By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Cincinnati quarterback Gino Guidugli runs in a 10-yard touchdown in the first quarter Saturday. (AP Photo/David Kohl) | ZOOM |

The University of Cincinnati Bearcats have climbed out of the hole they dug for themselves early in the season.

UC evened its record for the first time since Sept. 14 with a 47-14 Conference USA victory Saturday over a Houston team that couldn't pass, couldn't tackle and couldn't open enough holes for its talented running back, Joffrey Reynolds, to compensate.

"We're the same team now that we were a month ago," UC coach Rick Minter said. "We're just not making game-breaking mistakes that cost us games."

After a 2-5 start, the Bearcats are 5-5, 4-2 in the conference and need two wins in their last three games to become eligible for a bowl berth. Houston falls to 4-6, 2-5.

A scattered crowd announced at 14,023 watched at Nippert Stadium as UC totaled 492 yards against a Cougars defense that allows 407 a game.

It was fitting that UC evened its record on the day senior running back DeMarco McCleskey surpassed the 3,000-yard rushing mark. If anyone in the UC program knows what it's like to persevere through adversity it's McCleskey, who sat out a year in 1999 while he was being cleared of rape charges, then returned to become one of the most productive backs in UC history.

Houston running back Joffrey Reynolds runs in a 3-yard touchdown. (AP Photo/David Kohl) | ZOOM |

McCleskey gained 83 yards on 16 carries against Houston. With 3,038 yards, he now trails only Reggie Taylor, who gained 4,242 yards from 1983 to 1986, on the school's career rushing list.

"It's self-gratifying to understand the situation you've come from," McCleskey said, "how you let it go past you, keep striving, have your goals intact. It puts a lot of wisdom on you."

UC trailed 7-3 after Reynolds scored on a 3-yard run with 7:13 left in the first quarter. At the time, the nation's fifth-leading rusher already had gained 45 yards. But the Bearcats held him to 31 yards the rest of the afternoon and restricted the league's No.1 offense to 293 yards, more than 100 below its average.

"All the defensive players were like wild beasts out there," defensive end Antwan Peek said. "Everybody got to the ball. You can tell we did a good job watching their film, knowing what their plays are."

Following Reynolds' touchdown, UC scored 44 unanswered points to put the game out of reach, six of them coming on Peek's recovery and return of a fumbled lateral he returned 21 yards for a touchdown. It was the second touchdown in as many games for Peek.

The cold temperatures hindered attendance. (Jeff Tindall photo) | ZOOM |

"I just went to pick it up and followed through with the play," Peek said. "I wasn't going to stop until the whistle blew."

UC quarterback Gino Guidugli completed 14 of 31 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns, breaking a drought of 15 quarters without a touchdown pass. He now has 5,095 passing yards in less than two seasons, only the third UC quarterback to reach that plateau.

"I knew it was pretty long," Guidugli said of the drought. "But as long as we win, I could care less."

With UC leading 31-7 at halftime, Minter could afford the luxury of emptying his bench. Every player on the UC roster who was eligible to play got onto the field.

The rejuvenated Bearcats will be tested this week when they travel to play at 8-2 Hawaii with its high-powered offense.

"We're rolling into a bowl and we're about to knock some pins down," McCleskey said.

Houston	7	0	0	7-14
Cincinnati	17	14	13	3-47

First Quarter
Cin-FG Ruffin 33, 10:05.
Hou-Reynolds 3 run (Bell kick), 7:13.
Cin-Guidugli 10 run (Ruffin kick), 5:18.
Cin-Olinger 6 pass from Guidugli (Ruffin kick), 3:45.

Second Quarter
Cin-Vann 6 pass from Guidugli (Ruffin kick), 6:35.
Cin-Peek 21 fumble return, (Ruffin kick), 4:05.

Third Quarter
Cin-Keith 38 pass from Guidugli, (Ruffin kick), 13:06.
Cin-McCleskey 1 run (kick failed), 6:44.

Fourth Quarter
Cin-FG Ruffin 25, 9:41.
Hou-Evans 1 run, (Bell kick), 5:42.
A-14,023.

	UH	UC
First downs	18	21
Rushes-yards	47-92	42-205
Passing	201	287
Comp-Att-Int	13-28-3	16-26-1
Return Yards	0	45
Punts-Avg.	4-32	2-30
Fumbles-Lost	6-1	3-0
Penalties-Yards	3-35	7-91
Time of Possession	32:26	27:34

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING-Houston, Reynolds 28-76, Evans 9-31, Botts 4-16, Eddy 5-(minus 6). Cincinnati, McCleskey 16-83, Murray 6-35, Guidugli 3-31, Harris 5-22, Harwell 5-19, Leonard 1-14, Hall 5-4.

PASSING-Houston, Eddy 10-23-3-152, Botts 3-5-0-49. Cincinnati, Guidugli 14-23-1-238, Murray 2-3-0-49.

RECEIVING-Houston, Middleton 4-78, Bell 4-49, Reynolds 2-25, Mattox 1-18, Robinson 1-16, Hopkins 1-15. Cincinnati, Keith 4-64, McCleskey 2-70, Murray 2-22, Vann 2-22, Olinger 2-15, Hall 2-8, Ross 1-53, Hazel 1-33.