TicketsBearcats Dominate Battle for the Bell
Dantonio Earns First Win as a Head Coach
Contact: Tom Hathaway
9/11/2004
Hannibal Thomas caught five passes for a career-high 175 yards. |
CINCINNATI, OH -- Mark Dantonio picked up his first win as UC's head coach as the Bearcats won the Battle for the Victory Bell, 45-26, over Miami (Ohio) on Saturday night at Nippert Stadium. A crowd of 30,368, the ninth largest in stadium history, saw UC win handily in the fifth-oldest rivalry in Division I football.
Richard Hall rushed for a career-high 238 yards and three touchdowns, and Gino Guidugli passed for two scores and ran for one.
The Bearcats (1-1) rolled up 599 yards on offense and did just enough on defense to stop the RedHawks, who finished with 499 yards but didn't get anything out of the running game.
Josh Betts completed 26 of 43 passes for 416 yards and four touchdowns for Miami (1-2), which managed only 37 yards rushing on 24 carries. Cincinnati finished with 341 yards rushing on 43 attempts.
A blocked extra point midway through the second quarter helped Cincinnati break open a close game.
After Michael Larkin caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Betts to pull the RedHawks to 17-13, the Bearcats blocked the conversion attempt and Daven Holly returned it for a safety and a six-point lead.
Guidugli then threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to Derick Ross and Hall scored on a 1-yard run with 38 seconds left in the first half to put the Bearcats ahead 32-13.
Hall also scored on a 70-yard run in the first quarter and a 4-yard run in the third. Guidugli was 12-of-23 for 258 yards with an interception, a 69-yard TD pass to Hannibal Thomas in the first quarter and a 1-yard TD run in the fourth. Thomas caught five passes for a career-high 175 yards.
Betts connected with Ryne Robinson for touchdowns of 25 and 23 yards. He also threw a 79-yard TD pass to Josh Williams, who had three receptions for 120 yards
The Associated Press contributed to this story.