TicketsOct. 9, 2006
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Cincinnati takes on its third top 10-ranked opponent of the season when the Bearcats visit No. 7 Louisville at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. The 3:30 p.m. contest will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
The Bearcats, who evened their record at 3-3 with last week's 20-14 win over Akron, will be seeking a third straight victory and their longest winning streak since 2004. Louisville is 5-0 following last Friday's 44-17 win over Middle Tennessee State and will be guarding a 12-game home winning streak.
Cincinnati, which has limited its last two foes to an average of 36.0 yards rushing to climb to No. 20 in the national rushing defense rankings (91.0 yards per game), will be tested by a Louisville offense that is ranked fifth in rushing offense (236.8). The Cardinals are ranked first in total offense (523.6) and first in scoring offense (44.0 points).
Bearcat quarterback Dustin Grutza has completed 69 percent of his passes over the last four games since ascending to the No. 1 job on a full-time basis. In last Saturday's win, the sophomore was the team's rushing leader with a career-high 72 yards.
UC's swarming defense is ranked 17th nationally in tackles for loss (7.33 average).
The game will be the 46th meeting of the two regional rivals, who have played continuously since 1969. The winner will claim the Keg of Nails, which had resided in Louisville after the last three contests. The Bearcats hold a 26-18-1 lead in the series, but the Cardinals have won seven of the last eight meetings.
Countdown to Kickoff
10 After a 49-yard punt return against Akron, Derrick Stewart is averaging 10.9 yards per return, good for third in the BIG EAST.
9 With three touchbacks against Akron, senior Kevin Lovell has registered nine touchbacks on kickoffs this season.
8 Sophomore Dominick Goodman is eighth in the NCAA in kickoff returns with a 31.6 yards-per-return average.
7 The Bearcats have carded seven rushing touchdowns this season, including four in their last three games.
6 Consecutive games this season that Cincinnati has started by receiving the opening kickoff.
5 Haruki Nakamura, Mike Mickens and Dominic Ross totaled five tackles each to lead the defense against Akron.
4 Senior Brent Celek is four catches away from Kris Bjorson's UC record of 71 receptions by a tight end.
3 Doug Jones made three catches for 61 yards, including a career-long 32-yard reception in the victory over Akron.
2 Against Akron, junior defensive end Angelo Craig tallied two tackles and a quarterback sack in his first collegiate start.
1 Cincinnati leads the BIG EAST and is 13th in the nation in kickoff returns with a 26.14 yards per return average.
A Quick Look at the Bearcats
After a sluggish start, the Bearcats' established their tempo with toughness, both by running the ball and on defense in last week's 20-14 triumph over Akron. Quarterback Dustin Grutza led the Bearcats on the ground (72 yards on 12 carries) and through the air, (230 yards on 16-of-24 passing). He finished with 302 yards of total offense. The running back trio of Greg Moore (52 yards), Butler Benton (30 yards) and Bradley Glatthaar (26 yards) combined to rush for 108 yards on 35 carries.
Grutza connected with senior tight end Brent Celek on four passes for 60 yards. Celek slipped a tackled and barreled over a defender on his 26-yard TD against the Zips. He leads UC with 21 receptions for 266 yards.
Sophomore wide receivers Dominick Goodman (15 catches, 148 yards and two TDs) and Derrick Stewart (12 catches, 229 yards) provide the outside threats for UC. Nine different Bearcats are averaging one reception or more per game.
Haruki Nakamura leads the Bearcats' defense with 34 tackles. Kevin McCullough is second with 30 stops. Trevor Anderson carries the bulk of the load for the defensive front. Angelo Craig leads the team in tackles for loss (6.5) and shares the team in quarterback sacks with Anderson (2.5). Senior Dominic Ross is tops on the team with three interceptions.
What a Difference a Year Makes
A season ago, Cincinnati ranked as one of the nation's youngest Division I-A football teams. The Bearcats had just eight returning starters and 30 of the 44 players on last year's depth chart had one season or less playing experience. The Bearcats boast more experience this season. Though still a young team in terms of playing experience, UC has starters returning at 17 positions. The defense, which a season ago started as many as six first-year freshmen, has 10 returning starters.
On This Date...
Cincinnati is 2-10 in games played on Oct. 14. In 1995, UC trailed 13-10 with 8:14 left in the game, but Eric Richards converted two field goals in the final 3:14 to give the host Bearcats a 16-13 victory. In 2000, the Bearcats held a 24-14 lead over Louisville at the half, but after starting QB Deontey Kenner aggravated an injury late in the first half, UC allowed 24 unanswered points in the second half and fell 38-24.
UC vs. the Blue Grass State
Steeped in tradition on the gridiron, Cincinnati has been facing off against teams from the Commonwealth of Kentucky since 1892. UC owns an all-time mark of 60-53-14 (.528) against teams from the Blue Grass State.
Bearcats from Kentucky
The Bearcats currently boast plenty of "Unbridled Spirit" on its roster. They claim six players from the State of Kentucky, including senior Jeff Reinstatler and freshman Ben Guidugli who both hail from Fort Thomas.
UC vs. Louisville
Saturday's game marks the 46th meeting between Cincinnati and Louisville. The Bearcats own a 26-18-1 lead in the series, which began in 1929, chiefly through winning the first 12 contests between the two schools. Louisville ended the streak in 1970 with a 28-14 victory. The Cardinals have won seven of the last eight contests.
Battle for the Keg of Nails
The winner of Saturday's game takes the Keg of Nails, one of the more unique rivalry trophies with a somewhat vague origin. The trophy is a replica of a keg used to ship nails. The exchange is believed to have been initiated by fraternity chapters on the UC and UofL campuses, signifying that the winning players in the game were "tough as nails." The present keg is a replacement for the original award, which was misplaced by Louisville, during some construction of office facilities. It is adorned with the logos of both schools and the scores of the series games.
The Missing Game
Louisville records claim one more victory in the UC-UofL series. Louisville was scheduled to play Transylvania on Nov. 4, 1922 but the Lexington school cancelled the week prior to the contest. Cincinnati was scheduled to play West Virginia on that date. Trying to help the Cardinals out of their plight, UC sent a "team of second-liners" to play Louisville. UofL defeated the UC reserves, 28-0. Since this was a game against outside competition, Louisville is correct in counting it in its records. But since it is not a varsity contest for UC, Cincinnati is correct in not recognizing it in its records.
Last Meeting
Michael Bush rushed for 127 yards and three touchdowns to lead Louisville to a 46-22 win over Cincinnati on Oct. 22, 2005, at Nippert Stadium. See complete game recap on page 4.
Last Time in Louisville
With starting quarterback Gino Guidugli sidelined with a fractured hand, a deflated Cincinnati team suffered a 70-7 loss to the Cardinals on Nov. 27, 2004 at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. The setback snapped UC's four-game winning streak.
About Louisville
The Cardinals are ranked No. 7 in both the AP and USA Today polls.
No. 1 in the NCAA rankings in total offense, averaging 523.6 yards per game, and scoring offense, averaging 44.0 points per outing.
Absent from the two-deep roster, due to injury, is the Derby City Duo of Brian Brohm and Michael Bush.
The defense is No. 7 in the NCAA, allowing 11.6 points per game.
Bearcat-Cardinal Connections
Mike Cassity, Louisville's defensive coordinator, held the same position at Cincinnati for the 1994 season. UofL sophomore offensive lineman Eric Wood was a teammate of UC's Bradley Glatthaar, Digger Bujnoch, Tony Carvitti and Craig Carey at Elder High in Cincinnati. UofL's junior tight end Scott Kuhn and UC's Jeremy Bolton played together at Connor High School in Burlington, Ky. Cardinal wide receiver Jimmy Riley was a teammate of Bearcat wide receiver Derrick Stewart at Youngstown's Ursuline High School.
Honorary Captain
Jay Bachman, who served as captain of the 1966 Bearcats, will be the honorary captain for the Louisville game. Head coach Mark Dantonio recognizes former UC players and coaches by naming them honorary game captains. The honorary captains participate with the elected captains in the pregame coin toss.
Captains
Seniors, tight end Brent Celek and strong safety Dominic Ross, will lead Cincinnati onto the field as teams captains throughout the 2006 campaign. Both are entering their third year as starters.
Ranked Foes
Louisville is the third top 10-ranked opponent on the Cincinnati schedule. The Bearcats have already faced Ohio State (No. 1 in both polls; 37-7 loss on Sept. 16) and Virginia Tech (No. 11 AP/No. 10 USA Today, 29-13 loss on Sept. 23), both on the road. Ahead on the UC schedule is West Virginia (No. 5 AP, No. 4 USA Today) and Rutgers (No. 24 in both polls).
Bearcats Establish the Run
Cincinnati has put increased emphasis on its rushing attack over the last three games, and is attaining results. After rushing for 121 yards vs. Virginia Tech on Sept. 23, UC piled up 253 rushing yards vs. Miami University. UC totaled 194 yards on 53 carries against Akron.
Not only has the running game become more consistent, it has also produced big plays. Greg Moore broke free for a 55-yard run and Butler Benton scampered for a 37-yard touchdown vs. Miami. Benton had a 40 yard gain vs. Virginia Tech. Dustin Grutza ran for a career-long 24-yard gain against the Zips. UC has averaged 189.3 yards rushing over its last two games and a healthy 4.3 yards-per-carry.
Pounding out Yards
UC ran the ball a season-high 53 times and totaled 194 yards on the ground in the 20-14 win over Akron. The increased production from the running game generated a season-high 424 yards of total offense. Since totaling minus-4 yards rushing and 212 yards of total offense at Ohio State, UC has totaled 1,000 yards of total offense (333.3 yards per game).
More from Moore
Greg Moore has been a major factor in Cincinnati's improved running game. The junior from Dayton, Ohio keyed the Sept. 30 win over Miami University by gaining 119 yards on 20 carries, both career highs. Moore, totaled 48 yards in 15 tries vs. Virginia Tech. Over the last three games, he is averaging 73.0 yards per outing and 4.3 yards per carry.
Celek Streak Continues
Brent Celek has extended his streak of consecutive games with at least one reception to 18. Celek, who leads UC in receiving yards (266) and receptions (21), has caught at least one pass in 26 of his last 27 contests. He notched his first TD of the season with a 26-yard catch and run up the left sideline in the triumph over Akron.
Celek Reaching TE Marks
Brent Celek has topped one career record for a tight end and is approaching another. The senior has 920 career receiving yards, topping the mark of 791 set by Kris Bjorson in 1989-92. Celek is only four catches away from Bjorson's career mark of 81. He has already established a new mark for touchdown catches by a TE with 12.
Lovell Streaking
Kevin Lovell saw one streak end but another continue for a school record in last Saturdays's 20-14 win over Akron. The senior had a string of seven successful field goals, dating back to last season, ended when a botched snap led to a kick that bounded off the upright late in the first half. Lovell, who had already booted a 46-yard field goal in the game, rebounded to add another from 35 yards out and made both PAT attempts, the second early in the fourth quarter extending his streak of PATs to 66, breaking the UC record of 65 set by Lou Groza Award-winning kicker Jonathan Ruffin in 2000-02.
Smith is Back
Sidelined for the first two games by an injury, Corey Smith has returned to his starting outside linebacker spot and returned to the form he showed in 2005 when he earned Freshman All-American honors. The sophomore recorded a team-high nine tackles, five of them solos, vs. No. 1 Ohio State in his first game back and has made 20 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss in his last four games. He returned to action in the Sept. 8 game vs. Pittsburgh and recorded five tackles in a limited appearance.
Bowie a Comeback Candidate
John Bowie could be one of college football's comeback player of the year stories. Last season, Bowie was sidelined by an arm injury after the second game of the season. In making his return this fall, Bowie has not just picked up where he left off but is playing the best football of his college career. The senior cornerback is tied for fifth on the team in tackles (25). He had a career-high 10 tackles vs. Pittsburgh.
BIG EAST Champion
John Bowie already has a pair of BIG EAST Conference championships. The senior cornerback won the 100 meters and anchored UC's winning 4x100 relay at the league championship meet in June. He also placed third in the 200 meters. It was the first season in which he had competed in track since high school.
Goodman Provides Good Target
Touted by the coaching staff throughout preseason camp, Dominick Goodman has caught 15 passes for 148 yards, including two for touchdowns. He has already surpassed last season's totals of 12 catches for 163 yards and two touchdowns in nine games.
Goodman, who was MVP of the Ohio Division I high school championship game in 2004 as a quarterback, recorded the first multiple receiving TD game since Hannibal Thomas' UC record-tying three TD catches vs. Southern Miss. on Nov. 6, 2004. Also a threat as a kickoff returner, he leads the Bearcats in all-purpose yardage (70.7 yards per game).
Many Happy Returns for Goodman
Dominick Goodman is averaging 31.6 yards per kickoff return to rank seventh nationally and second in the BIG EAST. Goodman broke free for a career-long 58-yard return vs. Miami and had a 53-yard return vs. Ohio State. His efforts have helped Cincinnati achieve a No. 13 ranking nationally in kickoff return average. The Bearcats are averaging 26.1 yards per kickoff return, tops in the BIG EAST.
Stewart Masters the Big Play
Derrick Stewart is showing that he can be a big play performer in the Cincinnati offense and on the special teams. Stewart has had a pair of 51-yard receptions this season and had a 34-yard grab in traffic vs. Akron. His 20-yard TD catch provided the game-clinching score in the win over Miami University. The sophomore wide receiver recorded career highs with five catches for 64 yards in UC's loss to No. 1 Ohio State.
Stewart is averaging 10.9 yards on 15 punt returns. He had an 82-yard return for a touchdown called back due to a penalty (he was credited with a 49-yard return on the play). He ranks third in the BIG EAST and 28th nationally in punt return average.
Grutza Claims the Starting QB Duties
After sharing the spotlight with Nick Davila for the first two games, Dustin Grutza became the Bearcats' full-time No. 1 quarterback beginning with the Sept. 16 contest at No. 1 Ohio State. The sophomore responded by completing 18 of 22 passes for 202 yards and the Bearcats' lone TD. For the year, Grutza has completed 65.4 percent of his passes (83-of-127). The Maysville, Ky. native has a passing efficiency rating of 130.83.
Hoke, Craig Filling Big Shoes
The 2006 Bearcats had one vacancy to fill on their starting defense--the end position occupied by Adam Roberts. Roberts was a big play performer for UC last season, leading the team in tackles for loss and sacks. Juniors Anthony Hoke and Angelo Craig are filling that position, as well as the role. The duo has combined for 10.5 tackles for loss. Hoke, the starter, has 4.5 TFLs while Craig, who earned his first start against Akron, leads the team with six TFLs.
Defense Provides Rude Welcomes
Cincinnati has served as an unfriendly host. The Bearcats have not allowed an opposing team to rush for over 100 yards in any of their four home games and have surrendered an average of 58.8 yards rushing and 263.0 yards total offense as the home team.
UC opened the 2006 season with a 31-0 shutout win over Eastern Kentucky, the school's first blanking in 123 games. The Bearcats went 28:57 into their second game before yielding a score in the loss to Pittsburgh. In back-to-back wins over rival Miami University and Akron, UC gave up a 36 yards in on the ground in each game.
Young Bearcats See First Action
A total of 13 Bearcats saw their first action in a college game in Cincinnati's season-opening victory over Eastern Kentucky. Four were first-year freshmen and seven were redshirt freshmen.
Two of the rookies were starters. Jeffrey Linkenbach and Marcus Waugh, both redshirt freshmen, started at left tackle and fullback.
Leg of Steel
Replacing Chet Ervin, who rewrote the UC record book for career punts and punting yardage over his four seasons was a heady task for Brian Steel. The junior has made good thus far. Steel has pinned the opposition inside the 20 yard line on 14 punts and is averaging 37.6 yards per punt.
Steel averaged 44.2 yards per try against Pittsburgh. His 64-yard punt set a new career long. Against Eastern Kentucky, Steel boomed three punts inside the EKU 20. Five of his six punts required fair catches. The Colonels were unable to return a punt.
Quartet with Starting Strings
Four Bearcats own starting streaks of 17 games or more. Terrill Byrd, Brent Celek, Dustin Grutza and Haruki Nakamura started all 11 games in 2005.
Celek owns the longest streak of consecutive starts, having made 26 in-a-row. The tight end has not missed a start since the 24-19 win at East Carolina on Sept. 25, 2004.
Cincinnati Team Awards
Kevin Lovell was named Special Teams Player of the Week after notching his 66th consecutive PAT kick and converting 2-of-3 field goals against Akron. Dustin Grutza tallied 302 yards of total offense to receive UC's Offensive Player of the Week award. The program's Defensive Player of the Week was Leo Morgan.
Smith Named to Butkus List
Cincinnati sophomore Corey Smith has been named to the watch list for the 2006 Butkus Award. The award, initiated in 1985 by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, Fla., annually honors the nation's top linebacker. Smith, a 6-1, 220-pound native of Salem, N.J., was the Bearcats' third-leading tackler from his outside linebacker position as a first-year freshman in 2005. He recorded 64 stops before suffering an injury which sidelined him for the final two games.
Academic Honors
Cincinnati placed nine players on the BIG EAST All-Academic team last season. Holdovers from those selections are seniors Tony Carvitti, Brent Celek, Bill Poland and Dominic Ross; juniors Digger Bujnoch and Jon Carpenter and redshirt freshman Ryan Manalac.
UC Football Captures Academic Honors
The UC football program earned honorable mention status in the American Football Coaches Association's Academic Achievement Award recognition. UC was one of 28 schools to achieve a graduation rate of 70 percent or better for the entering freshmen class of 2000-01. It marked the second time in the past four years that the Bearcats have been honored.
Other Bearcat Honors
Eight Bearcats were cited by various preseason football publications. Trevor Anderson, Mike Mickens (first team), Earnest Jackson, Haruki Nakamura (second team) and Freddie Lenix (third team) were named to the preseason All-BIG EAST team by Phil Steele's College Football. Brent Celek, Terrill Byrd, Lenix and Mickens were nationally ranked at their respective positions.
Ohio Bearcats
There is a definite home grown flavor to the Cincinnati football team. Sixty-two of the 102 players on the roster are from the Buckeye state. During Mark Dantonio's tenure as head coach, 34 of the 64 players signed were from Ohio.
There's No Place Like Home
Head Coach, Mark Dantonio's squads are 10-4 (.714) when playing at Nippert Stadium. After playing the first four games of the 2006 campaign at home, the Bearcats are 3-1 at Nippert this season. In 2004, Dantonio's club went 4-1 at home.
Lucky Seven Home Dates
Off to a 3-1 start (.750) at home, Cincinnati is hoping that playing seven home games is its lucky number. No strangers to playing seven home dates, UC has played seven or more home games 24 times in program history. In 1953, Sid Gillman's squad notched the only 7-0 home mark in UC history on its way to a 9-1 record. Most recently, in 2002 Cincinnati hosted seven games.
For Fans' Sake
Cattitude, the popular pregame party before every home football game on the UC campus, moves to the Sheakley Lawn just east of Nippert Stadium in front of the new Lindner Center. Renamed Cattitude at Varsity Village, the event features food, drinks, music, promotions, tented seating and visits by the UC Band, Cheerleaders and Dance Team. The party starts two and a half hours before kickoff.
Also back this year is the Bearcats Kids Zone. Located in the Marge Schott Baseball Stadium, next to Cattitude at Varsity Village, the Kids Zone features inflatable games, music, giveaways and visits from the UC Bearcat. The Kids Zone opens two and a half hours before kickoff.
Historical Nippert Stadium
Nippert Stadium is the fifth-oldest NCAA Division I-A or I-AA stadium still in use. Opened in 1916, Nippert Stadium is preceded in history by Harvard Stadium (1903), Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd/Grant Field (1914), the Yale Bowl (1914) and Cornell's Schoellkopf Stadium (1915). Though the permanent stadium first came into use in 1916, UC has been playing on the site since 1902.
Richard E. Lindner Center and Varsity Village
The future arrived for the University of Cincinnati athletics program in May with the completion of the Richard E. Lindner Varsity Village. The term "village" aptly applies because the close location and interconnection of the facilities provides ease of use and access to services for all of the sports teams and their student-athletes, similar to that of a small town. There was nothing small about the vision for Varsity Village, a $105 million project.
The focal point of Varsity Village is the Richard E. Lindner Center. Located between Nippert Stadium and Fifth Third Arena, the new futuristic eight-story structure houses offices, locker rooms, meeting and support space for each of UC's teams. The emphasis of the Lindner Center programming is on the student-athlete. One entire floor of the building is devoted to the Nancy Hamant Academics Center, which contains study facilities for UC's 530 student-athletes, including over 80 computer stations.
Other features include Marge Schott Stadium for baseball, Ben and Dee Gettler Stadium for soccer and track, a new tennis center, and the Keating Aquatics Center. Nippert Stadium also benefitted with new seating, video boards and the FieldTurf playing surface.