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Sunday, December 1, 2002

UC 31, UAB 23


One more win and Bearcats likely bound for Nashville

By John Erardi
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The University of Cincinnati defense will keep making plays until the talented but enigmatic offense capitalizes.

[img]
DeMarco McCleskey outruns UAB's James Malone on a touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
(Mike Simons photo)
| ZOOM |
That's what happened (again) Saturday in UC's 31-23 victory over Alabama-Birmingham before 9,606 fans at Nippert Stadium.

It will come down to this (again) Friday at East Carolina (7 p.m. kickoff, ESPN2), in a game the 6-6 Bearcats (5-2 in Conference USA), must win to go to a third straight bowl and share the C-USA title with 9-2 Texas Christian (6-2 C-USA).

"Everybody knows what the East Carolina game means," said UC quarterback Gino Guidugli (14-of-22 for 243 yards, two TDs and no interceptions).

TCU, which won Saturday, has locked up a spot in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis. Because of its late-season wrapup at ECU, UC is down in the pecking order for bowls. If by the time UC finishes Friday only the Hawaii Bowl is available of C-USA's affiliated bowls, C-USA will work to arrange a swap with another conference that has a team that might want to go to Hawaii, C-USA official Brian Teeter said. (UC lost 20-19 at Hawaii last week in a tension-filled game that ended with an on-field brawl.) The speculation is that the Music City Bowl in Nashville could be where UC lands.

[img]
Antwan Peek celebrates after causing and recovering a fumble.
(Mike Simons photo)
| ZOOM |
It has been a long way back from the edge of the crypt for the Bearcats, who five weeks ago were 2-5.

"After our loss to Southern Miss, which followed losses to Miami and Tulane, everybody was questioning all phases of our team," Guidugli said. "Then everything clicked against Memphis (48-10), and we've been on a roll ever since."

UC trailed 23-17 with 11:21 to play, because UAB - utilizing a triple option attack off a T-formation wishbone - had run through UC's defense like a crazed rat through a maze. Many of the calls were misdirection plays.

"(At halftime), the coaches told the linebackers and safeties, 'Hold your position: do not run where the offense appears to be going,'" said UC junior linebacker Tyjuan Hagler, who had a 15-yard TD interception to put UC up 14-10 with 2:20 left in the first half.

Even then, UAB took the second-half kickoff 69 yards on a 14-play drive (12 rushes) for a 17-14 lead.

[img]
Trent Cole celebrates a sack.
(Mike Simons photo)
| ZOOM |
UAB was still leading 17-14 and facing third-and-5 on UC's 25 when UC defensive end Antwan Peek busted in to tackle-and-strip QB Thomas Cox and recover the fumble. UC tied it at 17 on a 35-yard field goal by Jonathan Ruffin. The big play was a 31-yard pass to George Murray on 3rd-and-23 from UC's 8.

UC held UAB to a field goal (23-17) after Tye Keith fumbled the kickoff early in the fourth quarter at UC's 21.

The key play on UC's first fourth-quarter TD drive (five plays, 77 yards) to make it 24-23, was a 37-yard first-down completion to LaDaris Vann; a big play on the second TD drive (9 plays, 77 yards) to make it 31-23, was a 9-yard first-down completion to Jon Olinger.

UAB7376-23
Cincinnati77314-31

First Quarter
UAB-Cox 8 run (Hayes kick), 9:53.
CIN-McCleskey 7 pass from Guidugli (Ruffin kick), 6:46.
Second Quarter
UAB-FG Hayes 44, 7:13.
CIN-Hagler 15 interception (Ruffin kick), 2:20.
Third Quarter
UAB-Gibson 1 run (Hayes kick), 8:30.
CIN-FG Ruffin 35, 3:18.
Fourth Quarter
UAB-FG Hayes 23, 14:16.
UAB-FG Hayes 27, 11:21.
CIN-McCleskey 15 pass from Guidugli (Ruffin kick), 8:50.
CIN-McCleskey 14 run (Ruffin kick), 3:30.
A-9,606.

UABUC
First downs1917
Rushes-yards63-23934-82
Passing49243
Comp-Att-Int6-17-114-22-0
Return Yards833
Punts-Avg.3-39.34-40.8
Fumbles-Lost3-22-2
Penalties-Yards8-855-40
Time of Possession34:0925:51

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING-UAB, Burks 19-80, Gibson 13-79, Cox 19-61, Dudley 6-42, Hackney 6-(minus 23). Cincinnati, McCleskey 23-82, Hall 3-11, Guidugli 5-5, Team 3-(minus 16).

PASSING-UAB, Hackney 6-17-1-49. Cincinnati, Guidugli 14-22-0-243.

RECEIVING-UAB, Cox 1-11, Dudley 1-10, Quinnie 1-9, Gibson 1-8, White 1-7, Burks 1-4. Cincinnati, Vann 5-89, Murray 3-60, McCleskey 3-28, Olinger 2-23, Keith 1-43.




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NEXT GAME
vs. South Florida (3-4)
• 1:00 p.m. Sat. Nov. 20
• Nippert Stadium
• Radio: WLW-AM 700

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