No. 3/4 Cincinnati Bearcats welcomed No. 16/21 Houston Cougars into Nippert Stadium for the American Athletic Championship Game. Would the Bearcats able to make their home winning streak go to 27? Would they be able to keep this undefeated season alive and their College Football Playoff hopes?
Houston struck first driving down the field pretty easily until they got into the red zone and the defense tightened up. Dalton Witherspoon hit a 37 yard field goal to give Houston a 3-0 lead. The next drive Cincinnati was the Desmond Ridder drive as he threw for 76 yards ending with a Tyler Scott strike from 25 yards out to take the 7-6 lead. Houston answered with a Clayton Tune strike to Nathaniel Dell from 16 yards out to take a 10-7 lead. After the kick off Jerome Ford hit Houston for a 79 yard touchdown run to give Cincinnati a 14-10 lead. Houston scored on the next drive on a 47 yard field goal to cut the lead to 14-13. Cincinnati drove down to the red zone, but Christian Lowery missed a 23 yard field goal that gave Houston hope. After some back and forth nobody scored before the half, so the home team was able to finish the half on a positive note.
Houston out-gained Cincinnati 216 to 196.
After leaving some opportunities on the field in the first half Cincinnati came out with vengeance Ridder hit Alec Pierce for a 44 yard reception and followed it later in the drive with an 8 yard touchdown strike to Leonard Taylor to give them a 21-13 lead. In the following possession Tune threw an interception to Joel Dublanko that put Cincinnati on Houston’s side of the field it was a nice play by the senior. Ridder took that and ran with it as he hit Pierce for a 21 yard touchdown to give Cincinnati a 28-13 lead. After getting the ball back Ford went to the house again from 42 yards out tying Michael Warren’s school record of 20 touchdowns total and 19 of them being rushing. With the 35-13 lead, Cincinnati was stopped on 4th and 1, but the defense got two big sacks from Dublanko and Curtis Brooks back to back to get the ball back. It was a play were Bryan Cook broke up a play that was a fumble six that Darrian Beavers picked up and took it to the house that was overturned. Cincinnati or Houston didn’t score until late in the fourth quarter as Tune found Jake Herslow for a 7 yard score. It would be the last time any team would score and the Cincinnati Bearcats were the AAC Champions for the second year in a row.
Jerome Ford was the AAC Championship Game Most Outstanding Player with 187 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns as well one catch for 17 yards. At the end of the game Cincinnati out-gained Houston 400 to 336. Joel Dublanko had a monster game with seven tackles, two sacks and an interception. Darrian Beavers and Ty Van Fossen were tied for the leading tacklers with nine. Desmond Ridder finished 11-of-17 passing for 190 yards and three touchdowns.
With a 35-20 win, the Cincinnati Bearcats now have to wait to see what the College Football Playoff will say tomorrow at noon.
