The Cincinnati Bearcats forced the UCF Knights to punt on their opening drive, responded with a touchdown themselves, and hit the cruise control from there en route to a 52-7.. err.. rout.
It’s hard to put the spotlight on any one player or unit in this victorious drubbing.
Quarterback Gunner Kiel got the start today and was absolutely spectacular, completing all 15 of his passes for 319 yards, five touchdowns, and saving a baby from a burning building in the process*. He becomes the first collegiate quarterback to throw for that many passes without an incompletion in the last 20 years. His counterpart Hayden Moore wasn’t too shabby himself, going 11/15 for 154 and a score this afternoon. As a unit, Cincinnati’s passing game averaged a whopping 18.1 yards per completion (not attempt, completion), which is other worldly kind of production.
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*I can neither prove nor disprove this.
Cincinnati’s running game was equally dominating, reeling off 237 yards on 42 carries (5.6 yards per). Mike Boone averaged 16.3 yards per carry on three attempts, Tion Green 9.7 on six, and Hosey Williams 3.5 on eight. Still not getting those splits in reps but I’m not going to fight that battle today, Eddie Gran. By late in the third quarter the Bearcats had turned the rout into a laugher, going up 49-zip, and the rushing attack was turned over to fourth stringer Chad Banschbach, who ran hard on 18 carries for 75 yards.
You really can’t say enough about UC’s receivers this afternoon. Each of the quarterback’s big day was due very much in large part because the wide outs were open play after play. On Johnny Holton’s 78 yard touchdown to start the second half, for example, he had sprinted past the defensive back by about the fourth stride and was behind everyone else on the Knights secondary by his sixth. All Kiel had to do was throw it anywhere in Holton’s area and he was going to run it in for a score, which he did.
And how can we not talk about Shaq Washington breaking Ladaris Vann’s career reception record (204) that’s stood for over a decade. A record that even the great Mardy Gilyard and Armon Binns didn’t even touch. Nope, the 5’9″ Shaq Washington’s claimed that record and by the time his career is over in two months will have shattered it. Congrats, Shaq! Thank you for sticking around at UC after your freshman year. I’m not sure where this program would be if you had decided to transfer.
Let’s close with the defense, who certainly weren’t particularly challenged today by the single worst offense in college football but did what they were supposed to do; not give an inch. UC pitched a shutout until the fourth quarter when, let’s face it, the Bearcats were in run-out-the-clock mode. But on the day the defense held Central Florida to an abysmal 4.9 yards per play, 313 total offensive yards, seven points, notched a sack, and picked off a pass.
You can’t really complain about those numbers.
Up next is a monstrous game against the #18 Houston Cougars on the road. While Cincinnati’s Access Bowl and AAC Championship hopes have gone up in smoke, the Bearcats can still play spoiler to their conference brethren. Game time should be announced in the next 24 hours. I’d expect (hope for) a late afternoon or evening kickoff.