Houston Has A Problem With Unbeaten Cincinnati

 

The undefeated Cincinnati Bearcats with its ferocious defense took on the Houston Cougars at Nippert Stadium on Saturday afternoon.  The Bearcat O was just as good.

Desmond Ridder threw for 162 yards and one touchdown and ran for 103 yards and three touchdown.  Gerrid Doaks rushed for 184 yards on 16 carries, including runs of 72 and 48 yards and a touchdown. They led Cincinnati to a 38-10 win to go 6-0.

The home team was stingy on the run again.  After holding the once beaten, at the time, Memphis to less than 10 yards last week, the Bearcats held the Cougars to 65 yards rushing through three quarters while building a 31-10 lead.  Even after a big pass play of 54 yards from Clayton Tune to Nathaniel Dell to the Cincinnati 11 yard line, the Bearcats made them settle for a field goal.

Gerrid Doaks had more rushing yards than Houston did through three quarters with a 72-yard run off tackle to the Cougars three.  Two carries later, Doaks found the end zone from a yard out. Quarterback Desmond Ridder scampered for 10 yards to put the Bearcats up by 14 with 7:53 left in the half.

Houston finished with 93 yards rushing.  It was the fifth game in a row that the Bearcats held the opponent to under 100 yards rushing.

The pace picked up from there with Houston scoring on a three-yard run by Kyle Porter with 4:17 to go until halftime.  Tune's 34-yard pass to Bryson Smith set up the touchdown. 

Riddet ran it in from 32 yards out with 1:40 to go.  

Houston's Dalton Witherspoon kicke a 27-yard field goal after the long pass to Dell with :38 left in the half.  

Doak's broke away for a 48-yard run that set up a leaping catch in the endzone by Josh Whyle from four yards away with :13 left to take a 28-10 lead to the locker room.

Cole Smith kicked a 32-yard field goal in the third quarter.

Ridder's third touchdown run from 12 yards out early in the fourth quarter extended the Bearcats lead.

The kickoff sailed into the endzone and the Cougars had the ball on their own 39 yard line when Darrick Forest intercepted Tune on the Cincinnati 48.