Colorado vs Cincinnati head-to-head: position-by-position star ratings, experience, and composite grades on CFB Matchup. They meet Week 12, Saturday, November 21, 2026.
The Breakdown
Dead heat: both 59 composite. Colorado's 73% portal-built starting lineup meets Cincinnati's 32% — the QB duel decides.
When Colorado has the ball: The 2.8★ O-line holds a half-star edge on Cincinnati's 2.3★ D-line, which averages 3.3 years.
When Cincinnati has the ball: A 2.4★ O-line faces Colorado's 3.0★ D-line — four first-year transfers, the game's widest unit gap.
Swing factor: Julian Lewis, 4★ but one year in, versus JC French IV: 3★, four seasons, first-year transfer.
X-factor: Week 12 Saturday in November, Colorado on the road — Cincinnati's home crowd is the only tiebreaker.