The Cincinnati Bearcats took their talents out to Pasadena, California (Spieker Field at the Rose Bowl) to face the UCLA Bruins. The Bruins with their newly acquired head coach Chip Kelly were 14.5 point favorites against the young Luke Fickell led Bearcats. At worst the Bearcats would get to face a solid Pac-12 team on the road and get their feet wet, but who was the pressure really on?
An early fumble by senior quarterback Hayden Moore allowed UCLA to get the ball in the redzone and eventually allowed running back Bolu Olrunfunmi to score from one yard out. After UCLA scored entered redshirt freshman quarterback Desmond Ridder, his first drive didn’t go great, but after being down 10-0 he led a 17-0 run to put the Bearcats up 17-10 at the half. The stellar play of the defense led by linebacker Mike Wright was able to stall out the Bruins offense. Sophomore safety James Wiggins got a key interception to help keep the momentum on the visiting teams side. Ridder and running back Mike Warren were a great one-two punch.
In the second half UCLA didn’t have quarterback Wilton Speight because of injury true freshman Dorian Thompson-Robinson had to play. Thompson-Robinson made some plays and made some mistakes, overall the Bearcats defense was too much. The great play of Cortez Broughton and Marquise Copeland made it tough for UCLA all day. Linebacker Bryan Wright had the play of the game with a strip sack fumble recovery for a safety that gave the visiting team a lead of 19-17 they wouldn’t release. Chip Kelly hurt his team by going for it on 4th down with less than 6 minutes left in the 4th quarter on his own 37 yard line when they didn’t convert. In turn the Bearcats made the plays they needed to have as Warren scored his third touchdown of the game to seal the 26-17 after UCLA was called for 12 men on the field when Cole Smith was about to attempt a field goal.
The defensive stats aren’t fully available, but the Bearcats were steady all night on that side of the ball.
Warren finished with 35 carries for 141 yards and three touchdowns along with three catches for 29 yards.
Ridder has made his case to be the starting quarterback after going 13-of-24 for 100 yards, no turnovers and 14 carries for 64 yards. He made a lot of key plays to keep this offense afloat.
With the 26-17 win the guys from Clifton are 1-0 with Miami of Ohio next on tap at Paul Brown Stadium Saturday.
Not bad for a team that was given less than a 10% chance to win by ESPN before the game.
Check out the tweets from a lot of former players and fans.
How bout them Bearcats!!!! 🔴⚫️
— DBond59 (@DBOND59) September 2, 2018
UC over UCLA pic.twitter.com/JXYhtROWBp
— NateCole#FLICKNATION (@ucnate84) September 2, 2018
Go Bearcats!!!! @GoBearcatsFB
— Nick Temple (@THE_NickTemple) September 2, 2018
It’s a WIN for the #Bearcats!! ❤️🖤 pic.twitter.com/NJkIkKzJMg
— Jennifer Heisey (@JenHeisey) September 2, 2018
Idc I feel like world champs , fight me or run me over . Or STFU . It’s all about BEARCATNATION pic.twitter.com/xxDtmHCmX8
— Tion Green (@TionGreen) September 2, 2018
