Luke Fickell asks for prayers for Gus Malzahn following Cincinnati-UCF game

The Cincinnati Bearcats defeated the UCF Knights today, but Luke Fickell is asking for prayers for something bigger than football. At the end of his post-game press conference, Fickell asked for prayers for UCF head coach Gus Malzahn’s daughter.

“Luke Fickell ends presser asking for prayers for UCF coach Gus Malzahn who had to leave on private jet to care for his daughter,” tweeted Mike Petraglia of CLNS Media.

Prior, Fickell stated that Malzahn had to rush out due to a family emergency. At the time, specifics weren’t revealed — but a statement has since been provided to The Orlando Sentinel regarding the situation.

“Gus’ daughter Kenzie Stander who lives in Birmingham gave birth to her first child (a son) earlier this week. His daughter was readmitted to the hospital due to complications, but Gus said she is now stable and doing well. He had already been planning to fly this afternoon from Cincinnati to Birmingham to visit even before Kenzie was readmitted.”

We wish Malzahn and his family the best, sending prayers at this time.

Cincinnati defeats UCF

While the game that took place feels secondary, the Bearcats made a statement against the Knights. Many expected UCF to give Cincinnati a scare, but Fickell’s squad took care of business at home.

In the victory, quarterback Desmond Ridder didn’t have to do much. He’s been phenomenal this season, but he only passed for 140 yards and a touchdown today.

The real star was running back Jerome Ford, who rushed for 189 yards and four touchdowns on the day. It was his second straight game with at least 149 yards and two touchdowns, as he’s been essential to the team’s offensive success in recent games.

Next up on the docket for Cincinnati is the Navy Midshipmen, who are twirling in mediocrity this season. Afterwards, they’ll face Tulane, Tulsa and USF in games where they should take care of business.

It all boils down to Fickell’s squad taking on SMU on Nov. 20th. If the Mustangs are undefeated, the game could have major stakes in the College Football Playoff.

Still, Luke Fickell and Cincinnati can enjoy their victory – and their spot in the college football rankings – for another week. The Bearcats keep on rolling.