The Bearcats take on the Western Carolina Catamounts on September 12th at 7:00 p.m. at Nippert Stadium. After taking on Boston College in week one, the Bearcats stay in Cincinnati and host this Southern Conference opponent. Western Carolina went 7-5 last season with a 6-2 conference play record, finishing 2nd behind the Mercer Bears, who went 8-0 in conference play. Western Carolina narrowly lost to Mercer late in the regular season 49-47. Western Carolina lost a lot to the transfer portal, including Dickens, their quarterback, who is now at Northern Illinois.