#5 BCS Team Cincinatti Survives a Late Scare to Win on Friday Night ESPN Game

The Cincinnati Bearcats held off a hungry West Virginia Mountaineer team to stay undefeated on their home field last night and maintain their #5 ranking in the BCS standings. The game was a key win not only because it brought Cincinnatti's record to 10-0, it was in front of a national TV audience on ESPN2.

In a late drive with five minutes left and the score 21-14, the Bearcats drove down the field highlighted by a 43 yard run by running back Isaiah Pead. Pead ran for 175 yards total on the day. A penalty on a potential touchdown prevented Cincinnati from sealing the deal and the drive stalled out. The Bearcats kicked a field goal to make the score 24-14 with 2:03 remaining in the game.

What happened next was troubling for the Bearcats, as they allowed the Mountaineers to race down the field 64 yards and score with 43 seconds on the clock. A 3 yard pass from Jarrett Brown to Brad Starks streaking across the back of the end zone made the score 24-21. The bend don't break prevent defense allowed West Virginia one last chance as they lined up for the onsides kick. The high kick was secured by Armon Binns for the Bearcats with 39 seconds left.

The Bearcats Brian Kelly started Zach Collaros over senior quarterback Tony Pike who had been out with an injury to his forearm for three weeks. Collaros who passed for 205 yards and was 17 of 24, led the first drive down the field with the help of Pead's four runs for 38 yards. Collaros 18 yard pass to Ben Guidugli got the Bearcats to first and goal. Then a surprise, Tony Pike took the field and and hit Armon Binns running across the middle of the endzone for the score. Tony Pike threw for 16 yards on the day and was 2-4 with two touchdown passes in his limited role as a red zone QB.

Mountaineer quarterback Jarrett Brown threw for 188 yards and was 17 for 25 with the one touchdown pass to Brad Starks and one run for a touchdown. The other West Virginia touchdown was a 37 yard touchdown dash run by Ryan Clarke.

The game was not without controversy though as Cincinnati's Pead launched himself from the two yard line and attempted to extend the ball over the goal line. The football was knocked loose as he did this and recovered by West Virginia. The call on the field was touchdown and was upheld by the replay official. Mountaineer coach Bill Stewart in a story carried by MSNsportsNET.com said, "I've been on both sides of these and I've said on the winning side that I hate to see a loser, well, I hate to see a loser tonight but that's how life is and it happens."
The call was a turning point in the game as West Virginia did get another score until the 43 second mark of the 4th quarter.

Next week Cincinnati and it's 16 game regular season unbeaten streak will take on dynamic quarterback Juice Williams and coach Ron Zook of Illinois. A win over a Big 10 team could serve to legitimize the Bearcats although Illinois has had a less than stellar season. Illinois should be pointing to this game as their calling card for the season and Ron Zook's get of jail card with the alumni.

Source:
"Bearcats Claw Out Victory" by John Antonik; http://msnsportsnet.com/page.cfm?story=15529&cat=exclusives