TicketsApril 26, 2008
CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati football team wrapped up its 2008 spring season with Bearcat Bowl II on Saturday evening as an estimated 10,142 fans visited Nippert Stadium to view the future of Bearcat football. The Black squad stormed back to defeat the Red, 23-14, in a contest that was aired statewide on Ohio News Network.
The Red held the lead until 1:17 left in the fourth quarter when Demetrius Jones (Chicago, IL/Notre Dame) connected on a 57-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Marshwan Gilyard (Palm Coast, FL/Flagler Palm Coast) to give the Black a 17-14 advantage. Gilyard also scored on a 33-yard strike from Zach Collaros (Steubenville, OH/Steubenville) in the fourth quarter to pull the Black within four. The Black capped the game with a 67-yard interception return for a touchdown by Brandon Underwood (Middletown, OH/Ohio State), who picked off the Red Team's CHazz Anderson (Pickerington, OH/Central).
The duo of Collaros and Jones led the Black team and finished a combined 11-of-20 for 227 yards and no interceptions. Jones racked up a game-high 136 passing yards. Gilyard finished the game with a game-high 171 receiving yards for the Black. Defensively, Nick DeFillipo (London, OH/London) recorded a sack in the second half and totaled six tackles for the game for the Red. Robby Armstrong (Murraysville, PA/Franklin Regional) and Craig Carey (Cincinnati, OH/Elder) each recorded seven tackles for the Black.
Wide receiver Armon Binns (Pasadena, CA/Pasadena) put the Red squad on the scoreboard first with a six-yard touchdown grab from Dustin Grutza (Maysville, KY/Mason County). Kicker Brandon Yingling (Mason OH/Mason) connected on a 38-yard field goal to give the Black Team its first points of the game at the 10:47 mark of the second quarter. Anderson hit a 32-yard strike to tight end Ben Guidugli (Ft. Thomas, KY/Highlands) in the second quarter to record the longest play of the first half.
The UC defense was impressive, as Carey finished the first half with six tackles while defensive end Connor Barwin (Hazel Park, MI/U. of Detroit Jesuit) recorded the only sack of the half and forced a fumble in the process.
The Bearcats open the 2008 season at Nippert Stadium on August 28 against Eastern Kentucky.