Sunday, September 10, 2000

UC 12, Syracuse 10

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Bearcats notch upset with 47-yard FG on final play

By John Erardi
the Cincinnati Enquirer

UC kicker Jason Mammarelli is lifted by fans and teammates after his game-winning field goal. (Brandi Stafford photo) | ZOOM |

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        It could happen only to a guy from Hollywood. With no time left on the clock, Jason Mammarelli — a 230-pound senior long-distance kicker who was 0-for-4 on career field goal attempts at the University of Cincinnati — split the uprights from 47 yards Saturday to shock No. 24 Syracuse (and a national TV audience) 12-10.

        “I've been waiting, dreaming, for this,” said Mammarelli, of Hollywood, Fla., who raised his arms in the air to signal good as soon as the ball came off his foot.

        Many of the 17,717 fans at Nippert Stadium raised their hands, too, as they watched the ball clear Syracuse's defensive line.

        But they didn't know the way Mammarelli knew.

The kick, then .... (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Maybe the only people who weren't shocked that Mammarelli hit this field goal were in the security detail guarding the goal posts. Some of the 2,000 fans who rushed the field considered trying to take the posts down, as they did in UC's stunner last year over Wisconsin, but thought better of it.

        Mammarelli, 20, hadn't hit a field goal since he was a senior in high school. UC's regular field goal kicker, sophomore Jonathon Ruffin, had hit field goals of 28, 42 and 32 yards earlier in the fourth quarter to keep UC in the game..

        “I wasn't thinking of any of my misses,” Mammarelli said. “I'd always thought of them before. I knew what I had to do.”

Mammarelli (center) and teammates watch it go through the uprights, then .... (Brandi Stafford photo) | ZOOM |

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        Although Ruffin is capable of hitting a 47-yarder — his 41-yard field goal was the game winner last year against Wisconsin — the thought of using Mammarelli for these long-distance bombs always crosses the minds of the UC coaches because of his leg strength.

        “Anything from the 29- to 30-yard line out, Mammo,” said UC coach Rick Minter. “Anything 25-yard line in, Ruffin.”

        The ball was on Syracuse's 30-yard line.

        “That was a grand slam, the big salami,” Minter said. “We called on Mammo in the most precious moment a pinch-hitter could ever have, and he delivered. He hadn't batted all day — heck, he hadn't really batted much his whole career.”

        The victory elevated the surprising Bearcats to 2-0 and no doubt again got the attention of Wisconsin, which plays host to UC Saturday.

Mammarelli celebrates with his "airplane run," then... (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        As soon as Mammarelli saw the ball go through, he sprinted 40 yards in the opposite direction to the UC 20-yard line, where he was mobbed by his teammates and then the crowd.

        “When the ball went through, I was thinking, "What should I do now?'” Mammarelli said. “I thought back to Eric Richards' field goal to beat Miami when I was a freshman. He did this airplane-run soccer guys do. I figured: "That's good. That's what I'll do.'”

        Only 43 seconds before Mammarelli hit the game-winner, Syracuse had taken the lead 10-9 on a 35-yard field goal. The Bearcats, who didn't even practice their two-minute drill this week because their game on Labor Day had curtailed their practice time, started with the ball on their own 24-yard line.

        They drove 46 yards in seven plays in 38 seconds.

The hero signs autographs after the game. (Brandi Stafford photo) | ZOOM |

        With only 12 seconds left in the game, UC was still only on its own 44-yard line. That would have been a stretch for Mammarelli, who has made some 70-yarders while playing around, but not with a bunch of defensive linemen coming at him, their arms upraised and the game on the line.

        “I was trying not to look at them as I waited,” Mammarelli said.

        The key play from scrimmage was the one before the field goal.

        UC quarterback Deontey Kenner hit running back Ray Jackson on a 26-yard pass play. He hadn't had a ball thrown to him all day. But he's an integral part of the Bearcats' two-minute offense because of his good hands.

        Syracuse had looked like the better, faster team for almost the entire game — although Cincinnati's defense played with great heart and red-zone stingi ness.

        Kenner was so happy he wasn't even feeling the three stitches in his chin he had received in the fourth quarter.

        “Be sure to mention our defense played a hell of a game,” said Kenner, who was 16-of-35 for 188 yards and no turnovers.

Syracuse laments missed opportunities

        Syracuse ....... 0 7 0 3—10

        Cincinnati ....... 0 0 0 12—12

        Second Quarter

        SYR—Tyree 19 pass from Nunes (Shafer kick), 10:46.

        Fourth Quarter

        CIN—FG Ruffin 28, 12:38

        CIN—FG Ruffin 42, 11:33

        CIN—FG Ruffin 32, 4:37

        SYR—FG Shafer 35, 0:43

        CIN—FG Mammarelli 47, 0:00

        A—17,707.

        INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

        RUSHING—Syracuse, Brown 17-55, Mungro 8-29, Jackson 1-9, Scott 1-8, Nunes 9-5, Davis 1-(minus 1). Cincinnati, McCleskey 16-87, Jackson 15-48, Vann 1-20, Kenner 3-0.

        PASSING—Syracuse, Nunes 21-30-2-221. Cincinnati, Kenner 16-35-0-188.

        RECEIVING—Syracuse, Campbell 8-66, Tyree 4-70, Manley 3-26, Woodcock 2-29, Jackson 2-18, Brown 2-12. Cincinnati, Vann 4-63, Chatman 4-36, Hunt 3-19, Jackson 1-26, Smikle 1-17, Keith 1-10, Collins-Baker 1-10, McCleskey 1-7.

       

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