Cincinnati is getting set for kick off this afternoon against the Navy Midshipmen in the Liberty Bowl with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. CT on ESPN. The Bearcats went 7-5 in the Big 12 this season, while Navy finished off a 10-2 campaign, which even saw them finish the year out at No. 22 in the AP Poll.
The Bearcats opened up as a 6.5-point favorite, but with so many opt-outs for Cincinnati, the line has flipped dramatically. The Midshipmen are now 7 or 7.5-point favorites as of Friday morning, with the over-under set at 57.5 or 58 total points. Here are two key players to watch in this game, followed by the top storylines for each team, and a prediction from Heartland College Sports.
Related: Big 12 Bowl Games 2025–26: Schedule, Spreads, Results & Scores
Two Key Players to Watch
Blake Horvath, Navy Quarterback
Anytime that a Power Conference team squares off against someone outside of the Power Four, it’s usually a safe bet to assume the non-power team has a worse roster. That might not be the case in UC vs. Navy; in fact, the Midshipmen might just have the best player on the football field overall. Senior quarterback Blake Horvath has been incredible this fall, posting 1,472 yards through the air and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 10-6. While the passing numbers may seem pedestrian at face value, Horvath does most of his damage on the ground. The Ohio native eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards for the second-straight time this season with 1,147 yards while averaging 5.5 yards per carry. If Cincinnati’s defense is on its heels, Horvath will be coming straight toward them with scoring on his mind.
Brady Lichtenberg, Cincinnati QB
While Brady Lichtenberg may not be a household name to most, for Cincinnati fans, there is some familiarity there. The senior signal caller has spent the last four seasons at UC, backing up a plethora of quarterbacks. In his career, the Toledo, Ohio, native has recorded 333 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Havy may very well have the edge at quarterback in this contest, but Lichtenberg has a chip on his shoulder and will be focused on proving doubters everywhere wrong.
Top Storylines
Watch the Triple Option
To put it simply, Navy should not be overlooked. The triple option offense is one of the most frustrating things to gameplan for as a defense, and any time a service academy steps onto the field, you’re going to get a good dose of the rushing attack. The Midshipmen are currently averaging 289.3 rushing yards per game and a staggering 31.2 PPG. That number is good for No. 1 in the country by a wide, wide margin (Utah 269.8).
Life After Sorsby
While we already mentioned the challenge on Brady Lichtenberg’s plate, things get even more tricky when you talk about the dude he’s replacing. Brendan Sorsby, now in the transfer portal, had a career year in 2025 with 2800 yards and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 27-5. Replacing that kind of production is never easy, especially for a dude with as few reps as Lichtenberg has.
Prediction: Cincinnati 31, Navy 27
While just about every prediction service is focusing on the Navy in this game, it just feels like a huge game for the future of Cincinnati. They still have a solid run game, defense, and talent at key positions, they’ve played tough all year long, and despite being down QB1, something feels like this game is going to work out for the Bearcats. Despite being seven-point underdogs, give me Cincinnati to make some noise in the Liberty Bowl.
