If the University of Cincinnati football team feels a little unsure of itself while peering down at the rest of Conference USA from its perch in first place, it has good reason.

        The Bearcats don't know how to act in this position because they've never been here. They're like a weekend painter climbing hesitantly up a ladder, pausing at each step to make sure he doesn't fall.

        But they're still less than halfway up that ladder, which is why UC coach Rick Minter doesn't want to make too much of the Bearcats' first-place standing in C-USA. Not yet, anyway.

        “I think our schedule makers were kind to us,” Minter said. “If you look at the order we're playing these games, we still have tougher fish to fry. We need to continue to improve every week.”

        UC, 3-2 overall but 3-0 in the league, hasn't started a conference season so successfully since 1964, when it won its first four games and went on to secure the Missouri Valley Conference championship. That was the last time the Bearcats won a league football title; they competed as an independent from 1970-96.

        The Bearcats have been to two bowl games in the past four years, but they have yet to win the C-USA championship, so this is heady stuff for the players.

        “It motivates us each day to come out and practice even harder because our goal is obtainable.” said senior cornerback LaVar Glover. “It give us confidence to play another game.”

        But Minter's point about the favorable early schedule is well-taken. The Bearcats' three wins are over Army, Tulane and Alabama-Birmingham, which own three conference victories among them. And this week, UC plays at Houston (0-5 overall, 0-3 C-USA).

        Then things get tougher. Still to come are home games against defending champion Louisville (6-1, 2-0 after beating Southern Miss Tuesday night) and East Carolina (3-3, 2-0) plus a road game at Memphis (4-2, 2-1). They get a break this year because they do not play Southern Miss, traditionally one of the league's strongest teams.

        UC has lost three straight to Louisville, has never beaten East Carolina in conference play and is 2-3 vs. Memphis. Still, the Bearcats have done what they've had to do to position themselves for a little football history at a school known primarily for basketball success.

        To close the deal, Minter said, they'll have to play much better football than they've played so far.

        “He's telling the truth,” said running back Ray Jackson. “We have not played well in some areas of our game. We really haven't had a total game yet.

        While the UC basketball team has dominated C-USA, winning all six regular-season championships and two tournament titles, the football team has struggled to compete with its league brethren. Until last year, when the Bearcats went 5-2 to finish in second place, they had not posted a winning record in C-USA's four previous seasons.

They have won a school-record six straight league games dating to last year, but are 10-20 all-time in C-USA and have finished last in two of the past three years.

        So, yeah, this feels good. But it also takes some getting used to.

        “It's a credit to our kids, to our coaches and to our program,” Minter said. “But I still have the same concerns that I had two or three weeks ago.

        “We've had one really good offensive outing. If we want to become a dominant team that averages 35 points a game, we've got work to do. We're just a team doing some things right at the right time. We're not a great defense. And our running game has been sporadic.”

UC has shaky perch atop C-USA Marshall's move to C-USA on hold Sahms named UC golf coach

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