Players from Ohio with no earlier college roster elsewhere in the data filled 37% of roster spots in 2016 and 29% on the 2026 roster.
In 2016, 38 of 103 roster spots were filled by Ohio players not previously rostered elsewhere in the data. On the 2026 roster, 32 of 111 fit the same definition. The number of players previously rostered elsewhere changed from 1 to 22.
The median hometown distance moved from 250 mi in 2016 to 284 mi on the 2026 roster.
Before and during the portal era
2016–18 compared with 2021–25
- In-state, not rostered elsewhere
- Previously rostered elsewhere
| Measure | 2016–18 | 2021–25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state, not rostered elsewhere | 41.5% | 47.4% | |
| Previously rostered elsewhere | 2.3% | 16.1% |
The 2026 roster
- 378 miAverage hometown distanceAverage hometown distance among 106 located players.
- 31.5%In-state31.5% of players with a known home state are from Ohio.
- 21.7%Backyard21.7% of players with a located hometown grew up within 100 miles of campus.
- 19.8%Previously rostered elsewhere19.8% of the roster appeared on another college roster in an earlier season.
Where Cincinnati ranks
Homecoming Radius over time
The median hometown-to-campus distance, by season. The dotted line is the FBS median.
Roster composition over time
Where the in-state lens draws the line: home-state players with and without an earlier college roster, out-of-state players with and without one, and players with unknown geography. This chart begins where stable athlete IDs make transfer detection possible; the radius chart above carries the official-archive geography farther back.
Where do Cincinnati's players come from?
| Season | Roster | In-state | Rostered elsewhere | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 111 | 31.5% | 19.8% | 284 mi |
| 2025 | 110 | 34.5% | 21.8% | 353 mi |
| 2024 | 116 | 44.0% | 25.9% | 226 mi |
| 2023 | 112 | 57.1% | 18.8% | 112 mi |
| 2022 | 116 | 61.7% | 6.0% | 113 mi |
| 2021 | 135 | 62.7% | 8.1% | 110 mi |
| 2020 | 131 | 64.8% | 6.9% | 103 mi |
| 2019 | 120 | 63.0% | 6.7% | 108 mi |
| 2018 | 103 | 50.5% | 3.9% | 208 mi |
| 2017 | 100 | 41.0% | 2.0% | 235 mi |
| 2016 | 103 | 36.9% | 1.0% | 250 mi |
| 2015 | 100 | 36.0% | 1.0% | 254 mi |
| 2014 | 107 | 43.0% | 0.9% | 221 mi |
| 2013 | 112 | 44.6% | 0.9% | 110 mi |
| 2012 | 113 | 43.4% | 0.0% | 125 mi |
| 2011 | 105 | 46.7% | 1.0% | 125 mi |
| 2010 | 105 | 48.6% | 1.0% | 107 mi |
| 2009 | 105 | 48.6% | 1.9% | 169 mi |
In-state shares use players with a known home state. Radius uses located hometowns.
Where the roster grew up
Located hometowns on the 2026 roster, with campus marked and the Homecoming Radius circled.
Homecoming Radius: 284 mi