Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina football steps up in competition on Saturday as the Catamounts travel to historic Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, for a matchup against the Cincinnati Bearcats of the Big 12 Conference. Kickoff for the annual "Nippert at Night" game is scheduled for 7 p.m.
 
Saturday's game will be streamed on ESPN+ (paid subscription required), with Kevin Fitzgerald and Todd Doxzon on the call.
 
Five affiliate stations across Western North Carolina will carry Catamount Sports Network broadcasts throughout the season, including longtime affiliates WRGC (105.7 FM/540 AM) in Sylva; WFSC (104.9 FM/1050 AM) in Franklin; WISE Sports Radio (1310 AM) in Asheville; and WBRM BIGFOOT Country (103.9 FM) serving Marion and the Interstate 40 corridor. Live streaming audio is also available online at CatamountSports.com (click here to listen).
 
Catamount fans in the Charlotte area are invited to gather for an official WCU Watch Party at The Kilted Buffalo Plaza Midwood (1212 Central Ave., Charlotte), beginning at 5 p.m.
 
Western Carolina (1-1) returns to the road after playing just the second Sunday game in program history last week, falling 28-19 at Campbell. Despite pitching a second-half shutout, the Catamounts were unable to overcome a slow start in the two-score defeat.
 
Cincinnati (1-0) opened its 2026 campaign with an impressive 34-15 victory over ACC opponent Boston College at Nippert Stadium. The Bearcats rushed for 254 yards and controlled the line of scrimmage throughout the season-opening win.
 
Broadcast Options for Saturday at Cincinnati:
Game 3: Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026  •  7 p.m.
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio | Historic Nippert Stadium (38,088)
Records: RV/RV Western Carolina (1-1) at Cincinnati (1-0)
Cincinnati Live Stats Link (StatBroadcast)
 
ESPN+ (paid subscription required)
PxP: Kevin Fitzgerald; Analyst: Todd Doxzon

Listen LIVE:
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
PxP: Gary Ayers; Analyst: Daniel Hooker; Producer: Jeff Bryson
 
CSN Affiliates:
Sylva – 105.7 FM / 540 AM WRGC (Listen Online)
Franklin – 104.9 FM / 1050 AM WFSC (Listen Online)
Asheville – 1310 AM WISE Sports Radio (Listen Online)
Marion – 103.9 FM WBRM (Listen Online)
Online: CatamountSports.com  |  Click HERE to Listen to CSN
 
About Western Carolina:
The Catamounts continued to receive votes in both national polls – the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 and the AFCA Coaches poll – this week despite the tough road loss at Campbell last Sunday.  WCU fell out of the Top 25 in the media poll after debuting the week before at No. 24.
 
WCU continues its two-game road swing Saturday with a visit to Ohio's "Queen City" to face Cincinnati of the Big 12 Conference. The Catamounts again look for their first-ever win over an NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent (0-64).
 
Last week, three FCS programs recorded victories over FBS opponents, including The Citadel out of the SoCon upending Charlotte in three overtimes, 43-41. Tarleton State defeated Bowling Green, while Idaho State defeated Utah State during Week One of the regular season.
 
Saturday marks Western Carolina's 65th all-time game against an FBS opponent and its first visit to Cincinnati since the programs' only previous meeting in 2005.
 
Familiar Faces in WCU-Cincinnati Matchup:
Saturday's matchup will serve as a homecoming of sorts for several individuals with ties to both programs:

• Cincinnati Assistant Head Coach Mark Speir – Returned to Scott Satterfield's staff after spending the previous two seasons at Appalachian State. Speir served nine seasons as Western Carolina's head coach and previously worked as an assistant in Cullowhee under Steve Hodgin. A 2014 Eddie Robinson Award finalist, Speir won 33 games at WCU, including three seven-win seasons;
• Cincinnati Assistant Coach Larry Murphy – Spent four seasons on the sideline in Cullowhee, and was also a part of Kerwin Bell's national championship coaching staff at Valdosta State in 2018; 
• Cincinnati WR Isaiah Johnson – second-year Bearcat wideout began his collegiate career in Cullowhee in 2024, where he played in 11 games with 24 catches for 303 yards and finished second on the team with five receiving touchdowns … Johnson recorded one 100-yard receiving game with six catches for 117 yards with two TDs at Furman in 2024; 
• WCU WR Kale Woodburn – transferred to Cullowhee this season after two years on the Bearcat roster … Has not appeared in a game this season.

 
WCU Against the Football Bowl Subdivision, Big 12 Conference:
The Catamounts faced just two of the current 16 members of the Big 12 Conference, though neither matchup came while those programs competed as members of the Big 12.
 
WCU lost to Kansas 46-3 in 1993, when the Jayhawks were a member of the Big Eight Conference, the foundation for the Big 12 a year later in 1994. WCU's only other meeting against Cincinnati – a 7-3 road loss – came with the Bearcats in the Big East Conference.
 
Last Time We Met – Cincinnati 7, Western Carolina 3 (Sept. 17, 2005)
In the only other series meeting, the Catamounts held Cincinnati to its lowest home point production in seven years. Still, they were unable to overcome a pair of red-zone interceptions and a holding penalty that took a touchdown off the scoreboard as the Bearcats escaped with a 7-3 victory.
 
WCU threw an interception from the Cincinnati 17-yard line in the second quarter and another at the Bearcats' five-yard line in the fourth quarter that thwarted an 11-play, 89-yard drive. The Catamounts outgained Cincinnati 284-273 on the day but were unable to find the equalizer for Bradley Glatthaar's seven-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter.
 
Up Next for Western Carolina:
The Catamounts return home next Saturday, Sept. 19, as WCU hosts its annual "White Out Whitmire" game during Family Weekend (Buy Tickets NOW). Fans are encouraged to wear their white WCU gear in the second "color rush" game of the season. The first 1,000 students in attendance will receive a complimentary White Out T-shirt. The Catamounts have won 10 of the last 11 series meetings with the Blue Hose. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
 
For the latest news, scores, highlights, and behind-the-scenes content, follow Catamount football and WCU Athletics on Facebook (FB.com/CatamountSports; FB.com/westerncarolinafootball; FB.com/CatamountSportsNetwork) and X (@Catamounts, @CatamountsFB).