A 6-0 start is highly unusual in University of Cincinnati football history, but the 2018 Bearcats have done it.

This is the 131st season for UC football, and Luke Fickell's team is only the sixth Bearcats club to make a 6-0 getaway. A look at the "Big Six" group of 6-0 teams, and how long the previous five went before losing:

1932: Started 7-0, finished 7-2

Coach: Dana King

Noteworthy: The Bearcats in 1932 beat Hanover, Georgetown (Ky.), Butler, South Dakota, Denison, Wittenberg and Wabash before losing to Ohio University and Miami University. UC shut out four teams, the biggest being a 51-0 decision over Hanover. Otherwise, UC team and individual records are sketchy before the 1940s.

-

1951: Started 9-0, finished 10-1

Coach: Sid Gillman

Noteworthy: The Gillman era (50-13-1 record from 1949-54) was the high point for UC until the Brian Kelly teams of the late 2000s. In 1951, the Bearcats ran the table before being stunned 26-0 by crosstown rival Xavier in Week 10. Bob Daugherty was the top rusher (528 yards, 10 TDs), Gene Rossi the top passer (1,444 yards, 11 TDs) and Dick Jarvis the top receiver (31 catches, five TDs).

Get the latest UC sports news. Download the Bearcats app on both the Apple App Store and Google Play for Android users.

UC football makes AP and USA Today Top 25

UC: 25th in polls, but 49th in re-rank

Takeaways from UC's 37-21 win over Tulane

-

1954: Started 8-0, finished 8-2

Coach: Sid Gillman

Noteworthy: UC rolled through its first eight games, including a 33-0 win over Xavier. The Bearcats finished with home losses to Wichita State (13-0) and rival Miami University (21-9). The top rusher was Joe Miller (717 yards, 11 TDs), the top passer Mike Murphy (764 yards, four TDs) and the top receiver Ferd Maccioli (13 catches, 179 yards. It was Gillman's final year at UC before moving to pro football, where he became a Hall of Fame head coach (Rams, Chargers, Oilers). Gillman also is in the college Hall of Fame.

-

2007: Started 6-0, finished 10-3

Coach: Brian Kelly

Noteworthy: Kelly quickly put UC on the local and national maps, starting 6-0 in his first Bearcats season. The streak flamed out with two straight losses to Louisville and Pitt. The top rusher was Butler Benton (499 yards, 2 TDs), the top passer Ben Mauk (3,121 yards, 31 TDs) and the top receiver Dominick Goodman (68 catches, 8 TDs). Top defenders included DB Mike Mickens, DL Terrill Byrd and LB Haruki Nakamura.

-

2009: Started 12-0, finished 12-1

Coach: Brian Kelly

A potent offense sent the Bearcats to a 12-0 record and within an eyelash of the then-BCS title game. When UC did not make it, Kelly left for Notre Dame and the Bearcats were blitzed 51-24 by Florida in the Sugar Bowl under interim coach Jeff Quinn. The top rusher was Jacob Ramsey (806 yards, 9 TDs), the top passer Tony Pike (2,520 yards, 29 TDs) and the top receiver Mardy Gilyard (87 catches, 11 TDs). Top defenders included DL Ricardo Mathews, LB JK Schaffer and DB Aaron Webster.

-

2018: Started 6-0 (next game Oct. 20 at Temple, noon)

Coach: Luke Fickell

Coming off of two straight 4-8 seasons, the Bearcats have defied expectations. Critics point to a schedule ranked No. 124 nationally by Football Outsiders, but UC can't help that. ESPN has the Bearcats' remaining Strength of Schedule at No. 80. The top rusher has been Michael Warren II (664 yards, 11 TDs), the top passer Desmond Ridder (1,062 yards, 10 TDs), the top receiver Josiah Deguara (21 catches, 3 TDs). Top defenders include DTs Cortez Broughton and Marquise Copeland and LB Perry Young.

Columbus Day Sale is on now!