BY TOM GROESCHEN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
A cat reportedly has nine lives, and the Cincinnati Bearcats are 0-8 with a bullet. Most evidence indicates Act Nine will be another disaster, but UC still believes it can upset East Carolina tonight at UC (8 p.m., ESPN).
The Bearcats are using Temple (1-7) and Stanford (1-7) as inspiration. Temple stunned No. 15 Virginia Tech three weeks ago, while Stanford took No. 3 UCLA to the wall before losing last Saturday.
"You never know what can happen," said UC linebacker DeJuan Gossett (Wyoming High). "We figure wešve got a win in us somewhere. Itšs just a matter of time."
East Carolina (4-4) is a 14-point favorite in the nationally televised Conference USA game, but has had only four days rest since a 34-31 home loss to Houston.
UC is refreshed from an 11-day break, having had a bye last Saturday.
"Hopefully this is where we can take advantage, if you can say an 0-8 team has any advan
tage, in the fact that we should be a little more rested," UC coach Rick Minter said. "But I' m sure (East Carolina) will be anxious to get back on the field and atone."
It is the first nationally telecast game in the history of Nippert Stadium. In hopes of luring a large crowd, UC has given away nearly 15,000 tickets to groups such as university employees and youth football teams.
Still, the Bearcats' poor record, the anticipated cold weather, and ESPN' s presence should keep the crowd well under the 35,000 capacity.
"We welcome ESPN into our house, and we expect to go out and play well," Minter said. "We never turn down the opportunity to be on television."
Yet, sending your 0-8 team into a potential 74 million homes is another matter. America will hear how the Bearcats have lost each game by at least 17 points, thanks to the nation' s worst scoring defense (47.8 per game) and the 18th-worst scoring offense (17.9).
Lately, East Carolina hasn't
been much better off. The Pirates carry a three-game losing streak.
"I' m sure they' ll be overlooking us," said Gossett. "They just had a tough game and they figure they can beat us. But our luck has to change some time."
East Carolina also could be entering a hostile environment, given that UC fans may be juiced by the rare presence of ESPN cameras.
"When the game starts, they' re not going to be thinking about being 0-8," said East Carolina coach Steve Logan. "They' re going to be looking at an opportunity to win a game."
The Bearcats figure they are due. No UC team has started 0-9 since the 1937 Bearcats went 0-10, the worst season in school history.
"We have to put ourselves in a position in the fourth quarter to have a chance to win the game, something we haven' t done a whole lot of," Minter said.
East Carolina rushes for 150 yards per game and passes for 215, relatively average numbers. The Pirates were considered a preseason Conference USA contender but are tied for sixth in the eight-team race.
"I' m sure they' re disappointed where they are, but I' d trade places with them," Minter said.
Minter will go with freshman DeMarco McCleskey at tailback, after McCleskey rushed for a season-high 124 yards vs. Miami University on Oct. 24.
Quarterback/receiver Chad Plummer might take the first snaps at QB as usual, after an ankle injury limited him strictly to receiver vs. Miami. Sophomore Deontey Kenner eventually will enter and play most of the way at quarterback, if Minter follows his usual plan.
UC is on its longest skid since a combined 10-game losing streak over the 1990-91 seasons.
"Every week I go into it the eternal optimist, that this is the week we' re going to click on all cylinders," Minter said. "Of course we' re running out of time, but it could still happen."
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