BY TOM GROESCHEN
The Cincinnati Enquirer

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Some day, it could become known as the night the University of Cincinnati football program truly came of age.

Artrell Hawkins (bottom) is greeted by Hassan Champion, left, and Cornelius Bonner after his 38-yard interception return for a TD. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

UC, its nerves scraped raw by a brutal, game-long defensive stalemate with Boston College, overcame fatigue and a hostile crowd to blitz BC 24-6 on Saturday night. UC scored all 24 points in the final 11 minutes.

For UC (3-1), it was the kind of victory that will boost its national image. The Bearcats fought through an 0-0 halftime tie and 6-0 deficit in the fourth quarter, when momentum and crowd noise both favored BC.

"It was a TV game, and we came from behind to win on the road," said Phillip Curry, a UC linebacker and captain. "Some guys may have been tired, but we hung in because we're in great (physical) shape. That's why we practice so hard during the week, to win games like this in the fourth quarter."

Although UC was a two-point favorite over BC (2-2), the victory came on national television (ESPN2) before 40,564 at Alumni Stadium, and came over a nationally prominent program. The Bearcats turned heads by pounding Kansas 34-7 last week, but gained more credibility with Saturday's win.

It marks UC's first 3-1 start since 1985, when the current Bearcat players were all in elementary school.

QB Chad Plummer scrambles from BC lineman Chris Hovan. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

Senior cornerback Artrell Hawkins, who scored on a 38-yard interception return to fuel a three-touchdown blitz in the final eight minutes, said it may have been UC's biggest win in years.

"Two or three years ago, we might not have won this game," Hawkins said. "But we knew it would happen, even when we were down. It was just a feeling that comes from experience, because a lot of us have been there before."

Even though the Bearcats were outgained 290-166 in total yards, and even though their defense seemingly was on the field all night, they literally ran away with the victory.

Quarterback Chad Plummer added a 50-yard touchdown run with 1:41 left, and cornerback Shawn Ferguson returned an interception 48 yards for another TD with 59 seconds left as UC shocked the crowd. About 500 UC fans made the trip.

"It's a great win for this school," UC coach Rick Minter said. "We did not play that well offensively, we just got smashed. But it's a classic case of a team victory, of doing what it takes to win."

The UC defense, on the field for 71 plays compared to 58 for BC, keyed the victory by holding BC to 2-of-18 third-down conversions. The defense now has not allowed a touchdown in nine quarters.

Plummer is tackled by Erik Stolz and Brooke Heald. | ZOOM |

The Bearcat offense struggled to just 1-of-14 third-down conversions, but the UC defense kept coming back to stuff BC.

"Give our defense the credit," Plummer said. "We couldn't hear the signals on offense, because of the crowd noise. That's one reason we couldn't get going. But they (BC) had a good game plan, too." UC knocked BC's quarterback (Matt Hasselbeck) and top rusher (Mike Cloud) out of the game with injuries. Top BC receiver Anthony DiCosmo also left with an injury.

Cloud's replacement, Quinton Lee, rushed for 161 yards. It was the only real blemish for the UC defense, but it proved academic. Hasselbeck went down with a hip injury late in the game. His replacement, Scott Mutryn, entered after Hawkins' TD return had given UC a 10-6 lead. Mutryn was intercepted by UC safety Tinker Keck, which set up Plummer's TD run that made it 17-6.

On the next series, Ferugson intercepted and scored to give UC a 24-6 lead, and even the usually stoic Minter was seen grinning on the sidelines.

UC now has a realistic shot at being 5-1 entering its game at Houston, the defending Conference USA champion, on Oct. 18. The Bearcats next play Memphis and then Alabama-Birmingham, with both games at UC.

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