Sept. 23, 2006
BLACKSBURG, Va. - So close, but yet so far. That is a description of the Cincinnati Bearcats following their 29-13 loss to No. 10 Virginia Tech on Saturday.
UC recovered from some early miscues to lead the Hokies, 10-5, at the half and had a 13-12 advantage over the Atlantic Coast Conference power at the end of three quarters of play.
But the fourth quarter, and eventually the game, was won by host Tech, which outscored Cincinnati 17-0 in the final frame to up its record to 4-0. UC fell to 1-3.
Virginia Tech running back Brandon Ore led the comeback effort, gaining 96 of his 170 yards in the fourth quarter against a UC defense which up to that point had stolen the show from the Hokies' unit that came into the game ranked eighth nationally in fewest yards allowed and third in fewest points allowed. Ore broke free for a 46-yard run and had another 70-yard scoring jaunt called back due to penalty. His one-yard plunge with 8:30 to play gave Tech the breathing room it needed, a nine-point, 22-12 lead.
There were many positives for UC, the greatest the satisfaction of the Bearcats knowing that they could have success running the football against one of the nation's top defenses and that they could go toe-to-toe with the nation's top teams. Disappointment--not moral victory--is what the players and coaches felt after the loss.
"There is no real moral victory in football," stated junior running back Butler Benton, who had his best afternoon of the season. "In the end, you either win over lose. I'm disappointed because we had the opportunity to win and couldn't take advantage. It is a positive knowing that we can compete against top teams like this."
When asked what he and his team could take away from the past two weeks, during which UC played well enough to win at times but ultimately absorbed losses to No. 1 Ohio State and No. 10 Virginia Tech, head coach Mark Dantonio stated that it was confidence.
"We are capable (of beating this caliber of team)," stated the third-year head coach. "We've had our opportunities. You get to measure and test yourself against the best in America. We'll have a chance to do that a couple of more times this year. This should give our players confidence that Cincinnati is moving in the right direction."
Defense Establishes Early Tempo
Cincinnati's defense established the tempo of the game in the first half, holding the Hokies to 14 yards rushing and a mere five points. The Bearcats did so by overcoming some adversity.
Virginia Tech, which has been among the nation's leaders in blocked punts during Frank Beamer's tenure as head coach, smacked Brian Steel's first attempt out of the end zone for a safety. The Hokies then took the ensuing kickoff and marched to the UC 20 before settling for a 37-yard field goal by Brandon Pace.
Midway through the second quarter, the Bearcats mounted a five-play, 57-yard scoring drive during which they showed they could run the football as well as make a big play or two. Butler Benton broke free up the middle for a 40-yard run. Greg Moore followed that with a 13-yard run off tackle and Moore scored on a 1-yard plunge with 3:15 left in the half.
Dominic Ross then made an athletic interception of Sean Gannon's quick slant pass to the sideline, giving UC the ball on the Tech 21. Kevin Lovell following with a 34-yard field goal with 58 seconds to play, giving Cincinnati a 10-5 lead.
The Bearcats had a chance to score on their first possession of the game. Grutza connected with Derrick Stewart for a 51-yard pass play--Grutza somehow got the pass off while being tackled--and then found Connor Barwin with a pass on the Tech 5. Barwin fumbled the ball while being tackled.
Virginia Tech opened the second half with a quick touchdown, Gannon finding Justin Harper for a 47-yard TD. The Bearcats responded with a 15-play, 52-yard scoring drive culminated by Lovell's second field goal of the day, this time from 46 yards. UC led the nation's No. 10 team, 13-12, at the end of the third quarter but Tech regained the lead on a 21-yard field goal by Pace early in the final period.
The Hokies then took the wind out of the Bearcats' sails, mounting an eight-play, 74-yard scoring drive. Brandon Ore, who had 64 yards on the drive including a 46-yard run, scored from the 1 to give Virginia Tech a 22-13 lead with 8:24 remaining.
The Bearcats still had their chances. Following a fumble recovery by Mike Mickens, Grutza moved UC from the Tech 43 to the 32, then threw a pass into the flat that was picked off by Victor Harris and returned 72 yards for a TD.
Commitment to the Running Game
Grutza, playing the entire game at quarterback, had completed 12 of 14 passes for 153 yards up to that point. The offensive story of the game was the emergence of the rushing attack.
Before the game, Cincinnati running backs coach Tim Hinton promised that the Bearcats would run the ball more often, and more effectively, than they had in recent weeks. That looked like a pretty tall order considering that UC was facing a Virginia Tech team that ranked eighth nationally in total defense and 30th against the run.
Yet through the first half of Saturday's game, UC gained 76 yards--the Bearcats had managed just 31 combined over their previous two contests--while the Bearcat defense held the Hokies to minus-8. Through three quarters of play, the Bearcats had run on 33 of their 40 offensive plays.
Greg Moore, who made his first career start, gained 48 yards in 16 carries. Butler Benton had 52 yards in nine tries, though 40 yards came on one run, the longest by a Bearcat this season.
"We came appealed to our players' attitudes," Dantonio explained. "We made a commitment that we were going to do it. All week, we talked about if we were going to have success as a football team, we needed to be able (to run the football). It's an attitude."