This Afternoon the Bearcats (0-1) welcomed in FCS powerhouse Kennesaw State (0-1) to Nippert Stadium for their home opener as the Bearcats were looking to extend their 27 game winning streak here at home, the second longest home winning streak in all of college football behind Clemson who has won their last 34 games at home. The Bearcats would be looking to avenge their 31-24 loss to Arkansas against a powerhouse FCS program like Kennesaw State behind their dominant triple option powered offense.
The Bearcats first drive would result in a 3 and out, after a Garland Benyard sack off the edge on the very first play of the game would set the Bearcats deep in their territory after Ben Bryant would take a shot off the edge. The Bearcats would flip the field after Mason Fletcher launched a career high 64 yard punt, as the Bearcats would have to deal with the Owls triple option offense early to start. The Owls would see their first drive extended after the Bearcats would force a punt, but a roughing the kicker penalty would extend the drive and vs a triple option offense you can’t make those mistakes to keep an offense like that on the field, but the Bearcats defense stood tall after Deshawn Pace blocked the Owls 49 yard field goal attempt and was recovered by Eric Phillips to give the Bearcats the ball in Owls territory.
The Bearcats would capitalize off the blocked field goal and they would march down after a 5 play, 41-yard drive would result in Bryant connecting with Josh Whyle across the middle for a 17 yard touchdown to give the Bearcats a 7-0 lead with 5:35 remaining in the first quarter. That would be Whyle’s third consecutive home opener with a touchdown dating back to 2020. The Bearcats defense would stand tall after redshirt Dontay Corleone would record his first career sack to force the Owls punt and would give the Bearcats an opportunity to put some more points on the board early.
Bryant would settle in and take a 7-0 lead heading to the 2nd quarter, but would continue to push the ball downfield in the air, after connecting with Will Pauling for a 30-yard gain, his longest reception of his career that would set up a 9-yard touchdown strike from Bryant to Lenny Taylor to give the Bearcats a 14-0 lead with 13 minutes left in the 2nd quarter. The Bearcats wouldn’t stop there after the Owls fumble in their own territory, Bryant would connect with Tyler Scott for a 21-yard touchdown to give the Bearcats a 21-0 lead with 10 minutes remaining in the 2nd quarter as Bryant has started to settle in for the Bearcats as he started 9-of-11, 105 yards, three touchdowns on the Bearcats first four drives.
The Bearcats defense would shift the momentum back to the offense after a huge stop on 4th and 2 inside their own 20, but a Myles Montogomery fumble would hand it back over to the Owls, but the Bearcats stood tall and held them to a field goal where they now lead 21-3 with 4:20 left in the first half. The Bearcats would then take a 21-3 lead to the break behind a strong first half performance from Ben Bryant, who finished 13-of-16, 145 yards, three touchdowns. Redshirt freshman Will Pauling continues to be a bright spot in the offense as he led the Bearcats in receiving yards with 41, while Josh Whyle had three receptions, 36 yards and a touchdown. Braynt also connected with Tyler Scott for a 21-yard touchdown as the Bearcats offense was clicking on all cylinders.
The story of the first half was the Bearcats losing star edge rusher, Malik Vann to what appeared to be a shoulder injury on the Owls opening drive. What could be a huge blow for the Bearcats up from as the 5th year senior was looking for a huge season after battling injuries all of 2021.
The Bearcats defense would come out with a bang to start the second half, as Ivan Pace continues to wreak havoc, this time he forces a fumble that landed in the hands of Jabari Taylor, who returned it 23 yards for the score to give the Bearcats a 28-3 lead with 14 minutes left in the third quarter, the first fumble recovery returned for a touchdown since 2018, as Kimoni Fitz was the last Bearcat to do such feat. The Bearcats would keep the offensive going as the Bearcats would come out and capitalize a 10 play, 68-yard drive that resulted in a 5 yard touchdown run from Charles McClelland, that would put the Bearcats up 35-3 with 8 minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The Bearcats defense would continue their stellar play, after Ja’von Hicks reads the Owls perfectly, intercepts Xavier Sheppard and takes it 45 yards back to the crib for his first career touchdown to give the Bearcats a 42-3 lead with 4 minutes remaining as Mike Tressel has to be happy with how his defense has performed today, as the triple option has given the Bearcats a lot of trouble in the past, but they stood tall today. The Bearcats defense and special teams has now recorded a pick-6, fumble returned for touchdown, a forced fumble, and a blocked field goal so far in this contest with a whole quarter left to play, I guess you can say the Blackcat defense hasn’t missed a beat after losing guys like Sauce Gardner, Coby Bryant, Bryan Cook and more from a season ago.
