Antwan Peek moves in for one of his two sacks. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

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        The University of Cincinnati Bearcats might pinch themselves after they awake this morning.

        The size of the crowd ... the great field position ... the kick and punt runbacks.

        And the victory.

        On a perfect day for football before a record-setting crowd of 32,924 at Nippert Stadium, the Bearcats scored touchdowns, blocked field goals, intercepted passes, recovered fumbles and blasted archrival Miami 45-15.

        The Victory Bell, which goes to the winner of this 105-game rivalry, stays at UC for at least another year. Miami fell to 4-4.

        “The sun shone on our sideline today,” said UC center Doug Rosfeld. “A lot of times things don't go your way: the ball doesn't bounce your way; certain calls don't go your way. But this wasn't one of those days.”

LaVar Glover celebrates a TD on an interception return. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        For UC, it was a day to make a recruiting film.

        The only moment of deja vu Cincinnati (4-4) experienced was on its first possession, starting near midfield. The Bearcats made three first downs and drove to Miami's 9-yard line, but had to settle for the field goal.

        But then, UC's high-leaping rush-end, Antwan Peek, blocked a Miami field-goal attempt — “I tipped it with just three of my fingers,”

        he said. And on Miami's subsequent possession, UC's Willis Edwards stripped the ball and teammate LaVar Glover returned it to Miami's 11, setting up DeMarco McCleskey's leap over Miami's offensive line that made it 10-0.

        “I just pulled the (receiver's) arms apart as he was going down. It worked,” Edwards said of the fumble.

Deontey Kenner looks for receiver. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        On the Bearcats' next possession, starting on their own 28, quarterback Deontey Kenner zipped a pass to junior Tim Walker, who caught the ball 47 yards downfield with a defender draped on him. The throw and catch were perfect.

        It was Walker's first catch this year.

        “Timmy was one of those young men you're really trying to make a football player out of a track guy,” said UC coach Rick Minter. “I was so happy for him pulling that ball down.”

        On second-and-3, Kenner completed blitz-pickup throw to fullback Ray Jackson that took UC from Miami's 18-yard to the 12 for a first down. “Deontey pointed out the blitzer so I cut it in,” Jackson said.

        Kenner later scored on a quarterback draw, and UC was up 17-0.

Ray Jackson runs for TD. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        After Miami closed it to 17-7 on a 15-yard touchdown pass to Mike Sullivan from Mike Bath, Cincinnati's Chuck Spencer, who doesn't normally return kicks, returned one 73 yards to Miami's 27.

        “It was a return left with Ray Jackson leading me up,” Spencer said. “Ray made a great block. So did DeMarco McCleskey. He kept bragging about it on the sideline.”

        UC scored on an improvised 2-yard pass play to tailback McCleskey to make the score 24-7.

        “It was another great read by Deontey,” McCleskey said.

        Just when it seemed UC's scoring was over for the first half — only 2:25 remained — Bath faded from his own 22-yard line and threw an out-pattern to the 30, where UC's Glover stepped in front of the receiver and, with nobody between him and the end zone, caught the ball and took it in for the score, putting UC up 31-7.

DeMarco McCleskey dives for TD. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        “I saw the end zone even before I caught the ball,” Glover said. “My eyes were so big, I didn't know what to do. I just made sure I caught the ball. I wouldn't have cared if I fell on the ground, as long as I caught it.”

        In effect, that play ended the game.

        “You can't dig yourself in a hole in a game like this,” said Miami coach Terry Hoeppner.

        Bath was 14-of-30 passing for 189 yards and two interceptions. He was replaced by John Schacke, who threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Jason Branch in the fourth quarter and finished 5-of-11 for 40 yards.

        The worst thing for UC was that junior linebacker Lewis “Bam-Bam” Carter dislocated his hip in the second half. He's out for the season.

DAUGHERTY: UC gets a peek performance
Tide turned quickly for RedHawks
UC-Miami Notebook

        Miami ....... 0 7 0 8—15
        Cincinnati ....... 10 21 7 7—45

        First Quarter

        Cin—FG Ruffin 23, 9:30

        Cin—McCleskey 2 run (Ruffin kick), 3:11

        Second Quarter

        Cin—Kenner 1 run (Ruffin kick), 11:45

        Mia—Sullivan 15 pass from Bath (Brumbergs kick), 3:52

        Cin—McCleskey 2 pass from Kenner (Ruffin kick), 1:27

        Cin—Glover 30 interception return (Ruffin kick), 1:16

        Third Quarter

        Cin—Vann 13 pass from Kenner (Ruffin kick), 10:17

        Fourth Quarter

        Cin—Jackson 24 run (Ruffin kick), 14:54

        Mia—Branch 14 pass from Schacke (Branch pass from Schacke)

        A—32,924.

        INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

        RUSHING—Miami, Little 22-92, Bath 10-30, Dooley 4-7, Murray 3-13, Goodman 2-6, Schacke 1-(minus 8). Cincinnati, Jackson 15-93, McCleskey 12-72, Wize 6-6, Spencer 5-6, Garden 1-8, Kenner 1-1, Hoover 1-(minus 4).

        PASSING—Miami, Bath 14-30-2-189, Schacke 5-11-0-40, McCullough 1-1-0-32, Team 0-1-0-0. Cincinnati, Kenner 12-21-0-149, Hoover 4-8-0-52.

        RECEIVING—Miami, Tillitz 6-52, Branch 4-50, Henry 2-41, Sullivan 2-38, Murray 2-12, Thompson 1-32, Buxton 1-17, Kirkpatrick 1-12, Stegman 1-7. Cincinnati, Keith 4-37, Vann 3-26, Hunt 2-42, McCleskey 2-25, Walker 1-47, Jackson 1-6, Collins-Baker 1-6, Hice 1-5.

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