TicketsOct. 28, 2006
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CINCINNATI, Ohio - "It's nice to go into the off week with a smile on our face," exclaimed head coach Mark Dantonio following the University of Cincinnati's 17-3 victory over Syracuse.
The Bearcats, who improved to 5-4 overall and 2-2 in BIG EAST Conference play, have now won four of their last five games and need just one more victory to become bowl-eligible.
The UC defense in particular has plenty to smile about. The Bearcats held the Orange to a mere 184 yards in total offense--a season low for a Cincinnati team that has allowed an average of 255.4 yards in total offense and 66.0 yards rushing over its last five games. UC, which entered the game18th in rushing defense and 55th in total defense, will undoubtedly move up in the national rankings.
There will be no shortage of smiles on the offense, which continued to control the ball with a punishing ground game, gaining 147 yards vs. Syracuse and just short of 200 yards over the same five-game span. The Bearcats passing game renewed its ability to come up with big plays vs. the Orange. Dustin Grutza completed 13 of 18 passes for 205 yards, which included passes of 47 and 37 yards to Derrick Stewart, the second strike for a game-clinching touchdown, and another key 27-yard gain to Earnest Jackson.
"I thought we came out focused and ready to play," stated Dantonio. "We had a TV game with South Florida on Sunday and had to come back on a short week and get prepared mentally to play. That's the toughest thing--to come back with the same amount of energy and focus that we had in the previous two games.
"I thought defensively we played extremely well," the coach continued. "Offensively, we controlled the football in the second half. We have to give Syracuse credit--they played extremely hard. We took away their passing game for the most part and that helped us stop their run eventually. We put them in bad situations early with some blitzes and threw a lot of different looks at them. "We came away with the win. It was not easy. We knew it would not be easy. It's a credit to our football team."
First Half a Defensive Struggle
In the early going, the contest looked like a replay of the previous week's victory over USF in which Cincinnati rested on a 2-0 lead for three quarters.
After failing to take advantage of field position in Syracuse territory in their first possession, the Bearcats mounted a modest drive which culminated with Kevin Lovell's 20-yard field goal. Grutza ignited the drive with the 47-yard pass over the middle to Stewart.
Syracuse made its lone offensive showing of the day in the second quarter. A questionable pass interference penalty seemed to energize the Orange, who reached the UC 4. Terrill Byrd and Kevin McCullough stopped running back Delone Carter twice, the second for a two-yard loss, and Syracuse tied the game on Patrick Shadle's 23-yard field goal.
Cincinnati reached the SU 1 on its ensuing possession, but Butler Benton was stopped short of the goal line on fourth down.
Greg Moore keyed UC's third-quarter touchdown drive. Taking advantage of a short Syracuse punt, the junior carried the ball on six straight plays to gain 42 yards--half of that coming on one carry--and scored on a one-yard plunge.
With the way the Bearcats were playing defense, that margin seemed sufficient but the Bearcats added an insurance score in the fourth quarter on Grutza's 37-yard strike to Stewart. On a third-and-13 situation, Grutza connected with Earnest Jackson for a 27-yard gain.
"I thought it was a great call by Coach (Don) Treadwell," said Dantonio of the pass to Stewart. "I just wanted to grind it out, personally, but he said it was there. Dustin made a great throw. (Stewart) is a great weapon. He's a guy who has that legitimate track speed. He's a very good player and very competitive."
UC's bowl opportunity window, as Dantonio calls it, grew to bay window size with the win, and the Bearcats go into the off week with the knowledge that they need to win just one of their remaining three to reach postseason play.
"I think this off week comes at a perfect time," Dantonio observed. "We're a little banged up so we'll heal up. We've played nine games so we will refresh ourselves, in terms of getting away from football for a couple of days. The coaches will go on the road recruiting in mid-week and it's a great time to go recruiting. We've got a tough stretch coming up with West Virginia, Rutgers and Connecticut. It ought to be a fun time."