2020s ranking

Top 25 games of the 2020s in the database

Wins receive a small preference, but exceptional losses and ties remain eligible. Select any game for its available box score and statistics.

2020Chick-fil-A Peach BowlNeutral site
L 21-24 vs. Georgia
No. 10 Georgia vs. No. 6 Cincinnati · 3-point margin
Ranking 36/50 · Closeness 27/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
63
Game score
Full Game · 2020 Georgia vs. Cincinnati (Peach Bowl Full Game)
2021Week 5Away
W 24-13 vs. Notre Dame
No. 9 Notre Dame vs. No. 7 Cincinnati · 11-point margin
Ranking 36/50 · Closeness 19/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
60
Game score
Highlight · 2021 Notre Dame vs. Cincinnati (Regular Season Full Game)
2020Week 16Home
W 27-24 vs. Tulsa
No. 6 Cincinnati vs. No. 20 Tulsa · 3-point margin
Ranking 26/50 · Closeness 27/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
58
Game score
Full Game · 2020 Cincinnati vs. Tulsa (American Football Championship Full Game)
2021CFP Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl ClassicNeutral site
L 6-27 vs. Alabama
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Cincinnati · 21-point margin
Ranking 47/50 · Closeness 9/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
56
Game score
Full Game · 2021 Alabama vs. Cincinnati (CFP Semifinal Full Game)
2021Week 14Home
W 35-20 vs. Houston
No. 3 Cincinnati vs. No. 16 Houston · 15-point margin
Ranking 33/50 · Closeness 15/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
53
Game score
Full Game · 2021 Cincinnati vs. Houston (American Football Championship Full Game)
2021Week 8Away
W 27-20 vs. Navy
Unranked Navy vs. No. 2 Cincinnati · 7-point margin
Ranking 24/50 · Closeness 23/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
52
Game score
2021Week 10Home
W 28-20 vs. Tulsa
No. 2 Cincinnati vs. Unranked Tulsa · 8-point margin
Ranking 24/50 · Closeness 22/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
51
Game score
2020Week 12Away
W 36-33 vs. UCF
Unranked UCF vs. No. 7 Cincinnati · 3-point margin
Ranking 19/50 · Closeness 27/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
51
Game score
2021Week 11Away
W 45-28 vs. South Florida
Unranked South Florida vs. No. 2 Cincinnati · 17-point margin
Ranking 24/50 · Closeness 13/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
42
Game score
2021Week 9Away
W 31-12 vs. Tulane
Unranked Tulane vs. No. 2 Cincinnati · 19-point margin
Ranking 24/50 · Closeness 11/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
40
Game score
2021Week 3Away
W 38-24 vs. Indiana
Unranked Indiana vs. No. 8 Cincinnati · 14-point margin
Ranking 18/50 · Closeness 16/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
39
Game score
2022Week 13Home
L 24-27 vs. Tulane
No. 21 Cincinnati vs. No. 19 Tulane · 3-point margin
Ranking 12/50 · Closeness 27/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
39
Game score
2025Week 6Home
W 38-30 vs. Iowa State
Unranked Cincinnati vs. No. 14 Iowa State · 8-point margin
Ranking 12/50 · Closeness 22/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
39
Game score
2022Week 8Away
W 29-27 vs. SMU
Unranked SMU vs. No. 21 Cincinnati · 2-point margin
Ranking 5/50 · Closeness 28/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
38
Game score
2020Week 4Home
W 24-10 vs. Army
No. 14 Cincinnati vs. No. 22 Army · 14-point margin
Ranking 16/50 · Closeness 16/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
37
Game score
2021Week 13Away
W 35-13 vs. East Carolina
Unranked East Carolina vs. No. 4 Cincinnati · 22-point margin
Ranking 22/50 · Closeness 8/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
35
Game score
2020Week 8Away
W 42-13 vs. SMU
No. 16 SMU vs. No. 9 Cincinnati · 29-point margin
Ranking 27/50 · Closeness 1/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
33
Game score
2025Week 13Home
L 14-26 vs. BYU
Unranked Cincinnati vs. No. 11 BYU · 12-point margin
Ranking 15/50 · Closeness 18/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
33
Game score
2022Week 1Away
L 24-31 vs. Arkansas
No. 19 Arkansas vs. No. 23 Cincinnati · 7-point margin
Ranking 10/50 · Closeness 23/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
33
Game score
2022Week 6Home
W 28-24 vs. South Florida
No. 24 Cincinnati vs. Unranked South Florida · 4-point margin
Ranking 2/50 · Closeness 26/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
33
Game score
2022Week 11Home
W 27-25 vs. East Carolina
Unranked Cincinnati vs. Unranked East Carolina · 2-point margin
Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 28/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
33
Game score
2022Week 9Away
L 21-25 vs. UCF
Unranked UCF vs. No. 20 Cincinnati · 4-point margin
Ranking 6/50 · Closeness 26/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
32
Game score
2025Week 5Away
W 37-34 vs. Kansas
Unranked Kansas vs. Unranked Cincinnati · 3-point margin
Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 27/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
32
Game score
2023Week 3Home1OT
L 24-31 vs. Miami (OH)
Unranked Cincinnati vs. Unranked Miami (OH) · 7-point margin
Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 23/30 · Overtime 9/15 · Win 0/5
32
Game score
2024Week 2Home
L 27-28 vs. Pittsburgh
Unranked Cincinnati vs. Unranked Pittsburgh · 1-point margin
Ranking 0/50 · Closeness 29/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
29
Game score

Methodology

How each game earns up to 100 points

AP ranking, 50 points: each team earns 26 minus its game-week AP rank. Unranked teams receive zero ranking points.

Closeness, 30 points: the score margin is subtracted from 30, with margins of 30 or more receiving zero.

Overtime, 15 points: overtime starts at nine points and rises by two per additional period, capped at 15.

Result, 5 points: a featured-team win receives five points; losses and ties receive zero.

Regular-season rankings are matched to the AP Top 25 for the game's recorded week. Postseason games use the final regular-season AP poll published before bowl and playoff results. Overtime uses period scoring when available, then explicit overtime notes as a fallback. Older games and smaller programs may have less complete poll or period data.

Cincinnati Top 25 Games of the 2020s

Top 25 games of the 2020s in the database

How each game earns up to 100 points

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