The Cincinnati Bearcats are near the top of at least one top 25 poll.

Unfortunately the poll ranked the worst Division I football programs. But don't be fooled, the Bearcats are on their way toward respectability.

Coach Tim Murphy begins his third season with Cincinnati this afternoon against No. 5 Penn State (1-0). Murphy took notice of the Lions' passing attack against Georgia Tech in the Kickoff Classic and realized this isn't the same Penn State team as in years past.

"To me they looked more like Miami of Florida than the Eastern independent Penn State," Murphy said. "The team speed on both sides of the ball is a lot like Miami was in the 80s and today."

Murphy is one of the most-respected young coaches in the nation. Before going to Cincinnati, he coached at the University of Maine, where he was named Kodak Division I-AA Coach of the Year in 1987. He came to the University of Cincinnati in 1989, and although his 2-19-1 record does not look like a winner, he has built the team from the ground up.

The Bearcats have sophomores starting at most skill positions, including quarterback. Signal-caller Paul Anderson is a straight-A student in the classroom, and has also garnered high marks on the field. After redshirting in 1989, Anderson shattered Cincinnati freshman passing records in 1990. He completed over 50 percent of his passes and threw for over 1,400 yards.

Anderson said he isn't concerned about a possible "sophomore jinx."

"The only pressure I had was from the other sophomore quarterbacks trying to beat me out," he said. "I don't feel any pressure about being the second-year starter."

The Bearcats' passing game should benefit greatly from last year's experience. Anderson and his primary receivers -- Damon Bryant, Marlon Pearce and Brian Jenkins -- are all sophomores.

"We know each other pretty well," Anderson said. "I know when they're going to make their break. I think growing together has helped the offense."

Anderson made it clear that the Bearcats will have to run the ball well against Penn State's defense. However, junior-college transfer Vince Powell has been suspended for today's game for disciplinary reasons. That will put the burden of the running game on redshirt freshman David Small.

When an offensive drive stalls, Cincinnati will go to senior kicker David Rowe. Last season Rowe was 7-for-11 on field goal attempts, including 6-for-7 inside the 40-yard line.

The defensive side of the ball is a different story. Last season's opponents averaged almost 500 yards of total offense per game, converted over 50 percent of their third-down opportunities and scored an average of 41.8 points per game. Included in that mess were a 63-10 thumping at the hands of Iowa and a 70-21 pounding against Florida State.

The defense does have a few bright spots. Senior cornerback Kelly Sims is an NFL prospect, and leads a veteran secondary. Sims and free safety Ronnie Shannon have teamed together in the defensive backfield for their entire college careers. Sims said he is looking forward to the chance to defend against the Lions' suddenly pass-oriented offense.

"Speaking as a defensive player, I'm really excited that they're throwing the ball a little more," Sims said. "Penn State is known for running the ball, running the ball, running the ball. Now you have to respect the pass more."

The defensive line is very young, with two juniors and a sophomore starting. Tackle Ronnie Dixon leads this group. He registered three sacks last season and also had 28 tackles. Alongside Dixon are nose guard Bob Duckens and tackle Gary Reid, who was the team's most improved defensive lineman in the spring.

"I feel better about our defense this year than last year," Murphy said. "We're developing up front and we're physically better."

Although the odds are against him, Murphy said the Bearcats are confident they can leave Beaver Stadium with a win. Murphy may want to conjure up the ghosts of Troy Bodine and the rest of the 1983 Cincinnati team that shocked Happy Valley and the nation with a 14-3 victory over the Lions.

"I don't think you can go into a game thinking we just want to hang in there," Murphy said. "If your kids don't believe that the coaching staff believes you can win, it's going to be very difficult to get them to believe."

Quarterback Anderson believes his class is the "building block" for putting Cincinnati on the road to respectability. During the next few seasons, Murphy hopes to reap the rewards of his patience in building this team.

He also hopes that the next poll the Bearcats show up in is the one in which Penn State usually appears.