Thursday, December 5, 2019

One Impossible Season, One Unbelievable Game


Everything was there for the taking.  An undefeated football season, a second consecutive Big East Championship, an unprecedented season of Bearcat football, a probable trip to the Sugar Bowl…and oh yea, if Nebraska could somehow beat Texas a possible trip to the National Championship Game.  The stakes could not have been higher when the Bearcats went to Heinz field on December 5, 2009.  In so many ways, that in and of itself should have been impossible.  This was a program that had spent decades in what in the best of times was mediocrity.  Up until the Rick Minter era (the long, but stable Rick Minter era) the program had spent a prolonged period of time as an Independent.  After a decade in Conference USA, they were given a spot in the Big East conference largely on the strength of Bob Huggins building a top 10 basketball program and the vision of Bob Goin.  Many thought Minter was the best they could do.  Instead the Bearcats rose from the bottom of the Big East to Big East champions in a few years.  They had battled, winning close games in 2008 and then taking the conference by storm in 2009.  This impossible season, this impossible college football ascension had built to this one game with everything on the line.  The game was a microcosm of everything that came before and in the end the Bearcats rose doing the impossible and completing one of the great comebacks in college football history. 



#
                We spent the night before the game in Washington, PA.  The hotels were cheaper and from Washington, PA we could reach Heinz field in 30-40 minutes.  With the game starting at noon, the tailgate started early.  I remember the lots near Heinz field being $50.00.  We found one littered with Bearcat fans and set up shop.  By now we were pros at road tailgates.  This was my 5th road trip of the season (only missing Oregon State) and my 11th in the past two seasons.  We had the grill set up by 8:00 a.m. and were mingling with Bearcat fans all over the lot.  We were confident.  This was going to be our game.  This team had never let us down.  It was a bit cold and the snow was falling, but we barely noticed.  With so much on the line we were ready for the great day ahead.
#
                It was a noon kickoff, but we were sure to be in the stadium early.  The Bearcats got the ball first and were stopped immediately.  Pitt took over on a short field and dominated the clock for a TD drive that while only going 56 yards, took 12 plays and 6:29 seconds.  However, UC responded with a touchdown of their own and the quarter ended in a 7-7 tie.  The second quarter would see Pitt extend the lead to 14-7 almost immediately (on an incredible catch by Doug Baldwin) and UC respond with a field goal to make it 14-10.  Then the wheels came off. 
                The Bearcat defense gets maligned a lot in 2009, but for the first half of the season they really did play well.  However, as the season went on, some injuries occurred and the lack of depth on that side of the ball began to show.  Up 14-10 Bill Stull hit a 23 yard pass than threw a 40 yard TD to Jonathan Baldwin to go up 21 to 10 (it was a flea flicker, two Bearcats were right there but didn’t get their head around and Baldwin made the play).  After a Tony Pike interception, Pitt would add a field goal to go up 24 to 10.  The Bearcats would again do nothing on their next drive and Pitt would block the punt giving them the ball inside the UC 5.  They would get a touchdown and the Bearcats were suddenly down 21 points late in the first half. 
#
                The air had come out of the sail of the Bearcat fans at Heinz field that day and I have no doubt everywhere else Bearcat fans were watching the game.  My sister was texting me about the game.  I remember her texts being fairly resigned to UC losing.  My response to her down 31-10 was something to the effect of “they’ll find a way to win this game.”  Did I really believe it?  I don’t know.  I had faith in this team.  They could explode in a hurry.  Maybe I was trying to convince myself.  However, a few seconds later I would believe.  I would fully buy in.  Mardy Gilyard would make sure I did. 
                Mardy was a force of nature in his time at UC and always had huge plays on the biggest of stages.  He ran back a kickoff against Oklahoma.  He ran the opening kickoff back when UC won at WVU in 2008 setting up their championship run.  He ran back a kickoff the week before against Illinois.  However, this was the one everyone will always remember.  He takes the kick, sprints forward, makes a couple quick moves then darts to the left corner of the endzone, outrunning every Pitt defender trying to cut him off.   I was at the game, but in the many times I have seen it since McDonough’s call remains one of the great calls I have heard.  “Here comes Mardy Gilyard.  Free at last!”  I picked up my phone and sent another text to my sister barely a minute after my last one.  I remember exactly what it said “We’re fucking winning this game!”  This time, I know I believed.


#
                The defense came out and played really well for much of the second half, but the Bearcats couldn’t seem to close the gap on Pitt.  Finally it was Mardy Gilyard who caught a pass between three defenders down the field and then darted off for a touchdown cutting the lead to 7.  However, UC couldn’t get it closer and after punting from deep in their territory Pitt got the ball back at the UC 32 and scored 4 plays later to get the lead back out to 14 (at 38-24).  To that point in the game Pike had really struggled and offense had failed to move the ball.  The Bearcats were now down 14 points with only 12:26 left in the game.  The offense would have to figure it out quickly if UC was to win this one.
                Mardy Gilyard returned the kickoff 49 yards to the Pitt 23 giving UC a short field.  The offense finished the drive barely a minute later, but Jake Rogers missed the extra point, putting UC down 8.  After a quick three and out, Pike lead the offense down the field and UC finished off the drive on a 1 yard TD run by Isaiah Pead.  Down two, UC kept the offense on the field and Pike hit Gilyard on a slant to tie the game. 


#
                The defense had played a great second half, only giving up one TD on a short field, but with the game on the line Pitt marched down the field behind a heavy dose of Dion Lewis.  Lewis capped off the drive with a 5 yard TD run putting Pitt up 6 with just 1:36 to go in the game.  I remember at the time being somewhat relieved there was that much time on the clock.  Had Lewis just picked up the first down (on 2nd a 2) instead of running 5 yards for the TD, UC may have run out of time.  Pitt messed up the snap on the extra point, tried to run it and UC held.  Suddenly, a touchdown would be enough to win the game in regulation.   This was a huge play and we could feel it at the time. 
#
                Again Mardy Gilyard set up the offense.  Gilyard broke off a 26 yard return to the 39.  When you watch the replay he was so close to breaking it again.  UC took over with 1:30 left in the game.  Heinz field was rocking as UC took the field.  On the first play Pike faced pressure, stepped up and delivered it to Gilyard on the sideline.  It was short of the first down so the clock kept running.  UC got to the line quickly and Pike found DJ Woods over the middle.  UC got to the line quickly again and again Pike showed presence in the pocket, this time stepping up and rolling right to avoid pressure and throwing back across his body to Gilyard who broke back to the football.  UC called timeout with 39 seconds left at the Pitt 29. 
                Watching the replay of the next play it’s really impressive that Millan calls exactly what is about to happen.  UC has nobody in the back field with Binns alone on the short side of the field.  Pitt leaves Chappell in one on one coverage.  Millan points it out saying “Man to man down here with Binns again with Chappell.  It’s been something he’s liked all day. A whole lot of field to work with.”  Binns creates just enough separation and Pike delivers a perfect strike to the endzone.  I don’t think I’ve ever gone quite so nuts on a play.  Hugging and high fiving my friends and the other Bearcat fans all around me.  Anticipating the ensuing PAT that would put the Bearcats in the lead.   The huge contingent of UC fans that made the trip were heard throughout Heinz field. 


#
                Rogers drilled the PAT this time and UC had a lead with 33 seconds left in the game.  Pike hit 11 straight passes in the 4th quarter when they absolutely needed him.  Pitt ran out the kickoff taking over from their own 18 with 28 seconds left.  A field goal would be enough for Pitt, but the defense came up big one last time.  Stull threw three straight incomplete passes (his second and third down passes were almost intercepted, maybe should have been) setting up forth down with only 10 seconds left.  Wandstadt tried to fool UC with play action (seriously) and Curtis Young finished the game getting to Stull starting a sack that the rest of the line finished off.  After Pike took a knee we could all celebrate an unbeaten season and a second straight Big East Championship. 



#
                And celebrate we did.  I remember not wanting to leave Heinz Field, celebrating and cheering until the Bearcats finally left the field themselves.  The pregame tailgate turned into a postgame tailgate.  UC fans stayed in the lot while Pitt fans got the hell out of dodge.  One tailgate was against the street with a microphone singing as Pitt fans drove off.  Down the Drive rang throughout the lot and then at the bars that evening. 
#
                And then we missed a national championship game by 1 second.  I joined a boatload of UC fans at a Pittsburgh bar watching the Big 12 Championship.  Suh tried to singlehandedly win the game for Nebraska.  With a few seconds left on the clock and Texas in field goal range down 2, Colt McCoy took the snap rolled out and threw it away.  The clock hit triple zero and the bar I was at erupted.  We couldn’t believe it.  Texas was about to lose and UC would likely play for a national championship.  Sadly, it wasn’t to be as the refs gave Texas one second back.  Texas drilled the 46 yard field goal and UC ended up in the Sugar Bowl.  Not even that could take away from UC’s day and the incredible season, but it remains staggering just how close the Bearcats were to playing Bama for the national championship. 
                Ten years ago today.   A college football game I will never forget, a team that will stay with me forever and a season of unbelievable joy.  Bearcat football emerging on the college football scene was unbelievable and special for someone like me who grew up going to Nippert with my father, cheering hard for UC program that was mediocre even in Conference USA.  I loved UC football.  I was resigned to enjoy rooting for that type of program forever, but always hoped it would be something more.  I never imagined 2009.  It was impossible.  It was incredible.  It was a season I will never forget. 





Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Bearcats Survive at Nippert



                My tailgate group began arriving at the lot around 11:00.  Despite the rain we set up four tents, a couple fires and a couple TVs to tailgate all afternoon in preparation for the big game.  Temple had won four in a row against the Bearcats.  True 2 of those games had been against the Tuberville Bearcats and one against year 1 Fickell, but Temple had been the second best AAC program in the East over that span, consistently finding themselves in the conference championship race.  Despite the Bearcats being 11 point favorites most Bearcat fans understood this would be a battle.  On the line, the AAC East championship and the opportunity to play for a conference championship in two weeks.  In the end the defense came up huge, the special teams made more enormous plays and the running game did just enough for the Bearcats to survive. 



                The first quarter was a mess.  Temple moved down the field early, but the UC defense held them on 4th down to get the offense the ball.  Both teams then traded three and outs (each offense going 3 and out twice) before UC went on a 16 play 53 yard drive culminating in a field goal early in the second quarter.  On the drive the offense only completed 1 pass (a seven yard pass to Mdodj on first down).  Every other positive play was a run.  Crosa capped of the drive with a 36 yard FG to put the Bearcats on the board. 
                It looked like 3-0 would be the score going into the half.  Both offenses struggled immensely throughout the second quarter.  Neither team put together a drive longer than 27 yards.  With 2:02 left in the half Temple punted the ball back to UC.  UC caught the punt for a modest return.  However, when they came back out UC had been given the ball on the Temple 6.  Temple’s punter had caught the snap with his knee down, so UC took over from that spot.  The Bearcat offense went backward from there and had to settle for a 37 yard field goal to take a 6-0 lead into the locker room.  The drive all but ended on first down when UC called a rollout for Ridder.  The rollout enabled Ridder to make a couple reads and if he didn’t like what he saw he could just throw the ball out of the endzone without getting grounding.  Instead Ridder took a 14 yard sack, putting UC in a near impossible situation.  It was maybe the most frustrating play of the many frustrating plays Ridder made throughout the night. 

#
                Like the 2019 Bearcats against Temple, the 2009 Bearcats went into a home game against West Virginia with a chance to clinch an opportunity to play for an outright conference championship.  West Virginia was the biggest game on the home schedule.  They’d been the class of the Big East and a top ten type program in their recent history.  The Bearcats forced a three and out to start the game then Colloros marched the Bearcats down the field with a couple of passes and a series of Pead runs.  When the Bearcats reached the redzone, Tony Pike took the field for the first time since USF.  On the first play he found Binns across the middle in the endzone and the Bearcats took a 7-0 lead.  The UC defense continued to play well in the first quarter, but a fumble by Adrien Robinson on an 18 yard reception set up a short field and WVU capitalized tying the game at 7.
                West Virginia would take the lead a couple drives later.  After Jake Rogers missed a 34 yard field goal, West Virginia went 80 yards in eight plays to give them a 14-7 lead.  The Bearcats rarely trailed in 2009 and they wouldn’t trail for long.  Mardy Gilyard took the kickoff 48 yards into WVU territory (Huge Mardy Gilyard kick returns would be a thing the last three weeks of the season) and the Bearcats quickly scored the tying touchdown on a 2 yard Pead run.  The teams would go into the half tied at 14.

#
                The Bearcats opened the second half against Temple with their biggest drive of the day.  It was the kind of physical, imposing drive this team has seemingly come through with all season.  They completed zero passes on the drive (only throwing it once) and instead ran 8 times for 65 yards culminating in a 13 yard Michael Warren touchdown run.  After a Grosa extra point the Bearcats lead 13-0.  It would remain 13-0 for the rest of the third quarter.
#
                Similarly, the 2009 Bearcats came out of the half and marched down the field for a touchdown.  They started the drive with a heavy dose of Isaiah Pead.  Collaros then completed three straight passes getting UC to the WVU 6.  Once again Brian Kelly brought Tony Pike back into the game and Pike delivered on third and goal, throwing a strike to D.J. Woods for a touchdown to put the Bearcats back up 21-14.  It would remain 21-14 for the rest of the quarter.
#
                Just when it seemed like the Bearcat defense was going to shut Temple down the entire game, Temple fought back into it.  Temple opened the fourth quarter with a 10 play, 73 yard touchdown drive, cutting the lead to 13-6.  Temple lined up for the PAT to cut the lead to 6 and then the Bearcat special teams came up with the defining play of the game.  The Bearcats blocked the PAT then Coby Bryant looked around and decided to pick up the ball and try to take it back.  From the endzone it didn’t look open and then suddenly as he burst left it did.  A cavalcade of blockers ran alongside him as Bryant sprinted toward the endzone and two points.  Instead of a touchdown beating UC, Temple would need two scores to win the game. 
                The Bearcats got the ball back with a chance to run some clock and put Temple away.  It did not happen.  Warren ran twice getting UC in third and 3, but Ridder took another sack on third down and UC punted the ball back to Temple.  Temple got the ball back and for the second straight time marched down the field putting the ball in the endzone and cutting the Bearcat lead to two.  A field goal would now beat them.  With the game on the line, the offense mostly did its job, moving the ball 42 yards in 10 plays (mostly on the ground, though UC managed a key third down conversion through the air), running off 4:18 of clock and setting Crosa up for a 40 yard field goal.  However, Crosa missed the field goal and the UC lead remained 2.
                Temple got the ball back with a chance to win the game with a field goal of their own.  That’s when the Bearcat defense, again came up with the key play it needed.  After converting a 4th and one, UC pressured Anthony Russo into a throw he didn’t want to make and Derek Forest was there to run under it, catch it and seal the victory.  It wasn’t pretty.  The passing game continues to have severe issues, but ultimately, this team made enough plays to beat a good Temple team, remain unbeaten the AAC and lock up their spot in the AAC Championship game. 

#
                For as much as people dogged on the Bearcat defense in 2009 they often came up with plays when the offense was struggling.  After the TD drive to open the second half the Bearcat offense struggled.  However, the Bearcat defense continued to keep WVU out of the endzone.  With 6 minutes left in the game and the Bearcats up 7, UC forced a turnover on downs getting the ball back to the offense.  The offense moved 55 yards in 7 plays before Rogers kicked a Field Goal to go up 24-14 with 3:15 to go.  Though West Virginia would add a touchdown, the Bearcat defense forced them to take up most the clock to do so.  By the time WVU found the endzone there was only 39 seconds left.  The Bearcats recovered the onside kick, took a knee and put themselves one win away from a conference championship. 
#
                The Bearcats have to beat Memphis to win the conference.  If they win at the Liberty Bowl this week they’ll host the AAC Championship in two weeks.  If they lose, they’ll be back at the Liberty Bowl again needing to beat Memphis to win the conference.  A win next week and they’ll likely be hosting Navy for the conference championship.  However, should Navy lose to Houston the Bearcats would be playing Memphis again, though this time at Nippert.  Bottom line is the Bearcats are likely to need better production from Ridder to have any hope of beating Memphis.  Memphis has been the most consistent team in the conference all season.  Their offense is explosive and will almost certainly find the endzone a few times.  Despite their flaws, the Bearcats are exactly where we all hoped they would be with 2 weeks to play.  It’s been a hell of a season.  Let’s hope they can win two more.   

Monday, November 18, 2019

Lightning Round – The “lightweight” conference games.


I haven’t had time to write the last few weeks and the games were all “should win” type games, so I thought I’d just cover these similar stretches in the 2019 and 2009 season with brief thoughts on each game.  Both stretches of the schedule focused on conference matchups against the bottom of the conference where the Bearcats were heavy favorites.  Both featured some tests (this year more than in 2009) and in both stretches the Bearcats made it out unscathed for the stretch run.  This will also allow me to play with the schedule so that the game at Pitt coincides with a potential conference championship game in the AAC. So here we go, lightning round as to how the 2009 and 2019 Bearcats took care of business against the bottom of the conference and put themselves in position to win the conference and make a major bowl game.

2019 Tulsa at Cincinnati
                It was a beautiful day for Bearcat football one which I celebrated by bringing my 1.5 year old daughter down for her first tailgate.  The day started at the Zoo then we picked up some Adriaticos and tailgated behind Martinos.  My wife and daughter stayed for a bit than went home while I stayed for a great tailgate and a hard fought win.
                Though the Bearcats were in control for most the game, it never felt like they played close to their best.  This will be a theme in this stretch of football.  The Bearcats lead throughout, but it was a one score game for most of the second half.  Ultimately, the defense forced a critical turnover (they forced 5 on the day) and put the game away with a quick touchdown on the next play, moving the Bearcats to 6-1 on the season and 3-0 in the AAC.




2009 Louisville at Cincinnati
                Louisville had owned the rivalry for several years prior to 2008, when UC won at Louisville on their way to their first Big East Championship.  In 2009, the Bearcats had little trouble in dispatching the Cardinals at Nippert.  Zach Collaros made his first career start throwing for 263 yards (on 15 of 17 for 14.9 yards a clip) and running for 52 more.  Isaiah Pead only ran 6 times, but had 88 yards and 2 touchdowns.  By the end of the game both Chazz Anderson and Brendon Kay saw action as the Bearcats won 41 to 10. 

2019 Bearcats at ECU
                ECU had been a disaster all season and everyone expected this to be a complete blowout.  Though the ECU defense proved as inept as expected, the ECU offense found itself and a sure victory suddenly looked like a defeat.  Instead of making the trip to ECU, like I’d probably have done in 2009, I traveled to Washington DC to meet my new nephew and visit my sister.  ECU and Cincinnati traded scores in the first quarter (ending with UC up 21 to 14), then ECU ran off 17 straight in the second quarter to take a 31 to 21 lead into the locker room.  It’s easy to blame the defense when a team moves the ball and scores like ECU did that night, but it shouldn’t be lost that Ahlers and his receivers were unbelievable all night.  Ahlers delivered strike after strike on time and on target, often with pressure in his face.  The ECU receivers seemed to catch everything around them.  It was an unexpected performance from them.
                However, ECU struggled to stop the UC running game and by the time we reached the middle of the 4th quarter UC had cut the lead to 5.   ECU again drove into Cincinnati territory when for the second time this season Ahmad Gardner made an enormous, game swinging type play, jumping the Ahlers pass and taking it to the house.  You felt like the Bearcats had to have a defensive score to win the way ECU was playing and that is what happened.  ECU would tie it on a late field goal but Crosa would hit one of his own as time expired and the Bearcats completed a miraculous escape from East Carolina.



2009 Cincinnati at Syracuse
                The game was set to be played at noon on a Saturday, so after my friend got off work we hopped in his car and drove overnight to Syracuse.  We pulled into the hotel parking lot at about 5:00 a.m. and slept for a couple hours in the car before heading to Campus to tailgate.  It was a wet, chilly day.  The lot was a bit muddy, but we found some Bearcat fans, grilled some sausage and cheese sandwiches and had some fun.  Given the weather outside, the Carrier Dome wasn’t a bad place to watch a football game.  The Bearcats paced themselves scoring a TD every quarter.  Collaros threw for four TDs on the game and only 6 incomplete passes.  It was another game where the Bearcats never trailed and behind another solid defensive effort UC left with a firmly controlling 28-7 win.

2019 UConn at Cincinnati
                UConn is terrible.  I mean really terrible.  I mean, horribly, incredibly, historically terrible. 



2009 UConn at Cincinnati
                Talk about two entirely different UConn programs. About the only thing that UConn team and the 2019 UConn team had in common was Randy Edsall.  UConn wasn’t great by any means in 2009, but they weren’t bad either.  They won at Baylor.  They lost by 2 to number 19 UNC.  They won a double OT game at Notre Dame.  UConn came to Cincinnati having lost two close games in the conference.  Cincinnati would be their last loss of the season and the game would be one of the most memorable of 2009.  The game was in prime time on ABC and Zach Collaros had maybe the greatest game I’ve ever seen a Bearcat quarterback play. 
                Collaros threw for 480 yards and ran for 75 more, for 3 total tds.  The UC offense marched up and down the field all night.  However, this was the game where the Bearcat defense, which had been solid for most of the year, began to really fall apart.   The Bearcats ran out to a 30 to 10 lead, then after a UConn Td, extended the lead back out to 37 to 17.  UConn returned a punt for a TD, then after a UC field goal they had a quick TD drive to cut the lead to 8.  UC had a rare punt and UConn scored again with 5:03 left to cut it to 2.  They failed on the two point conversion. 
                UC got the ball back up 2 with 5 minutes left.  Collaros again marched UC right down the field completing 4 straight passes.  UC was stopped after 3 runs and had forth and 1 from the UConn 14.  Instead of kicking, Kelly left the offense on the field.  Pead beat everyone for a 14 yard touchdown to put the Bearcats up 9 with just under 2 minutes to play.  UConn would score another TD with 13 seconds left, but UC recovered the onside kick and escaped Nippert with the win. 


2019 Cincinnati at USF
                It was ugly.  God was it ugly, but UC escaped USF with another last second win on a Crosa field goal.  Based on SP+ factors UC had about a 20% chance of winning that game, going by how it was played.  However, the USF kicker seemed to want UC to pull it out.  The first half was an utter disaster salvaged by the defense not allowing TDs and USF missing field goals.  The second half UC ran the ball mostly well and doing just enough on offense to tie the game.  With the game tied late, USF again missed a field goal. UC picked up two huge third downs on the final drive before Crosa kicked another game winning field goal at the gun. 

Where we stand
                The Bearcats head to their final home game with a chance to clinch the American Conference East Division.  They’ll have to do so against a Temple team that has beaten the Bearcats four straight years, including a brutal loss last season where UC blew a second half lead.  What scares me right now is the staff does not seem to have any confidence in the passing game (and Ridder hasn’t really given them a reason to have confidence).  Last season UC lost the Temple game largely because Temple loaded up against the run in the second half and dared Ridder to beat them through the air.  The staff all but abandoned any semblance of trying to pass and UC couldn’t put it away on the ground.  UC nearly lost to USF in a similar way…abandoning any hope of moving the ball through the air.  They don’t need to be a great passing team, but they need to find a way to attack down field and loosen up really good Temple defense. 

Monday, October 14, 2019

A Tale of Two Road Games


                I wasn’t planning to go to Tampa.  I really wasn’t.  The game was scheduled on a Thursday night, I couldn’t convince my normal travel group to make the trip and I really was broke.  In 2008/2009 I was spending every free dollar on Bearcat football.  Despite making it to 4 of the first 5 games of 2009 and 12 of the 14 in 2008 I was prepared to take this one off.  I can’t even remember how it happened, but I remember a guy I played a lot of pickup basketball with at the UC rec saying he wanted to drive down.  He said it would be a quick trip (he wasn’t exaggerating).  I said, what the hell, I’m in and just like that I was driving down to Tampa to watch the Bearcats play the #21 South Florida Bulls on a Thursday night. 
                When I tell you it was a quick trip, I’m not screwing with you.  We left Wednesday night.  We drove overnight, straight through.  We arrived at one of the people’s friend’s house around noon on Thursday.  We hung out at the pool for a few hours, then made our way into the city.  We tailgated briefly, then walked to Raymond James Stadium for the game.  We watched the game.  Took a few pictures after the game at the Pirate Ship, then got back in the car and drove back to Cincinnati.  We were home somewhere around 36 hours after we left.  But while we were there, we watched another memorable Bearcat performance.
#
                It’s crazy how different life is in 2019.  I never even considered making the trip to Houston.  However, even if I had, that would have been vetoed immediately.  My wife’s friend had chosen this day to get married and my wife required my attendance.  With a 3:30 kickoff and a 5:30 wedding, I was generously looking at the prospect of watching the first half then figuring it out for the rest of the game.  Fall weddings remain the bane of my existence.  It was a great time, but it would have been a great time in the spring when I didn’t have to miss some snaps in a UC football game.  For a big midseason conference game on the road, I would be forced to watch what I could of the second half from my cell phone.  A far cry from 2009 when I drove nearly 2000 miles in 36 or so hours to watch in person.


#
                In 2009, the Bearcats’ football schedule was backloaded with home games.  They opened the season with a win at Rutgers.  Their second conference game was this road trip to South Florida.  If they could somehow manage to beat the Bulls 4 of their next 5 games would be at Nippert.  The Bulls had opened the season 5-0 including a win at #19 Florida State.  They were ranked 21st in the country and seen by many as a contender in the conference.  The game was in prime time, on ESPN on a Thursday night.  It was a big game and a huge opportunity.  A win and the Bearcats would be 2-0 having already beaten two potential contenders for the conference championship on the road with a run of home games to come.  If they managed to win, it was hard to see the Bearcats losing before WVU came to Nippert for their second to last conference game.  At that point an undefeated season would be well within their sights.
#
                Though this Houston team didn’t come in with the pedigree of South Florida in 2009, it was a similar opportunity for putting UC in the driver’s seat in the conference.  Having already beaten UCF, this figured to be UC’s toughest test before a home tilt with Temple late in the season.  After this week the schedule really opened with a home game against Tulsa, then drawing the three bottom east teams after the bye week.  With that slate of games, winning at Houston could really set UC up so that they could lock up the division at home against Temple.  Because of all the oddities surrounding Houston this had the makings of a trap type game, but the opportunity to set their season on a great course would be there. 
#
                There was a really good crowd at Raymond James Stadium.  The place wasn’t full, but I’d bet there were 50,000+ there that night.  I was surprised how many UC fans flooded the upper deck.  A really fun contingent had made the trip.  UC fell behind 7-3 in the first quarter, but as they had done often that year they started to separate in the second quarter.  UC scored a touchdown after an interception put them on a short field to go up 10-7, then scored another TD on a long touchdown drive when Pike found Armon Binns to go up 17-7.  The Bulls added a field goal and UC took a 17-10 lead into the locker room.  However, early in the second half Tony Pike would be forced to leave the game with an injury and the game was very much in doubt.  The Bearcats would have to turn to sophomore Zach Collaros to hold on to the 17-10 lead. 
#
                It looked like we might get another repeat of Marshall early against Houston.  The Bearcats met almost zero resistance in marching down the field for an opening drive TD.  The big play on the drive was a 44 yard connection between Ridder and Pierce.  After an interception on their second drive set up a field goal for Houston, the Bearcats struck immediately with a 75 yard TD pass to an utterly wide open Rashad Medaris.  However, the offense seemed to go into a shell for the rest of the half.  The Bearcats punted on 3 straight possessions, where they moved the ball a total of 17 yards.  Houston found the endzone on one of their drives, but the defense set up the offense again for a short field and UC capitalized allowing them to go into half with a 21-10 lead.  Despite the offense puttering for much of the half, the game seemed fairly well in hand. 
#
                The Brian Kelly era is certainly the pinnacle of Bearcat football in my lifetime.  UC was in a BCS conference, ended up winning the conference twice in three years, going to two BCS bowls and ran up a 34-6 record in games Kelly coached.  The Brian Kelly era was known for winning, constant winning.  However, if there is another thing that seemed to constantly pop up during Kelly’s time at UC it was dealing with injuries to their quarterbacks. 
                The first season, much of that was brought on by the decision to bring in Ben Mauk.  Mauk was an injury plagued, graduate transfer from Wake Forest.  Mauk was incredibly fun to watch and played with a swagger that instantly endeared him to UC fans.  Who could forget him chopping wood at Rutgers?  However, I remember constantly reading stories about Mauk missing time in practice, or Mauk throwing a smaller ball to protect his arm during the week.  Despite ongoing injury concerns Mauk managed to start nearly every game that year, but when he was unable to go Dustin Grutza filled in admirably.  Grutza started and helped dominate when UC destroyed Miami and started and split time with Mauk in a dominant win against Marshall the next week.  Mauk battled through those injuries playing most the way the rest of the season. 
                2008 will forever be defined by winning the Big East Championship and making the Orange Bowl, but it was incredible for the QB issues UC faced game after game.  Grutza started the year as the man and in his second game at Oklahoma had a very good first half as UC tried to keep up with an incredible Oklahoma offense, getting it to the locker room at 21 to 13.  Grutza was knocked out of the game in the second half with what looked like a season ending injury and the Bearcats turned to Tony Pike.  Pike came in and kept the Bearcats rolling against Miami only to suffer an injury of his own the next week at Akron.  Pike would have to have surgery and miss 3-4 weeks.  The Bearcats replaced him with Zach Collaros, who helped finish a drive that got them in position for a field goal which turned out to be the game winner.  However, Zach wouldn’t keep the job.  The next two weeks the Bearcats turned to Chaz Anderson pulling out wins over Marshall and Rutgers (the later will forever be the Kevin Huber game to me…a real punt fest).  Pike attempted to come back to disastrous results against UConn, but was able to get it together for the end of the season, starting every game in the Bearcats’ five straight wins to lock up the conference.  Ultimately, he would struggle in their final game against Hawaii and Dustin Grutza would come back from the injury to lead a great fourth quarter comeback.  Four QBs, each contributing to wins in an 11 win season, culminating in an Orange Bowl.
                In 2009, Tony Pike had taken every meaningful snap going into the USF game.  UC was rolling and he was a huge reason why.  Up until that point, the only time UC fans had watched Collaros was that brief stretch at Akron.  And so it was, that Zach Collaros stepped in against USF, hoping to hold onto a 17-10 lead, on the road against the number 21 team in the country.
#
                The talented USF defense seemed ready to make a play, when Collaros entered the game at QB.  The Bearcats ran the ball twice to start his day.  Pead lost a yard then Collaros ran for no game.  UC faced a third and eleven on their own 25.  Then came what I still consider the biggest (non Pitt game) play of the 2009 Bearcat football season.  I remember watching the play from the upper deck at Raymond James Stadium and the elation flowing through me as I saw the field open up.  Collaros took the snap and UC ran a designed sneak.  He caught a couple of blocks upfield, then sprung free.  He had a first down and was in a footrace for the endzone.  Collaros prevailed in the footrace giving the Bearcats a 24-10 lead they would never look back from. 


                Zach would later throw an interception and set USF up for a short TD drive to make it 24-17.  He immediately responded with a six play, 70 yard touchdown drive of his own.  On the drive he ran twice for 14 yards including his second TD rush of the day.  He completed a 43 yard pass to Ben Guidugli and a 15 yard pass to Isaiah Peed.  After the defense forced a three and out Collaros would lead the Bearcats on another long drive, this time settling for a FG to put UC up 34-17.  That would be the final score.  Pike had gone down and Collaros had answered the bell.  He would do so time and time again that season until Pike’s return.  The Bearcats were 2-0 in the Big East, having already beaten two contenders on the road.  They had a lot of games at Nippert on the horizon.  The feeling that this team could run the table and even be in the national title hunt was building. 


#
                Houston came out in the second half against Cincinnati determined to make it interesting.  On their 4th play of the drive they connected for a 69 yard TD to cut UC’s lead to 21-17.  The teams traded punts, before UC missed a field goal on its second drive of the half.  UC’s offense had failed to score on 6 of its last 7 drives.  Its only TD came courtesy of the defense forcing and interception and giving UC a very short field.  UC’s biggest issue and the one glaring thing that holds this team back right now is the offense goes through stretches where it is very ineffective.  However, this season when that has happened (outside of the OSU game) the defense has bailed them out.
                And that is again what happened Saturday.  After UC missed its field goal, the defense forced a fumble.  The Bearcat offense capitalized going 34 yards in 7 plays for a touchdown.  However, Houston struck back with a TD of their own to make it a five point game.  They missed the two point conversion that would have cut it to three.  Nine minutes left in the game and everything was very much in doubt.  It was good to see the Bearcats respond with at least a field goal on their next drive.  Tre Tucker had a nice return and despite two penalties before the ball was even snapped, the Bearcat offense overcame the 1st and 20 picking up a few first downs before kicking a field goal to go up eight.
                By that time the cocktail hour at the wedding had ended and I was sitting at the table as salad was being delivered, with my phone in my lap and youtubetv streaming.  I was trying not to make it noticeable, but my wife made a few annoyed comments about it.  No surprise the Bearcat defense came up with another huge play to ice it.  The pass was deflected behind the line of scrimmage and Perry Young ran under it as if that was how the play had been designed the entire time.  He caught the pass and waltzed into the endzone.  UC fans could breathe easy. The Bearcats were escaping Houston with a hard fought win.  I threw my fist in the air and did a couple fist shakes, before putting my phone away for the rest of the wedding. 


                As the Bearcats enter the back half of their schedule, it is hard not to start looking ahead.  The next four are against probably the four worst teams in the conference.  Tulsa has shown flashes, but UC gets them at home.  A trip to ECU after a buy week should be scare free and UConn might as well not even get off the bus on November 9.  USF has shown some signs of life, so that game on November 16 may be a bit scary when it gets there, but as we stand it’s hard to imagine UC not going into the Temple game 9-1 with a chance to clinch the Eastern Division of the AAC.  UC’s win at Houston successfully got them through a potential land mind, and now the next four games are about taking care of business against lesser teams.  If they do, they’ll set up an exciting last 2 (hopefully 3 games including the AAC Championship) and an opportunity to be playing in a major bowl for the first time since 2009. 

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Are We Ready to Believe?


                We thought this could be a special season for the Cincinnati Bearcats.  Last year’s 11-2 ascension seemingly came out of nowhere.  That wasn’t happening this year.  UC had a target and the look of one of the favorites in a deeper than ever American Athletic Conference.  The Bearcats were very up and down to start the year, but beat the teams they should have beat to keep their season on track.  The trip to Marshall gave a taste of what could be and then Friday night, in front of a sell out crowd at Nippert stadium the Bearcats made us believe.  The Bearcats became the first AAC team the last 3 seasons to beat UCF and in doing so put themselves firmly in the AAC conference race.  Friday night at Nippert was a celebration of Bearcat football and hopefully a return to something truly special.
                It really started a week prior.  We were waiting for this Bearcat football team to give a top performance from beginning to end.  That Saturday night in Huntington, West Virginia they delivered.  Most Bearcat fans thought Marshall would be a real test.  They went to Boise State and held Boise State to 14 points, losing by a touchdown.  They were the favorite in Conference USA.  The Bearcats dispatched with the Thundering Herd before you could even blink.  It was the kind of performance UC hasn’t really delivered despite their success the last two seasons.  Too often UC has started slow and sluggish.  This time they scored nearly every time they touched the ball running out to a 42-0 lead and never looking back.
                What I really appreciated about the Marshall performance was UC going against tendency early in the game.  Too often UC has started slow, running into stacked fronts, not pushing downfield when teams sell out to stop the run.  Against Marshall they came out and put pressure on the back of the Marshall defense.  Ridder delivered with maybe his best overall performance as a Bearcat.  UC ran out to a huge lead and the running game was as affective as always as the game went on.  That win set up Friday at Nippert, an opportunity for the Bearcats to get their first win over a ranked team in a decade (since 2009 in fact, where the Bearcats beat 3 ranked teams on their way to an undefeated season).




#
                Our tailgate group has gotten smaller in recent years.  I do think the Tuberville era is a part of it as it got less fun for many to come to Nippert.  The other issue has been people moving out of town making it harder to get to the game.  This week instead of setting up our own tailgate behind Martinos where we have been tailgating for a decade, we joined up with another tailgate on The Grid.  I’ve been on The Grid a few times, but never for a full tailgate.  UC has just done a great job with it.  The place is packed and active.  The catwalk is amazing.  It was great getting to party on The Grid. 
#
                The story of the first half was the Cincinnati defense in the redzone.  For a half, UCF moved the ball up and down the field.  The first drive was largely aided by penalties, but time and time again in the first half UCF moved into scoring position.  And nearly every time the Bearcat defense held.  UCF settled for a field goal on their first drive.  Then on the second drive they marched down the field again before a Cam Jefferies INT at the goal line and big return flipped the field.  In the second quarter UCF had drives of 10 plays and 8 plays end in field goals.  Their only touchdown came on a short field (12 yards) after a Ridder interception.  Though UC trailed 16 to 10 at the half, the defenses ability prevent touchdowns had kept them in the game.
                I thought the offensive gameplan was conservative and put UC at risk in the first half.  Like UCF, UC’s only first half touchdown came on a short field after forcing a turnover.  Other than that, the Bearcat offense did very little all half and seemed reluctant to challenge UCF down the field.  UC’s first two drives ended with 2 yard dump offs to Michael Warren on Third and 10 and third and 14, respectively.  On their final drive of the half UC could have at least taken a shot at the endzone with a Hail Mary, but chose to go in the locker room down 6.  It was a generally frustrating game plan from the offense, but the defense had kept UC in it by preventing touchdowns and creating the only UC touchdown drive by giving them a 16 yard field.  And it turned out, the Bearcat defense would be even better in the second half.


#
                And Nippert was rocking.  The energy of the crowd was felt from kickoff until the final snap.  The students were there and loud early.  Every third down, hell almost every down, the crowd was in it, making noise and trying to help disrupt the UCF offense.  I sit in the corner of the endzone near the field and the noise on the field is always evident from that spot.  As someone who has been lucky enough to travel the country and visit some great stadiums, it’s always impressive how truly exceptional Nippert Stadium can be. 

Photo From @chadbrendel https://twitter.com/ChadBrendel/status/1180503929462951936

#
                That energy was in full force in the second half, when the Bearcat defense suffocated the great UCF offense.  However, it was the offense that got things started.  The Bearcats came out aggressive in the second half completing their first two passes and quickly moving into UCF territory.  Those completions lead to some success running the football.  Ultimately the drive stalled largely because of a holding penalty, but the Bearcats kicked a field goal to get within three.  
                The Bearcat defense really took over from there.  They forced two straight three and outs where UCF lost 21 yards.  Then on their third drive of the second, Gabriel tried to throw a quick pass to the sideline and Ahmad Gardner made the play of the season to this point, stepping in front of the pass and taking it to the house.  Suddenly UC had a lead.  UCF had the ball 5 times in the third quarter.  They lost 21 yards in the first 3 possessions and threw a pick six.  They had 1 first down in the quarter, punted 4 times and were intercepted 1 time.  This might have been the single best quarter of football I’ve ever seen a Bearcat defense play.
                Then on the last play of the third quarter the truck busted free.  A couple quick cuts and Warren was into the open field.  The end of the play was particularly great as his last cuts forced to pursuing defenders to take each other out, colliding into each other.  The Bearcats then scored on the first play of the fourth quarter when Ridder found Alec Pierce in the corner of the endzone.  Just like that UC was in control. 


#
                It only took the dominant week one win over Rutgers for most UC fans to realize 2009 could be an incredibly special season.  This was the week when that idea became real in 2019.  UCF made the game interesting at the end.  They had a quick touchdown drive and two point conversion to get within three.  UC got the ball back trying to run the clock out.  Twice it looked like they picked up the first down but twice the refs spotted the ball just before the sticks.  That left Fickell with a fourth down decision that I don’t really believe was a decision at all.  UC needed a few inches to ice the game.  They lined up and got those few inches.  Despite my concerns regarding the staff too often being passive and playing to tendency on offense, this is the kind of situation where they always make the right call.  They trust their guys to finish instead of putting the game in the hands of the opposing offense.  The staff has a ton of great qualities, but this is one that has consistently stood out. 
#



                Weeks 4 and 5 in 2009 were less interesting than this year.  UC took care of Fresno State at home then went to Miami and beat the Redhawks for a 5th straight season.  Five games in and the Bearcats were finished with their nonconference slate.  Similarly, the Bearcats have finished their nonconference slate this season.  From here on out, the Bearcats will be playing conference games.  They likely need to run the table to have a shot at a major, New Year’s Bowl.  In 2009 the Bearcats were facing a trip to Tampa against the 21st ranked South Florida Bulls.   This year’s Bearcats head to Houston, a team many thought would contend in the league, one capable of scoring in a hurry.  Next week is an enormous game, particularly when it comes to winning the east.  A win and suddenly UC has a slate where they can run off some wins before the two huge games to close the season.  A win next Saturday and a Division Championship will be firmly in their sights.