The University of Cincinnati Bearcats (2-3) are back to the proverbial square one — just where they were in their opening game against Army — facing a “must-win” game Saturday against Houston.

        Say this for the Bearcats: they have an unsurpassed sense of drama. They have taken all but one of their games down to the bitter end ... and this Saturday, for the second time this year, they are taking their entire season down to one game.

        Football coaches don't ever speak in those terms, of course — not when there's a one-snap-at-a-time cliche to be utilized — but all one has to do is the math.

        The Bearcats need six victories and a top-4 finish in Conference USA to go to a bowl. They have six games left, and need to win at least four of them. Two of those games are against perennnial C-USA power Southern Miss and always-tough Miami (both at Nippert Stadium), and two of them (conference foes Louisville and Memphis) are on the road, where UC is 0-3 this season.

        Things could be worse, though.

        • Quarterback Adam Hoover, who will likely start again in place of the injured Deontey Kenner (torn abdominal muscle), showed in the 24-19 defeat at Tulane last Saturday that he can move the team. (One of his two interceptions, however, was particularly costly, coming on 1st-and-goal from Tulane's 9-yard-line.)

        • And elusive tailback, DeMarco McCleskey (pulled hamstring) has been cleared to practice this week, and will probably play Saturday. That means some breathers for workhorse back Ray Jackson, who's been solid (137 yards on 34 carries vs. Tulane) but isn't a breakaway threat.

        But Hoover will be even more tested against Houston's attacking defense than he was against the more straight-up approach of Tulane (18-for-32 for 192 yards passing). He will again be on the fast learning track in practice.

        “Houston uses an eight-man front, is blitz- and attack-oriented, and uses multi-coverage schemes,” UC coach Rick Minter said. “This team will really press you. They pressed us last year, and it was difficult. They give up only 2.9 yards per rush, and that's very good.”

        There were “four or five” must-hit pass routes in the Tulane game that Hoover didn't connect upon. But there were also “two or three” dropped balls, Minter said.

        Hoover was sacked four times, not all of them his fault, but he needs to be quicker to throw the ball away.

        Minter said he was pleased with the way Hoover “hung in there” when he dropped back to pass in UC's wide-open attack.

        UC NOTES: Kenner might miss more than last week's and this week's game. He suffered the torn stomach muscle in the first half of the Indiana game two weeks ago.

        “Those things (torn stomach muscles) can go from two weeks to two months,” Minter said. “There's no telling when he's going to be back.”

        Wideout LaDaris Vann, who didn't play against Tulane, may miss this Saturday's game, too. He's attending to a “personal situation,” Minter said.

        When might Vann be back?

        “Undetermined,” Minter said.

        Saturday's game is at noon. It had originally been scheduled for 1 p.m. It will be telecast on WXIX (Channel 19) with Dave Lapham doing play-by-play.

Bearcats face 'must win' at Houston Martin's goal: make NBA all-defensive team Probation ends for UC basketball UC's Jones looks for December return

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