Halftime Report: Cincinnati vs. Houston

Nov 16, 2013; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Tommy Tuberville during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at High Points Solutions Stadium. Cincinnati Bearcats defeat the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 52-17. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

Today has been the weirdest case of “homefield advantage” that I’ve ever seen.  The Houston field is completely soaked and chunks of turf are flying everywhere.  It looks like the overwhelming majority of fans have decided to stay in due to the cold and wet weather.  Both teams have to be a little disappointed by the lack of attendance given that both teams are having good seasons and are contenders for the league championship and a BCS bowl.  Beyond the factors of momentum and morale, Coach Tuberville expressed before the game his concern for the player’s safety.  Sure enough we had a game-stopping injury on the first drive of the game.

The Short Version:

• The first quarter ended 0-0.  Cincinnati moved the ball better than Houston but left points on the field a couple different ways including going for it in a 4th and goal situation.
• Kay looked great moving the ball up and down the field but had two very bad interceptions thrown from inside the Cincinnati 10 yard line.
• The Cincinnati defense was absolutely stellar.  Houston’s offense is legit but were held to no points and only gave up a touchdown when they were pinned back to the goal line but their own offense.
• Kay took a beating.  He’s been taking a beating all year, he’s a tough guy but he can’t take much more.  Gotta get rid of the ball quicker or get him some acting classes at CCM so he can put on some pageantry for some big penalties.
• Despite 2 picks Kay was still the player of the half.  His stats were 19/29 for 254 yard, 2 TD and 2 INT.  Not pretty but got the job done and really led his team.

The Long Version:

Houston didn’t let the weather get them down, they came out on their first drive moving the ball and doing so in 3rd and long situations.  Cincinnati lucked out as they Houston had a seemingly unforced fumble as soon as they entered the redzone.  The first Cincinnati offensive play was a completed pass for negative 6 yard…usually the sign of a slow day.  Not so today though, Cincinnati proceeded to march down the field with some beautiful passing and finished with a missed field goal.  Halfway through the first quarter and the score hangs at 0-0.

Cincinnati forced a quick 3 and out.  In fact it was a big statement as they stuffed O’Korn on a 2nd down carry (see Bain’s Keys to the Game) and tackled the RB for a loss on 3rd down.  After getting the ball back at midfield, Kay came out ready to play with a 34 yard pass to McClung.  The field issues that Coach Tuberville was concerned about came out on this drive as RDA4 was tripped on a chunk of turf.  The offense got to first and goal but ran the same exact Luallen-up-the-gut play twice  to get themselves at 4th and goal where against all logic they went for it.  Which game Houston the ball at their own 1 yard line.

Luckily Houston went 3 and out, again.  The Cincinnati secondary had some stellar play against Houston’s 5 WR set.  Once again the Bearcats got the ball at midfield with only 2:30 left in the first quarter.  After a couple screens and one forward pass we were stuck once again with 4th and inches.  Once again Tuberville decided to roll the dice, this decision was more confusing than the first but Kay was able to plow ahead.  As brilliant as that play was by Kay, he followed it up with some painful indecisiveness and took a 14 yard sack to end the first quarter.

At the end of the first quarter it was:

Cincinnati 106 yard to Houston’s 62.

Cincinnati 7 first downs to Houston’s 4.

But the score, Cincinnati 0 to Houston 0.

Kay put an end to our frustrations within the first 30 seconds of the 2nd quarter.  He completed a beautiful 40 yard pass to Chris Moore for a touchdown.  Cold weather.  Wet ball.  Bad field.  Kay is still spot on, kinda makes you wonder how Munchie ever got the starting job ahead of him (this year or last).

Houston got the ball at midfield and punted to the Cincinnati 1 yard line.  Kay caved to pressure 2 plays later and threw a pick.  Houston took over at the Cincinnati 25 yard line.  Sudden change is the benchmark of a good defense and Cincinnati demonstrated that here as they devoured Houston’s offense and forced a 4th and 17 passing attempt.  Houston would have had a touchdown were it no for a beautiful swat from the UC secondary.  Once again, the defense held the line perfectly.

Just under 11 minutes Cincinnati took over again on offense and Kay came out slinging like he’d never thrown a pick before.  Hosey Williams got some quality carries and Kay finished off the drive with a 12 yard read option, or so we thought.  A holding call cost us a touchdown and placed us in a 1st & 20 situation.  Max Morrison dropped a pass that would have rectified that mistake and then we ran up the gut for 1 yard giving us 3rd and 19.  A 13 yard pass set up a 25 yard field goal which was good.  10-0 Cincinnati with 8:13 left in the 2nd quarter.  Could be better but could be much much worse.

The Cincinnati defense held again and got the ball back on their own 9 yard line with just 6 and a half minutes to go.  After a penalty we had yet another Kay interception.  This one gave Houston first and goal.  Houston ranks highest in the conference (maybe in the country) in turnover margin.  Be that as it may the Kay interceptions were still infuriating.  The defense for Cincinnati finally gave in and gave up a touchdown pass leaving it 10-7 at the 5:56 mark.  Cincinnati got the ball and did nothing with it and with 5:17 to go they punted for the first time on the day.

The defense stepped up again and forced Houston to punt it right back to the Cincinnati offense with 3:41 to go.  Starting inside their own 15 again they drove to midfield and down to the 5 yard line with beautiful passing once again from Kay.  Gran seems to be getting a little too reliant and too predictable on  his one page of Luallen plays.  Luallen tried to force it up the gut on the goal line and was totally stuffed for the 3rd time today.  Perhaps it’s time to let him run another play or keep Kay in the game when he’s hot?  Either way, Kay took the field again at the goal line and through a ridiculous pass that was met with an even more ridiculous catch from Chris Moore making it 17-7 with 1:29 left to play in the half.

The defense was tough as nails once again (hopefully some foreshadowing for our next claim to a traveling trophy).  Cincinnati go the ball back on their own 6 yard line with 1:00 minute remaining in the half.  Luallen ran a few plays to end the half and the teams moved off the field in slow motion.  The teams were both exhausted and beat up.  Hopefully it will be a low maintenence second half where we can ride out the victory but I wouldn’t count on it.  Houston has some weapons and will have some fight in them still.  If we stick with our defense and the offense can put up a few more points we should have this one.

Go Bearcats!