TicketsCINCINNATI, Ohio – Senior running back Corey Kiner recorded the 13th 100-yard game of his standout Bearcats career on Senior Night, but the Cincinnati football team suffered three turnovers and fell to TCU, 20-13, on Saturday at Historic Nippert Stadium.
Kiner finished with 110 yards and a score on 23 carries on a frigid night that featured snow throughout the game. The Cincinnati native was one of 28 seniors honored in a pregame ceremony.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Brendan Sorsby added 82 yards and a score on the ground to go with 126 yards through the air on 16-of-27 passing.
TCU quarterback Josh Hoover passed for 212 yards and receiver Savion Williams rushed for a pair of touchdowns.
"It was the turnovers tonight," head coach Scott Satterfield said. "We end up with three turnovers to their one and it obviously was the difference in the game. I'm proud of our defense, we put them in some bad situations tonight. TCU has a very high-powered offense with some outstanding receivers and their quarterback, they're sixth in the country in passing and we held them to 20 points. Outstanding job by our defense, they gave us a chance. Also a great night by Corey [Kiner]. He ran his butt off all year long and finished with another good game from him. It was a disappointing outcome, but I'm proud of these seniors, I really am. These guys that have done a great job, laid some great foundation here, very resilient, never quit. They could have made it easy tonight and just laid down, but they didn't. They continued to fight and that's the thing I'm most proud of with these seniors. I really appreciate those guys."
Trailing 20-7, the Bearcats made it game in the fourth quarter.
After forcing a punt, Cincinnati zipped down the field for a scoring drive. Sorsby completed a 28-yard pass to senior receiver Xzavier Henderson and scrambled 25 yards during the drive. The quarterback completed the 12-play, 94-yard drive by diving into the end zone for an 8-yard score.
TCU led 20-13 with 5:15 left after UC kicker Nathan Hawks missed the extra point.
TCU's punt on its next drive rolled to a stop at the Cincinnati 3-yard line with one minute left. The Bearcats, with no timeouts, drove 57 yards on eight plays, but the Hail Mary attempt was too deep as time expired.
Cincinnati turned the ball over twice in the first half, and TCU took advantage, opening up a 20-7 lead in the first half.
Cincinnati forced a three-and-out on the first possession of the game, but TCU's punt was not secured by Jamoi Mayes, giving the Horned Frogs the ball right back in UC territory. Hoover's 19-yard completion on third down gave TCU the ball at the 11-yard line. TCU converted another third down with running back Cam Cook bouncing six yards to the two-yardl ine to set up a rushing touchdown from receiver Savion Williams to put the Horned Frogs ahead, 7-0, with 11:18 left in the first quarter.
The Bearcats punted on both of their drives in the first quarter, and TCU took a 10-0 lead on a 27-yard field goal by kicker Kyle Lemmermann.
Cincinnati got on the board early in the second quarter. On 3rd-and-4, Kiner sped 46 yards down to the one-yard line, tying his season-long rush. He scored on a 1-yard rush on the next play, making the score 10-7 with 11:12 remaining in the second quarter.
TCU answered with a seven-play, 65-yard drive, which was capped by a 2-yard Williams touchdown to put the Horned Frogs up, 17-7, with 7:34 left in the first half.
On the next drive, the Bearcats converted a 4th-and-1 with a rush by Kiner. The senior fumbled on the next snap, though, when TCU nickel back Abe Camara tackled him in the backfield, jarring the ball loose.
After the takeaway, the Horned Frogs drove to the UC 11-yard line, but sixth-year senior defensive end Eric Phillips blew up a third-down short pass attempt for a six-yard loss, forcing TCU to kick a field goal. Lemmermann's second field goal of the night, this one from 35 yards, was good to give the Frogs a 20-7 advantage with 3:44 remaining before halftime.
The Bearcats took some momentum into the break when Lemmerman's 38-yard field goal attempt bounced off the left cross bar and was no good.
The Bearcats made the first big play of the second half when junior safety Trevon Gola-Callard picked off Hoover intercepted and overthrown pass from Hoover on third down at the 2:34 mark in the third quarter.
Cincinnati took advantage, marching down the field with a 15-play six-minute drive, but Sorsby's deep fade pass into the end zone was intercepted by TCU cornerback Channing Canada with 11:34 left.
Kiner finished with 110 yards and a score on 23 carries on a frigid night that featured snow throughout the game. The Cincinnati native was one of 28 seniors honored in a pregame ceremony.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Brendan Sorsby added 82 yards and a score on the ground to go with 126 yards through the air on 16-of-27 passing.
TCU quarterback Josh Hoover passed for 212 yards and receiver Savion Williams rushed for a pair of touchdowns.
"It was the turnovers tonight," head coach Scott Satterfield said. "We end up with three turnovers to their one and it obviously was the difference in the game. I'm proud of our defense, we put them in some bad situations tonight. TCU has a very high-powered offense with some outstanding receivers and their quarterback, they're sixth in the country in passing and we held them to 20 points. Outstanding job by our defense, they gave us a chance. Also a great night by Corey [Kiner]. He ran his butt off all year long and finished with another good game from him. It was a disappointing outcome, but I'm proud of these seniors, I really am. These guys that have done a great job, laid some great foundation here, very resilient, never quit. They could have made it easy tonight and just laid down, but they didn't. They continued to fight and that's the thing I'm most proud of with these seniors. I really appreciate those guys."
Trailing 20-7, the Bearcats made it game in the fourth quarter.
After forcing a punt, Cincinnati zipped down the field for a scoring drive. Sorsby completed a 28-yard pass to senior receiver Xzavier Henderson and scrambled 25 yards during the drive. The quarterback completed the 12-play, 94-yard drive by diving into the end zone for an 8-yard score.
TCU led 20-13 with 5:15 left after UC kicker Nathan Hawks missed the extra point.
TCU's punt on its next drive rolled to a stop at the Cincinnati 3-yard line with one minute left. The Bearcats, with no timeouts, drove 57 yards on eight plays, but the Hail Mary attempt was too deep as time expired.
Cincinnati turned the ball over twice in the first half, and TCU took advantage, opening up a 20-7 lead in the first half.
Cincinnati forced a three-and-out on the first possession of the game, but TCU's punt was not secured by Jamoi Mayes, giving the Horned Frogs the ball right back in UC territory. Hoover's 19-yard completion on third down gave TCU the ball at the 11-yard line. TCU converted another third down with running back Cam Cook bouncing six yards to the two-yardl ine to set up a rushing touchdown from receiver Savion Williams to put the Horned Frogs ahead, 7-0, with 11:18 left in the first quarter.
The Bearcats punted on both of their drives in the first quarter, and TCU took a 10-0 lead on a 27-yard field goal by kicker Kyle Lemmermann.
Cincinnati got on the board early in the second quarter. On 3rd-and-4, Kiner sped 46 yards down to the one-yard line, tying his season-long rush. He scored on a 1-yard rush on the next play, making the score 10-7 with 11:12 remaining in the second quarter.
TCU answered with a seven-play, 65-yard drive, which was capped by a 2-yard Williams touchdown to put the Horned Frogs up, 17-7, with 7:34 left in the first half.
On the next drive, the Bearcats converted a 4th-and-1 with a rush by Kiner. The senior fumbled on the next snap, though, when TCU nickel back Abe Camara tackled him in the backfield, jarring the ball loose.
After the takeaway, the Horned Frogs drove to the UC 11-yard line, but sixth-year senior defensive end Eric Phillips blew up a third-down short pass attempt for a six-yard loss, forcing TCU to kick a field goal. Lemmermann's second field goal of the night, this one from 35 yards, was good to give the Frogs a 20-7 advantage with 3:44 remaining before halftime.
The Bearcats took some momentum into the break when Lemmerman's 38-yard field goal attempt bounced off the left cross bar and was no good.
The Bearcats made the first big play of the second half when junior safety Trevon Gola-Callard picked off Hoover intercepted and overthrown pass from Hoover on third down at the 2:34 mark in the third quarter.
Cincinnati took advantage, marching down the field with a 15-play six-minute drive, but Sorsby's deep fade pass into the end zone was intercepted by TCU cornerback Channing Canada with 11:34 left.