TicketsNov. 20, 2006
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The University of Cincinnati will seek to assure a spot in a postseason bowl when it closes the regular season at the University of Connecticut on Saturday. The 12 noon contest will be televised as the BIG EAST Conference Game of the Week and air regionally via ESPN Regional.
Cincinnati, 6-5 overall and tied for fourth place in the BIG EAST at 3-3, achieved bowl eligibility with last Saturday's 30-11 upset of No. 7 Rutgers. Six conference teams are bowl eligible for the league's five bowl berths and the Bearcats can enhance their status with a victory on Saturday.
Connecticut is 4-6 overall and 1-4 in league play following Saturday's 20-14 loss to Syracuse. The Huskies are 18-7 at Rentschler Stadium and 11-4 in the month of November.
Cincinnati's stingy rushing defense, which is ranked 26th nationally, will be tested by yet another rushing power. Connecticut has the nation's ninth-ranked rushing offense, averaging 192.5 yards per outing. Last week, UC held Rutgers, whose rushing attack was ranked No. 15, to 50 yards on the ground in the upset.
The Bearcats will be seeking their first road victory of the season. All four of UC's previous road opponents were ranked in the Top 10 when UC visited them. Cincinnati has the nation's toughest schedule, home and away. The Bearcats' opponents have compiled a 62-31 record (.667).
Cincinnati is coming off arguably the greatest victory of its long and rich football history. No. 7 and previously unbeaten Rutgers was the highest-ranked foe ever defeated by UC.
10 Kevin McCullough had 10 tackles vs. Rutgers, upping his team-leading total to 61.
9 Dustin Grutza has thrown nine touchdown passes this season.
8 Nick Davila has thrown eight TD passes over the last two seasons, playing only one game as a starter at QB.
7 Mike Mickens is ranked seventh nationally in passes defended (interceptions plus pass break-ups).
6 UC has had six pass plays of 45 or more yards. Two of them took place in Saturday's win over Rutgers.
5 The Bearcats have faced five Top 10-ranked teams this season, four of them on the road.
4 Cincinnati has had the ball an average of four minutes a game more than its opponents. UC is ranked 13th nationally in time of possession.
3 Brent Celek's 83-yard pass reception from Nick Davila is the third-longest pass play in UC history.
2 The defense has scored two touchdowns this year, the most recent DeAngelo Smith's 84-yard return vs. Rutgers.
1 Dominick Goodman is ranked first in the BIG EAST in kickoff returns.
A Quick Look at the Bearcats
Cincinnati's success this season has been based on its attacking defense and ball-control balanced ground attack, combined with special teams play.
The defense is No. 26 nationally and fourth in the BIG EAST in stopping the run (106.1 yards per game).
UC has held seven of its 11 opponents to less than 100 yards rushing, highlighted by performances of only 36 yards each in back-toback games vs. Miami (Ohio) and Akron.
Only three individuals have topped the century mark in rushing vs. UC.
MLB Kevin McCullough is the tackling leader (61), followed by safeties Dominic Ross (51) and Haruki Nakamura (51).
Cincinnati is tied for 31st nationally in tackles for loss (6.5 per game), with McCullough (11.5) 62nd nationally and seventh in the BIG EAST.
Mike Mickens, who recorded two interceptions in Saturday's upset of No. 7 Rutgers, is tied for seventh nationally in passes defended (2 INT, 14 PBU) and leads the BIG EAST in the latter category. He was second nationally in passes defended in 2005. UC is ranked 21st nationally in pass efficiency defense. Cincinnati has rushed 40-plus times in six games this season and gained 190-plus yards four times. Only one Bearcat has topped the 100-yard rushing mark this year as the attack is evenly distributed among three juniors, Greg Moore, Butler Benton and Bradley Glatthaar. The Bearcats lead the BIG EAST and are 13th nationally in ball-control time (32:02). Brian Steel is averaging 38.6 yards per kick. Over the last two games he has averaged 45.9 yards in helping establish field position for the defense. He has put 21 punts inside the 20. Kevin Lovell leads the team in scoring (59 points). He has made his last five field goal tries to up his season totals to 12-of-17, and is perfect in 23 PATs to extend his consecutive streak to a school-record 77. Dominick Goodman is 14th nationally in kickoff returns (27.6) to help UC to a No. 11 ranking in that category.
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.
Captains
Seniors, tight end Brent Celek and strong safety Dominic Ross, lead Cincinnati onto the field as teams captains throughout the 2006 campaign. Both are in their third year as starters.
Honorary Captain
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.
On This Date...
Cincinnati is 4-6-1 all-time in games played on Nov. 25. Most of the games on this date involved the UC-Miami University series, which involves eight games in which UC is 2-5-1. The Bearcats last played on this date in 1978, a 34-14 win over Memphis.
About Connecticut
The Huskies enter their 11th contest of the season with a 4-6 ledger. Connecticut lost at Syracuse last week, 20-14, but a week before defeated Pittsburgh, 46-45 in overtime. Cincinnati suffered a 33-15 loss to Pitt early in the season. UConn has the nation's No. 9 rushing offense (192.5). Like the Bearcats, the Huskies share the carries with Terry Caulley (77.9) and Donald Brown II (69.4) dividing time at running back. UConn also utilizes two quarterbacks, Matt Bonislawski and D.J. Hernandez. UConn is ranked 15th nationally in tackles for loss with Ryan Henegan No. 61 individually. The Huskies are ranked sixth in pass defense. The Huskies are 18-7 in home games at Rentschler Field and 11-4 in November since becoming a Division I-A program.
UC vs. Connecticut
Saturday's game will be only the third meeting between Cincinnati and Connecticut. UC has won the previous two contests, 45-28 in 2001 and 28-17 last season, both games in Cincinnati.
UC-Connecticut Ties
Hank Hughes, assistant head coach for defense and defensive line coach at Connecticut, served as defensive line coach at Cincinnati in 1993...UConn junior defensive end Harold Stanback and UC sophomore defensive tackle Thomas Claggett are both from Temple Hills, Md., though they went to different high schools...UC junior linebacker Leo Morgan is the lone Bearcat with ties to the Nutmeg State, having helped Bloomfield, (Ct.) High to four state championships...The Huskies have one player from Ohio, redshirt freshman quarterback Billy Cundiff, who is from Uniontown in Northeast Ohio.
Tough Schedules
Saturday's game will match teams playing two of the toughest schedules in the nation. Cincinnati's schedule is ranked most difficult. The Bearcats opponents have compiled a 62-31 record for a .667 percentage. Connecticut is seventh with its foes combining for a 47-34 records and a .580 percentage. Four of Cincinnati's five losses were to teams ranked in the Top 10 at the time they played UC. The five teams to defeat UC have a combined record of 45-9 (Pittsburgh 6-5, Ohio State 12-0, Virginia Tech 9-2, Louisville 9-1, West Virginia 9-1).
Bearcats Get Top 10 Win
After suffering losses to four Top 10 ranked opponents (at the time UC played each)--all on the road-- Cincinnati garnered a victory over a Top 10 team with last Saturday's 30-11 triumph over No. 7 Rutgers on the Bearcats' home turf. The win was the highest ranked foe Cincinnati had ever defeated, the previous best a 17-12 win over No. 9 Wisconsin, also at home.
Notes from the Rutgers Victory
Cincinnati held Rutgers, which entered the game No. 15 nationally in rushing offense, to a season-low 50 yards on the ground.
Rutgers sophomore Ray Rice, who was the nation's third-leading rusher (148.2), was held to a season-low 54 yards.
The Bearcats passed for 277 yards, the most surrendered this season by Rutgers, which was ranked seventh in passing defense (152.6).
UC amassed 402 yards total offense on the Scarlet Knight defense that was ranked fourth nationally in that category (231.7) and scored 30 points on the unit that was fourth stingiest nationally (10.9).
UC's offensive line came up big in the win, allowing no sacks to the Rutgers defense which had entered the game ranked No. 2 nationally in sacks.
Great Start for Davila
Nick Davila made his first-ever start as a Bearcat in last week's 30-11 win over Rutgers, and the senior capitalized on the opportunity. Davila completed 11 of 15 passes for 277 yards. He threw for one touchdown and ran for a second in engineering the upset of the No. 7 Scarlet Knights. Davila's success should not be surprising, given his showings when he has gotten other opportunities to play. Against West Virginia, he passed for 143 yards (13-of-24) and a pair of touchdowns in a quarter of action.
Great Start by Smith
DeAngelo Smith made his first-ever start as a Bearcat in last week's 30-11 win over Rutgers. With Rutgers marching to the UC 21 in the second quarter, Smith picked off a pass and returned it 84 yards for a touchdown, the fourth-longest interception return in UC history. Smith recorded six tackles (five solos), also a career high, and also had a pass breakup.
Bearcats' Black Curtain
Opposing running backs have found it difficult to rush for 100 yards against the Bearcats' defense. Cincinnati has allowed just four opposing teams to reach the 100-yard plateau thisseason, Ohio State (166), Virginia Tech (145), Louisville (105) and West Virginia (313). Only three individuals have topped the century mark in rushing vs. UC this season, Virginia Tech's Brandon Ore (170), Ohio State's Antonio Pittman (155) and West Virginia's Steve Slaton (148). Last week, the Bearcats held Rutgers' Ray Rice, who entered the game No. 3 nationally in rushing with a 148.2-yard average, to 54 yards. Last year, the Bearcats ranked 90th nationally against the run. This year, Cincinnati ranks 26th, giving up 106.1 yards per game and just 3.6 yards per rush.
Sack Attack
Cincinnati has tallied 26 quarterback sacks this season, two more than the team's 2005 total. Defensive end Anthony Hoke owns the team lead with 4.5 sacks. The Bearcats are ranked 43rd nationally in sacks and 31st in tackles for loss.
Controlling the Clock
Part of building a strong defense is a ball-control offense. Cincinnati is ranked No. 13 in the NCAA in time of possession. UC's offense has been on the field for an average of 32:02 per game this season. The Bearcats's set a season high with 36:43 of possession time at Louisville. They have held the advantage in possession time in nine of 11 games this year.
Duzzer's Bruisers
Cincinnati's defense has been particularly stingy in the openingquarter of play. UC has allowed only four opponents to score in the first 15 minutes of play this season and has shutout the last five foes in the opening period of play. Defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi's unit stopped an indomitable force when it shut out West Virginia in the first quarter two weeks ago. It was the first time this season that the Mountaineers were kept from scoring in the opening quarter.
Anderson Keeps Invading the Backfield A starter in every game this season, Trevor Anderson has been the team's leader in affecting the quarterback. The sophomore defensive end is second on the team in sacks with four and has a teamleading 10 quarterback hurries. He also has 8.5 tackles for loss. Anderson had a hand in the Bearcats' first nine points in their 23-6 win over USF. He was credited with an assisted tackle that resulted in a safety and forced a fumble that Kevin McCullough recovered and returned for a touchdown.
McCullough Leader by Example
Kevin McCullough not only calls the Bearcats' defensive signals, he figures in a lot of the action. The senior linebacker leads the team in tackles (61) and tackles for loss (11.5). He has also been an opportunist when he gets hold of the football. Against USF, he picked up a fumble and sprinted 39 yards up the sideline for a touchdown. For his efforts, he was honored as the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week. It was the second fumble return for touchdown of his career-- he scored in a similar manner vs. Syracuse last season.