TicketsAug. 27, 2005
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Cincinnati vs. Eastern Michigan
Date: Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005
Time: 7:00 p.m. EDT
Site: Nippert Stadium (35,000, FieldTurf), Cincinnati, Ohio
TV: None live. Highlights on the Mark Dantonio Show on WXIX-TV.
Radio: WLW-AM 700 (Dan Hoard, Jim Kelly and Scott Springer). Also available on-line via UCBearcats.com
Records: Cincinnati 7-5 in 2004; Eastern Michigan 4-7 in 2004
Series: First meeting.
Tickets: $22 Adult Reserved, $17 Section C; $11 Youth (12 and under).
Tickets for all UC home games are on sale at the Athletic Ticket Office (9 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily) and are available on-line via www.UCBearcats.com, or by phone: 513-556-CATS.
Game Week
Weekly Media Conference: Coach Dantonio and selected players will meet with the media this week on Thursday, Sept. 1, from 12-1:30 p.m. at the Kingsgate Marriott. The media conference is normally on Tuesdays at the same time period.
BIG EAST Teleconference: The coaches of all BIG EAST schools have a weekly teleconference on Mondays from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Coach Dantonio is on the call at 11:10 a.m. Media can access by calling 913-981-5520. A playback of the conference call is available by dialing 402-220-2955.
BIG EAST Video Feed: Video highlights of BIG EAST member games and comments from the coaches are available on a satellite feed Wednesdays at 3 p.m. ET. Satellite coordinates: Galaxy 4R -C Band, Transponder 12; downlink frequency 3940 MHz (H).
Mark Dantonio Radio Show: The one-hour call-in show is broadcast live from 8-9 p.m. on Thursdays on 700 WLW.
The Mark Dantonio Show: The half hour show is televised Sunday mornings at 11:30 a.m. on WXIX, Fox 19.
Practice Schedule: Please contact the athletic communications office to confirm daily practice times and media availability.
Bearcats Open 2005 Season vs. EMU
The University of Cincinnati opens the 2005 football season hosting Eastern Michigan on Thursday, Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. at Nippert Stadium, in the season-launching contest for both teams.
The game will mark Bearcat Bobblehead Night with the first 5,000 entering the stadium receiving a BIG EAST commemorative Bearcat Bobblehead.
Both teams are entering the new season with the momentum of successful runs in 2004. Cincinnati posted a 7-5 record under new head coach Mark Dantonio, winning four of its final five games to finish in a tie for second place in Conference USA. The Bearcats advanced to the Fort Worth Bowl where they defeated Marshall, 32-14.
Eastern Michigan, 4-7 overall in Jeff Genyk's first year at the helm, posted a .500 record in Mid-American Conference play for the first time in six years and defeated rivals Central Michigan and Western Michigan in the same season for the first time since 1986.
The two teams enter 2005 on opposite sides of the spectrum in terms of experience. Eastern Michigan has 12 returning starters, seven on offense. Cincinnati has starters returning at only six positions, three on each side of the line of scrimmage. With a total of eight returning regulars, which includes kicker Kevin Lovell and punter Chet Ervin, UC fields one of the youngest teams in the country in terms of experience.
The Bearcats will be kicking off their 118th football season. Cincinnati, which began grid play in 1885, boasts the nation's fifth-oldest Division I-A program, with only Rutgers (1869), Michigan (1879), Navy (1880) and Minnesota (1883) having longer histories. Eastern Michigan is no newcomer to college football, having fielded teams since 1891.
Cincinnati is 69-38-10 in season openers. The Bearcats have won five of their last eight lid-lifters. UC is 49-37-3 in home openers, and has won five of its last six home openers.
Cincinnati, which finished first or second in Conference USA in four of the past five seasons, begins play in the BIG EAST Conference this season. The Bearcats' first BIG EAST game will be on Oct. 8 when they visit Pittsburgh. UC's first BIG EAST home contest will be on Oct. 15 when Connecticut visits for Homecoming.
UC vs. Eastern Michigan
Thursday's game will be the first-ever meeting between Cincinnati and Eastern Michigan. UC is 10-6-0 vs. teams from the state of Michigan.
UC vs. the MAC
While Thursday's game is UC's first vs. Eastern Michigan, the Bearcats are no stranger to the Mid-American Conference. Cincinnati is 81-91-11 vs. teams which currently comprise the Mid-American Conference. UC is 44-58-7 vs. rival Miami and has a 23-23-4 ledger vs. Ohio.
Bearcats Once Ruled the MAC
The University of Cincinnati once ruled the Mid-American Conference. The Bearcats were members of the MAC for six seasons, from 1947 through 1952, during which time they compiled a 19-3-0 record and won five conference championships.
Coaching Ties
UC offensive coordinator Don Treadwell and Eastern Michigan defensive coordinator Jay Peterson served together at Miami (Ohio) in the early 1990s. Peterson and EMU offensive coordinator Howard Feggins were high school coaches in the Cincinnati area early in their careers. Peterson was an assistant at Anderson (1988-89) and Withrow (1990) while Feggins was an aide at Colerain (1993) and Finneytown (1994).
Player Ties
Cincinnati junior JaJuan Hall and Eastern Michigan senior Corey Parker were teammates at St. Martin DePorres High in Detroit. UC redshirt freshman Carlos Simpson also attended the school...UC sophomore Earnest Jackson and EMU sophomore Cortland Selman played together at Detroit Country Day High...Cincinnati freshman Connor Barwin and Eagle sophomore John Neeley were teammates at University of Detroit Jesuit High...Bearcat freshman Chris Jurek and EMU senior Rontell Woodruff and sophomore Jason Jones played at Southfield (Mich.) Lathrup High.
On This Date
Cincinnati has played on Sept. 1 only once previously in its football history. On Sept. 1, 2003 UC defeated East Carolina, 40-3, in Nippert Stadium.
How Young Are Those Cats
Cincinnati is one of the nation's youngest teams, in terms of returning starters and in terms of projected senior starters. UC has starters returning at eight positions--tackle Steve Eastlake, tight end Brent Celek and fullback Doug Jones on offense; end Adam Roberts, cornerback Antoine Horton and Dominic Ross and JaJuan Hall, who shared the strong safety position on defense; along with punter Chet Ervin and kicker Kevin Lovell. Only two schools have fewer returning starters, Navy with six and Marshall with seven.
UC projects five senior starters on offense and defense, entering the 2005 season, second fewest to Rice which has three projected senior starters.
What a Difference a Year Makes
When the Bearcats opened the 2004 season, they boasted 26 seniors, 17 of whom were projected starters and seven more who were listed as backups. The total starting experience of the 2004 Bearcats was 256 games, 127 on offense and 129 on defense. The 2005 team enters the season with 85 games, 57 on offense and 28 on defense.
First Freshman Start
When Dustin Grutza makes his appearance as the Bearcats' starting quarterback in Thursday's Cincinnati-Eastern Michigan game, it may be the first time in UC history that a freshman has opened the season as the team's starting quarterback. There is no evidence in available records, dating back to the post-World War II years, that a freshman has ever before started a season opener. The last time the Bearcats opened the season with a quarterback who had never played for UC was in 1983 when junior college transfer Troy Bodine made his debut and helped lead Cincinnati to a 14-3 upset of defending national champion Penn State.
Eastlake Builds on Streak
Steve Eastlake, one of the few veterans on the Bearcat offense, will try to extend a personal streak in Thursday's opener. The 6-6, 305-pound senior will be making his 25th consecutive start at right tackle, a position at which he has been a fixture since 2003.
Captains
Three seniors and a junior will take on the leadership role as team captains. The four, who were elected by their teammates, are offensive tackle Steve Eastlake (Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Watterson), defensive end Adam Roberts (Brooklyn, N.Y./Milford Academy), wide receiver Derick Ross (Marion, Ohio/Harding), all seniors, and junior tight end Brent Celek (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle).
Third-Earliest Start
The Sept. 1 opener is the third-earliest starting date in the history of University of Cincinnati football. The Bearcats have started as early as Aug. 28, in 1997, defeating Tulsa, 34-24. UC opened the 1996 season on Aug. 30 with a 34-14 loss to Tulane, and in 1985 defeated Virginia Tech, 31-14, on Aug. 31. UC opened the 2003 season on Sept. 1 with a 40-3 victory over East Carolina. All of these early contests were at home.
Thursday Game Not So Rare for UC
Thursday night games are not exactly rare for the University of Cincinnati. The Bearcats have played 53 games on Thursdays, compiling a 21-28-4 record. UC's annual rivalry with Miami (Ohio) has been played on Thursdays 50 times, 49 of those on Thanksgiving Day--the game a fixture there from the early century through the 1950s. UC's last Thursday night appearance occurred last season when the Bearcats defeated Marshall, 32-14, at the Fort Worth Bowl on Dec. 23.
Dantonio Second- Winningest Rookie Head Coach
Cincinnati's Mark Dantonio had the second-best record of any of the new 13 Division I-A head coaches in 2004, and the best among first-time head coaches. Dantonio directed UC to a 7-5 record, including a win over Marshall in the Fort Worth Bowl. Only Mike Price, who led UTEP to an 8-4 season, had a better record.
Dantonio had the fifth-best season of any head football coach in his first season at Cincinnati.
Hair-Rinsing Experience
Brent Celek will hope Thursday's game vs. Eastern Michigan is a hair-rinsing experience. The Bearcats' junior tight end has abstained from washing his hair since the beginning of summer workouts--a span of nine weeks and counting--and vows not to wash it until UC's first victory.
A New Trophy Game
The University of Cincinnati will add another trophy rivalry game to its football schedule. The Bearcats will begin battling the University of Pittsburgh in the River City Rivalry for a soon-to-be created trophy. UC already plays Miami University for the Victory Bell and the University of Louisville for the Keg of Nails. UC and Pitt, both located along the Ohio River, will begin playing each other on an annual basis with the Bearcats' entry into the BIG EAST Conference, beginning this season. The teams will clash for the first time as BIG EAST rivals on Saturday, Oct. 8 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.
New Championship Trophy
The University of Cincinnati will be eligible for the coveted Lambert Meadowlands Trophy, which recognizes the best Division I-A team in the East, due to the Bearcats affiliation with the BIG EAST Conference. To be eligible for the trophy, a school must either be located in the East or play half of its schedule against teams eligible for the Lambert Trophy. UC, along with new BIG EAST members Louisville and South Florida have been deemed eligible for the award since they will play at least half of their games against Lambert-eligible teams via their new conference alignment. The ECAC will conduct weekly polls and issue a final poll in early January to determine the trophy winner. The team will be presented with their awards at the Eastern College Football Awards Banquet on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at the Pegasus Restaurant at the Meadowlands Sports Complex.
Nippert Renovations
Fans will observe several changes in Nippert Stadium, all leading to enhanced decorum for Bearcat home football games.
A new 19-foot by 53-foot video board, with over twice the display area of the previous board, has been installed in the revamped scoreboard structure, which also contains a team statistics panel and 8-foot by 83-foot message center. Elements of the old video board will be installed in the Baseball Stadium and Gettler Track/Soccer Stadium, benefiting those playing venues.
New permanent seating has been constructed in the North end zone. The new seating structure also contains a full locker room for the visiting team, a first aid room and a halftime room for the Bearcats.
The FieldTurf playing surface has been replaced, with all markings and logos inlaid in the new artificial surface.
Entry and access to the stadium has been improved, with all barriers removed from the West, Northwest and South sides. The stadium now opens to Bearcat Plaza, outside of the Tangeman University Center, on the West side, adding to the atmosphere. Access via the East side is limited by the construction of the Richard E. Lindner Athletic Center.
Promotions Aplenty at UC This Year
Bobblehead Night at the Bearcats' season opener is the first of a long line of promotions lined up for University of Cincinnati home football games this fall.
UC's Sept. 17 contest vs. Western Carolina will be the Skyline Chili Classic. Coupons will be available beginning in early September at all participating Skyline Chili locations which will allow fans to purchase two adult tickets for the price of one (limit four tickets per coupon). Additionally, the game has been designated as part of the NCAA's Take a Kid to the Game promotion, with youth age 12 and under receiving a free ticket when accompanied by an adult purchasing a regular priced ticket. Tickets must be purchased in advance at the UC Athletic Ticket Office, located at One Edwards Center. The UC-Western Carolina game will also be High School Band Day with several area high school bands participating in the pregame and halftime shows.
The first 5,000 fans entering the stadium for UC's Oct. 15 first-ever BIG EAST home game vs. Connecticut will receive a Bearcat BIG EAST ball cap to commemorate the occasion.
The UC-UConn game will also be Homecoming on the UC campus with the 4 p.m. contest capping a day of festivities.
UC will continue to have its usual array of activities before all home games to provide plenty of entertainment for fans attending games at Nippert Stadium.
Cattitude on the Commons, which takes place on the Sigma Sigma Commons, north of Nippert Stadium and adjacent to most of the parking garages, offers an alternative to tailgating. Features include reasonably-priced food and beverages, music and visits by the Bearcat, the UC Band, and the UC Cheerleaders.
The Bearcat Kids Zone, which takes place in the new UC Baseball Stadium, is tailored to the young Bearcat fans and features inflatable games, music, face painting and concessions.
All activities begin two and a half hours before each Bearcat home game.
Looking Ahead
The Bearcats will hit the road for a Sept. 10 visit to Penn State. The 12 noon contest will be televised via ESPN Plus and aired in Cincinnati by WXIX-TV 19.