TicketsOct. 7, 2006
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CINCINNATI, Ohio - The roles changed but the script remained the same as the University of Cincinnati posted its third win of the 2006 football season with a hard-fought 20-14 win over the University of Akron.
The victory in the final non-conference game evens UC's record at 3-3. Akron falls to 2-4.
The Bearcats, who had re-emphasized their running game over the previous two games, continued to ground up yards and possession time--UC had the ball for over 36 minutes--in amassing 194 yards. This time, there was more balance in the offense as the Bearcats also gained 230 yards via the air.
A new name--quarterback Dustin Grutza-was atop the rushing stats, posting a career-high 72 yards on 12 carries. The sophomore, whose scrambles early in the game helped open up the offensive opportunities, recovered from a slow start to complete 16 of 24 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown. Grutza finished with 302 yards in total offense.
The game was one in which the Bearcats faced, and staved off, adversity. UC had to overcome a quick 14-0 deficit. The game-winning score and first Cincinnati lead in the contest came two minutes into the final quarter when Butler Benton scampered around left end for a touchdown from seven yards out.
"This was a hard-fought football game today," stated UC head coach Mark Dantonio. "I've got to give our guys credit. They kept playing and they controlled the tempo of the game.
"Hey, it's a win for this program," the coach observed. "It takes us to 3-3 and allows us to go to Louisville in control of our own destiny in terms of bowl game implications."
Defense Kick-Starts the Offense
UC's destiny looked bleak with Akron on the UC 19 and threatening to extend its 14-0 lead. On fourth down and less-than-one, Mike Mickens and Kevin McCullough team up to stop Akron's Dennis Kennedy and take over the ball on downs.
That play turned the tempo of the game to Cincinnati's favor. Akron, which had piled up 185 yards of total offense on those first three drives of the first quarter, managed just 34 yards the remainder of the contest. The Zips crossed midfield only once the remainder of the game.
"That was a big play in the game," stated Dantonio. "If we hadn't stopped them, I think they would have gone up 21-0. It was a huge play for our defense. I think it got us to a point where we started to respond."
The big plays on offense started happening after that. Grutza began the ensuing possession with a 32-yard pass play to fullback Doug Jones. Jones had another reception of 14 yards on the drive, which ended with Kevin Lovell's 46-yard field goal.
Brent Celek played the leading role in UC's next possession. On third down, the senior tight end caught a short pass over the middle and broke the grasp of the tackler long enough to stretch to within inches of the first down. The Bearcats elected to go for it on fourth down, and after faking the run, Grutza found Celek alone near the left sideline. Celek made the catch, then broke two tackles en route to a 26-yard TD.
Turnovers Hurt Bearcats
The Bearcats failed to take advantage of two other scoring opportunities before halftime. UC reached the Akron 38, but a Grutza pass went off the fingers of the UC receiver and was intercepted by Mark Groza. UC reached the Akron 15 in the closing seconds of the half and set up for a field goal. The snap was fumbled momentarily, and though Lovell eventually got the kick off, it bounced off the upright.
"In the first half, we hurt ourselves with turnovers and continued to do that throughout the game," Dantonio observed.
Lovell kicked a 35-yard field goal with 5:17 to play in the third quarter to pull the Bearcats to within one point, 14-13. A fumble on a punt return by Derrick Stewart that otherwise would have given UC the ball near midfield instead let Akron out of a hole.
Later in the period, an 82-yard punt return for a TD by Stewart was nullified by a holding penalty. UC recovered to put together its game-winning touchdown drive.
Lovell booted a 28-yard field goal with 1:39 to play. Akron committed a roughing the kicker penalty on the play and the Bearcats elected to take the points off the scoreboard and run out the clock.
Akron took an early command of the game, mounting scoring drives on its first two possessions. The Zips marched 72 yards in 13 plays, with Getsy hooking up with Jabari Arthur for the final three, on their first possession. Getsy's 70-yard pass to David Harvey set the stage for Andre Walker's 1-yard plunge that gave Akron a 14-0 lead with 3:55 left in the first quarter.
From then on, it was all UC.