1957 though 1969, Cincinnati competed in the Missouri Valley Conference, where it won two conference championships. As one of the founding members, the Bearcats competed in Conference USA from 1995 through 2004. In 2005, Cincinnati joined the Big East, its first time in a conference with an automatic BCS bowl bid. After the fracturing of the Big East in 2012, the football-playing remnants of the conference, including Cincinnati, rebranded themselves as the American Athletic Conference (AAC), which they competed in until moving to the Big 12 Conference in 2023. The Bearcats have also previously played as a football "I-A" independent between 1970–1995 Throughout their history, the Bearcats have captured all or a share of 14 conference titles, despite these long bouts of gridiron nomadism.

## Seasons

| Conference champions * | Division champions ‡ | Bowl game berth ^ |
| Season | Coach(es) | Conference | Division | Season results | Season results | Season results | Season results | Season results | Bowl result | Final ranking | Final ranking |
| Season | Coach(es) | Conference | Division | Conference finish | Division finish | Wins | Losses | Ties | Bowl result | AP Poll | Coaches Poll |
| Cincinnati Bearcats ||||||||||||
| 1885 | — | Ind | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1886 | — | Ind | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1887 | — | Ind | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1888 | — | Ind | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1889 | — | Ind | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1890 | — | Ind | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1891 | — | Ind | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1892 | — | Ind | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1893 | — | Ind | — | — | — | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1894 | W. Durant Berry | Ind | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1895 | W. Durant Berry | Ind | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1896 | William A. Reynolds | Ind | — | — | — | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1897 | Tom Fennell | Ind | — | — | — | 9 | 1 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1898 | Frank Cavanaugh | Ind | — | — | — | 6 | 1 | 2 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1899 | Daniel A. Reed | Ind | — | — | — | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1900 | Daniel A. Reed | Ind | — | — | — | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1901 | Henry S. Pratt | Ind | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1902 | Anthony Chez | Ind | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1903 | Anthony Chez | Ind | — | — | — | 1 | 8 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1904 | Amos Foster | Ind | — | — | — | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1905 | Amos Foster | Ind | — | — | — | 4 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1906 | William Foley | Ind | — | — | — | 0 | 7 | 2 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1907 | No team | N/A | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1908 | Ralph Inott | Ind | — | — | — | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1909 | Robert Burch | Ind | — | — | — | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1910 | Robert Burch | OAC | — | — | — | 6 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1911 | Robert Burch | OAC | — | 2nd | — | 6 | 2 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1912 | Lowell Dana | OAC | — | 3rd | — | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1913 * | Lowell Dana | OAC | — | 1st * | — | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1914 * | George Little | OAC | — | 1st * | — | 6 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1915 | George Little | OAC | — | 5th | — | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1916 | Ion Cortright | OAC | — | 5th | — | 0 | 8 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1917 | Frank Marty | OAC | — | 5th | — | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1918 | Boyd Chambers | OAC | — | 2nd | — | 3 | 0 | 2 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1919 | Boyd Chambers | OAC | — | 5th | — | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1920 * | Boyd Chambers | OAC | — | 1st * | — | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1921 | Boyd Chambers | OAC | — | 5th | — | 2 | 6 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1922 | George McLaren | OAC | — | 4th | — | 1 | 7 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1923 * | George McLaren | OAC | — | 1st * | — | 6 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1924 * | George McLaren | OAC | — | 1st * | — | 2 | 6 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1925 | George McLaren | OAC | — | 4th | — | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1926 | George McLaren | Buckeye | — | — | — | 3 | 5 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1927 | George Babcock | Buckeye | — | — | — | 2 | 5 | 2 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1928 | George Babcock | Buckeye | — | 6th | — | 1 | 8 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1929 | George Babcock | Buckeye | — | — | — | 4 | 4 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1930 | George Babcock | Buckeye | — | 3rd | — | 5 | 4 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1931 | Dana M. King | Buckeye | — | — | — | 5 | 4 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1932 | Dana M. King | Buckeye | — | — | — | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1933 * | Dana M. King | Buckeye | — | 1st * | — | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1934 * | Dana M. King | Buckeye | — | 1st * | — | 6 | 2 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1935 | Russ Cohen | Buckeye | — | 2nd | — | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1936 | Russ Cohen | Ind | — | — | — | 1 | 5 | 3 | — | — | N/A |
| 1937 | Russ Cohen, Wade Woodworth | Ind | — | — | — | 0 | 10 | 0 | — | — | N/A |
| 1938 | Joseph A. Meyer | Ind | — | — | — | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | — | N/A |
| 1939 | Joseph A. Meyer | Ind | — | — | — | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | N/A |
| 1940 | Joseph A. Meyer | Ind | — | — | — | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | — | N/A |
| 1941 | Joseph A. Meyer | Ind | — | — | — | 6 | 3 | 0 | — | — | N/A |
| 1942 | Joseph A. Meyer | Ind | — | — | — | 8 | 2 | 0 | — | — | N/A |
| 1943 | No team | N/A | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1944 | No team | N/A | — | — | — | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1945 | Ray Nolting | Ind | — | — | — | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | — | N/A |
| 1946 | Ray Nolting | Ind | — | — | — | 9 | 2 | 0 | Won 1947 Sun Bowl vs. VPI, 18–6 ^ | — | N/A |
| 1947 * | Ray Nolting | MAC | — | 1st * | — | 7 | 3 | 0 | — | — | N/A |
| 1948 | Ray Nolting | MAC | — | 2nd | — | 3 | 6 | 1 | — | — | N/A |
| 1949 * | Sid Gillman | MAC | — | 1st * | — | 7 | 4 | 0 | Won 1949 Glass Bowl vs. Toledo, 33–13 ^ | — | N/A |
| 1950 | Sid Gillman | MAC | — | 2nd | — | 8 | 4 | 0 | Lost 1951 Sun Bowl vs. West Texas State, 13–14 ^ | — | — |
| 1951 * | Sid Gillman | MAC | — | 1st * | — | 10 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1952 * | Sid Gillman | MAC | — | 1st * | — | 8 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1953 | Sid Gillman | Ind | — | — | — | 9 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1954 | Sid Gillman | Ind | — | — | — | 8 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1955 | George Blackburn | Ind | — | — | — | 1 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 1956 | George Blackburn | Ind | — | — | — | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1957 | George Blackburn | MVC | — | 4th | — | 5 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1958 | George Blackburn | MVC | — | 2nd | — | 6 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 1959 | George Blackburn | MVC | — | 5th | — | 5 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1960 | George Blackburn | MVC | — | 3rd | — | 4 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1961 | Charles Studley | MVC | — | 3rd | — | 3 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1962 | Charles Studley | MVC | — | 3rd | — | 2 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1963 * | Charles Studley | MVC | — | 1st * | — | 6 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1964 * | Charles Studley | MVC | — | 1st * | — | 8 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1965 | Charles Studley | MVC | — | 3rd | — | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1966 | Charles Studley | MVC | — | 3rd | — | 3 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1967 | Homer Rice | MVC | — | 3rd | — | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1968 | Homer Rice | MVC | — | 3rd | — | 5 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1969 | Ray Callahan | MVC | — | 3rd | — | 4 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1970 | Ray Callahan | Ind | — | — | — | 7 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1971 | Ray Callahan | Ind | — | — | — | 7 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1972 | Ray Callahan | Ind | — | — | — | 2 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1973 | Tony Mason | Ind | — | — | — | 4 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1974 | Tony Mason | Ind | — | — | — | 7 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1975 | Tony Mason | Ind | — | — | — | 6 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1976 | Tony Mason | Ind | — | — | — | 9 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1977 | Ralph Staub | Ind | — | — | — | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 1978 | Ralph Staub | Ind | — | — | — | 5 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1979 | Ralph Staub | Ind | — | — | — | 2 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1980 | Ralph Staub | Ind | — | — | — | 2 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1981 | Mike Gottfried | Ind | — | — | — | 6 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1982 | Mike Gottfried | Ind | — | — | — | 6 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1983 | Watson Brown | Ind | — | — | — | 4 | 6 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1984 | Dave Currey | Ind | — | — | — | 2 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1985 | Dave Currey | Ind | — | — | — | 5 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1986 | Dave Currey | Ind | — | — | — | 5 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1987 | Dave Currey | Ind | — | — | — | 4 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1988 | Dave Currey | Ind | — | — | — | 3 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1989 | Tim Murphy | Ind | — | — | — | 1 | 9 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1990 | Tim Murphy | Ind | — | — | — | 1 | 10 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1991 | Tim Murphy | Ind | — | — | — | 4 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1992 | Tim Murphy | Ind | — | — | — | 3 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1993 | Tim Murphy | Ind | — | — | — | 8 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1994 | Rick Minter | Ind | — | — | — | 2 | 8 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1995 | Rick Minter | Ind | — | — | — | 6 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1996 | Rick Minter | C-USA | — | 3rd | — | 6 | 5 | — | — | — | — |
| 1997 | Rick Minter | C-USA | — | 4th | — | 8 | 4 | — | Won 1997 Humanitarian Bowl vs. Utah State, 35–19 ^ | — | — |
| 1998 | Rick Minter | C-USA | — | 7th | — | 2 | 9 | — | — | — | — |
| 1999 | Rick Minter | C-USA | — | 9th | — | 3 | 8 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | Rick Minter | C-USA | — | 2nd | — | 7 | 5 | — | Lost 2000 Motor City Bowl vs. Marshall, 14–25 ^ | — | — |
| 2001 | Rick Minter | C-USA | — | 2nd | — | 7 | 5 | — | Lost 2001 Motor City Bowl vs. Toledo, 16–23 ^ | — | — |
| 2002 * | Rick Minter | C-USA | — | 1st * | — | 7 | 7 | — | Lost 2002 New Orleans Bowl vs. North Texas, 19–24 ^ | — | — |
| 2003 | Rick Minter | C-USA | — | 9th | — | 5 | 7 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | Mark Dantonio | C-USA | — | 2nd | — | 7 | 5 | — | Won 2004 Fort Worth Bowl vs. Marshall, 32–14 ^ | — | — |
| 2005 | Mark Dantonio | Big East | — | T–6th | — | 4 | 7 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | Mark Dantonio, Brian Kelly | Big East | — | T–4th | — | 8 | 5 | — | Won 2007 International Bowl vs. Western Michigan, 27–24 ^ | — | — |
| 2007 | Brian Kelly | Big East | — | T–3rd | — | 10 | 3 | — | Won 2007 PapaJohns.com Bowl vs. Southern Mississippi, 31–21 ^ | 17 | 20 |
| 2008 * | Brian Kelly | Big East | — | 1st * | — | 11 | 3 | — | Lost 2009 Orange Bowl vs. Virginia Tech, 7–20 ^ | 17 | 17 |
| 2009 * | Brian Kelly, Jeff Quinn | Big East | — | 1st * | — | 12 | 1 | — | Lost 2010 Sugar Bowl vs. Florida, 24–51 ^ | 8 | 9 |
| 2010 | Butch Jones | Big East | — | 7th | — | 4 | 8 | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 * | Butch Jones | Big East | — | T–1st * | — | 10 | 3 | — | Won 2011 Liberty Bowl vs. Vanderbilt, 31–24 ^ | 25 | 21 |
| 2012 * | Butch Jones, Steve Stripling | Big East | — | T–1st * | — | 10 | 3 | — | Won 2012 Belk Bowl vs. Duke, 48–34 ^ | RV | 22 |
| 2013 | Tommy Tuberville | AAC | — | 3rd | — | 9 | 4 | — | Lost 2013 Belk Bowl vs. North Carolina, 17–39 ^ | — | — |
| 2014 * | Tommy Tuberville | AAC | — | T–1st * | — | 9 | 4 | — | Lost 2014 Military Bowl vs. Virginia Tech, 17–33 ^ | — | — |
| 2015 | Tommy Tuberville | AAC | East | — | 3rd | 7 | 6 | — | Lost 2015 Hawaii Bowl vs. San Diego State, 7–42 ^ | — | — |
| 2016 | Tommy Tuberville | AAC | East | — | T–4th | 4 | 8 | — | — | — | — |
| 2017 | Luke Fickell | AAC | East | — | T–4th | 4 | 8 | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | Luke Fickell | AAC | East | — | 3rd | 11 | 2 | — | Won 2018 Military Bowl vs. Virginia Tech, 35–31 ^ | 24 | 23 |
| 2019 ‡ | Luke Fickell | AAC | East | 2nd | 1st ‡ | 11 | 3 | — | Won 2020 Birmingham Bowl vs. Boston College, 38–6 ^ | 21 | 21 |
| 2020 * | Luke Fickell | AAC | — | 1st * | — | 9 | 1 | — | Lost 2021 Peach Bowl vs. Georgia, 21–24 ^ | 8 | 8 |
| 2021 * | Luke Fickell | AAC | — | 1st * | — | 13 | 1 | — | Lost 2021 Cotton Bowl Classic vs. Alabama, 6–27 (CFP Semifinal) ^ | 4 | 4 |
| 2022 | Luke Fickell, Kerry Coombs | AAC | — | 3rd | — | 9 | 4 | — | Lost 2022 Fenway Bowl vs. Louisville, 7–24 ^ | — | — |
| 2023 | Scott Satterfield | Big 12 | — | 14th | — | 3 | 9 | — | — | — | — |
| 2024 | Scott Satterfield | Big 12 | — | T–11th | — | 5 | 7 | — | — | — | — |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 667 | 615 | 50 | (through 2024 season) | (through 2024 season) | (through 2024 season) |