TicketsNov. 6, 2006
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CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The University of Cincinnati faces its fourth Top 10 foe of the 2006 season when the Bearcats visit No. 10 West Virginia on Saturday, Nov. 11. The 12 noon game will be televised nationally by ESPN2.
Cincinnati, 5-4 overall and 2-2 in BIG EAST play, is coming off an open week. The Bearcats have won four of their last five contests, the most recent a 17-3 win over Syracuse on Oct. 28.
West Virginia (7-1, 2-1), suffered its first loss after 14 straight victories, losing to current No. 3 Louisville on Nov. 2, a setback that knocked them from the No. 3 spot in the polls.
Defense has been the key to the Bearcats' recent success. Cincinnati has surrendered 225.4 yards in total offense and 63.0 yards rushing over its last five contests. UC is ranked 13th nationally in rushing defense and 29th in total defense.
The Bearcats will be tested by a West Virginia offense that is No. 2 nationally in rushing (318.9 yards per game) and No. 3 in total offense (469.4). Individually, sophomore Steve Slaton is the nation's second leading rusher, averaging 151.9 yards per game.
Cincinnati will be out to achieve bowl eligibility for the fifth time in the last seven seasons. That will be no easy task. The three remaining foes on the UC schedule are a combined 21-4. Following Saturday's game vs. No. 10 West Virginia, UC hosts No. 15 Rutgers as part of a schedule that is ranked 38th most difficult in the nation.
Dominick Goodman is second in the BIG EAST and 11th in the nation in kickoff returns, averaging 28.4 yards per return, and has helped UC to a No. 9 ranking nationally.
About West Virginia
After opening the season 7-0 and ranked No. 3 in the country, West Virginia had its 14-game winning streak snapped with a 44-34 decision at Louisville last Thursday night.
The Mountaineers' vaunted offense is ranked second in the NCAA and is tops in the BIG EAST in rushing (318.9 yards per game) and is third nationally in scoring (40.0 points). Sophomores Steve Slaton and Patrick White are the leaders of WVU's spread attack. Slaton is ranked second in the country in rushing with 151.9 yards per game. A dual-threat as a runner and thrower, White is third in the BIG EAST in rushing (93.0 yards per game) and sixth in passing (130.5 yards per game).
West Virginia's defense is ranked 17th against the run, allowing 92.4 rushing yards per game and 24th in scoring defense, giving up 16.6 points per game.
UC vs. West Virginia
Saturday's game will be the 15th meeting between Cincinnati and West Virginia. The Mountaineers hold a 12-1-1 lead in the series. UC got its first victory, a 15-13 decision, the last time the two teams played in Morgantown, on Sept. 13, 2003.
Last Meeting
Steve Slaton rushed for four touchdowns and the West Virginia defense blanked Cincinnati in a 38-0 victory on Nov. 9, 2005 in Cincinnati.
Last Time in Morgantown
Cincinnati hung onto the football enough to grasp a 15-13 win over West Virginia, UC's first-ever victory over the Mountaineers. The game featured 10 turnovers, five by each team. UC's defense rose to the occasion to limit West Virginia to 243 yards of total offense and a mere 118 yards rushing. Cincinnati's kicking game also played a key role. Chet Ervin punted nine times for a 44.2-yard average and booted three field goals. His 37-yard field goal with 1:59 remaining in the third quarter provided UC's winning points.
UC-West Virginia Ties
UC tight end Brent Celek and West Virginia's Ryan Stanchuk both played together at LaSalle High in Cincinnati. Cincinnati LB Jon Carpenter and WVU DT Jason Karns were teammates at Lancaster (Ohio) High, where Carpenter's father Rob was head coach.
No Running Allowed by Bearcats
Cincinnati's defense has given up a paltry 309 yards rushing in its last 19 quarters. Cincinnati allowed 61 yards to Syracuse, 92 yards against USF, 105 yards to Louisville, 36 to Akron and 19 in the final three quarters against Miami University.
Bearcats' Black Curtain
Opposing running backs have found it difficult to rush for 100 yards against the Bearcats defense. Cincinnati has allowed two opponents to reach the 100-yard plateau this season. Only two individuals have topped the century mark in rushing vs. UC, Virginia Tech's Brandon Ore and Ohio State's Antonio Pittman.
Last year, the Bearcats ranked 90th nationally against the run. This year, Cincinnati ranks 13th, giving up 87.7 yards per game and just 3.0 yards per rush. The Bearcats have held seven of their nine opponents to less than 100 yards rushing. Four managed less than 75 yards on the ground.
Sack Attack
Cincinnati has tallied 24 quarterback sacks this season, equaling the team's 2005 total. Defensive ends Trevor Anderson and Angelo Craig share the team lead with four sacks each. The Bearcats are ranked 22nd nationally in sacks and 25th in tackles for loss. Craig earned BIG EAST Honor Roll honors after his last outing for recording 1.5 sacks vs. Syracuse on Oct. 28.
UC Schedule Tough
Three of Cincinnati's four losses were to teams ranked in the Top 10 at the time they faced the Bearcats. UC suffered a 37-7 loss to Ohio State, ranked No. 1 in both polls, on Sept. 16; lost to Virginia Tech (No. 11 AP/No. 10 USA Today) 29-13, on Sept. 23; and dropped a 23-17 nail-biter to Louisville (No. 7 in both polls) on Oct. 14. All of those games were on the road.
The four teams to defeat Cincinnati have a combined record of 31-5 (Pittsburgh 6-3, Ohio State 10-0, Virginia Tech 7-2, Louisville 8-0).
The Bearcats have two more ranked opponents on the horizon, No. 10 West Virginia on Nov. 11 and No. 15 Rutgers on Nov. 18. UC's three remaining foes have a combined record of 18-4.
McCullough's Nose for the Football
One week after recording an interception at Louisville, the second of his career, senior linebacker Kevin McCullough picked up a USF fumble and sprinted 39 yards up the sideline for the second fumble return for touchdown of his career. McCullough played a key role in giving UC a 9-0 lead against USF. The senior middle linebacker assisted on the tackle in the end zone that resulted in a safety and gave Cincinnati an early 2-0 edge. For his efforts, he was honored as the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week.
Ross Makes Pickoffs on the Doorstep
Senior strong safety Dominic Ross is making a habit of intercepting passes to stop threats. Ross has six career interceptions. Three of his picks have occurred inside the UC 10-yard line and stopped scoring threats. The defensive captain for UC, Ross is third in the BIG EAST with four interceptions this season.
Stewart Mastering the Big Play
Derrick Stewart has been on the receiving end of the five longest pass plays of the season for UC, including a pair of 51-yard receptions. Against Syracuse, the speedy sophomore made a 47-yard catch that set up UC's initial score and notched a 37-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.
Stewart is averaging 10.0 yards on 20 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) against Akron. He ranks third in the BIG EAST and 33rd nationally in punt return average.
Anderson Keeps Invading the Backfield
A starter in every game this season, Trevor Anderson shares the team lead with four sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss. The sophomore defensive end was credited with a tackle in the USF backfield that resulted in a safety and an early 2-0 lead for UC. The safety was the only scoring of the first half against the Bulls. He forced the fumble that lead to Kevin McCullough's fumble return for touchdown and gave Cincinnati a 9-0 cushion that USF could not challenge.
Celek Approaching Another Standard
Already the record holder in every career receiving statistic for Cincinnati tight ends, Brent Celek is two yards shy of eclipsing another milestone. The senior is two yards away from becoming the first tight end in UC history with 1,000 career receiving yards.
Celek has 83 career grabs, two better than the previous mark of 81 established by Kris Bjorson in 1989-92. Celek also owns the UC career marks for receiving yards (998) and TD receptions (13) by a UC TE.
Celek's Streak Continues
Brent Celek has extended his streak of consecutive games with at least one catch to 21. Celek, who leads UC in receiving yards (344) and receptions (27), has snagged a pass in 29 of his last 30 contests.
Bearcats on the Run
Cincinnati is making a healthy habit of running the football, averaging 199.4 rushing yards per game over its last five games. UC has eclipsed the 100-yard mark in each of the past six games, including two games with more than 200 yards.
Pounding out Yards
UC's formula for success includes a strong dose of ball control offense. UC ran the ball a season-high 53 times and totaled 194 yards on the ground in the 20-14 win over Akron. The running game generated a season-high 424 yards of total offense against the Zips.
The Bearcats followed with a new high watermark of 212 rushing yards on 52 attempts at Louisville.
Big Runs by Benton
Butler Benton continues to produce big rushing plays for the Red and Black. The junior running back has posted three rushing plays of more than 20 yards, including a pair for touchdowns.
Benton burst through the line for a 27-yard sprint to pay dirt for the final UC points against USF. He notched a 37-yard TD run in the triumph over Miami University. His longest rush of the year came on a 40-yard scamper through the line at Virginia Tech.
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. Over the last six games, Moore is averaging 75.3 yards per outing and 4.6 yards per carry.
Lovell Streaking on the PAT
Kevin Lovell has extended his school record to 73 straight PAT kick conversions. The California native broke the old mark of 65 straight good point-after tries set by Lou Groza Award-winning kicker Jonathan Ruffin (2000-02) in the win over Akron.
Grutza Moving Team with Arm and Feet
Dustin Grutza has proven to be an effective offensive leader with both his arm and his feet. The third-year sophomore has completed 61.6 percent of his passes for 1,423 yards and eight touchdowns. Grutza has sparked the offense with his timely running. He rushed for 72 yards in the Oct. 7 win over Akron and topped that with a career-best 75 yards in 17 carries vs. No. 7 Louisville.
Grutza was named BIG EAST Conference Offensive Player of the Week after completing 13 of 18 passes for 205 yards and a touchdown in the Oct. 28 win over Syracuse.
Many Happy Returns for Goodman
Dominick Goodman is averaging 28.4 yards per kickoff return and ranks 11th nationally and third 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. 11 ranking nationally in kickoff return average. The Bearcats are averaging 25.6 yards per kickoff return, second in the BIG EAST.
Cincinnati Team Awards
Doug Jones and Derrick Stewart shared the team's Offensive Player of the Week award for their play in the win over Syracuse. Trevor Anderson registered a quarterback sack and three hurries to earn UC's Defensive Player of the Week trophy. The Special Teams Player of the Week was long snapper Patrick Farfsing. Left guard Frank Straub was honored as the Offensive Lineman of the Week honor.
TV Changes UC-Rutgers Game Time
Cincinnati's Nov. 18 home finale with Rutgers has been selected for television by ESPN for telecast on one of its national networks. The game will be televised on either ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU, depending on the outcome of this weekend's games. The starting time will be moved to the evening, to either 7 p.m. or 7:45 p.m.