1) Miami (FL) Hurricanes – (W) 34-23
It’s not often being in the American Athletic Conference that the Cincinnati Bearcats have an opportunity to host marquee opponents. It’s not like in the Big East days when UC would routinely get the likes of Louisville, Pitt, and West Virginia at Nippert Stadium with the due hype and media coverage surrounding the game. But last season Cincinnati hosted the five-time national champion Miami Hurricanes in newly renovated Nippert Stadium and didn’t squander the opportunity.
Before a record crowd of 40,101, the Bearcats went punch for punch with the Canes, allowing them to eat up yardage but rarely get into the end zone. Five times Miami marched into UC territory but were stood up by a determined and much maligned defense that forced them to accept three field goals. Contrast that to Cincinnati’s scoring six scoring drives, four of which went for touchdowns.
From a raw box score standpoint, UC didn’t truly dominate the Hurricanes; yardage was about equal between both teams along with momentum changing plays like turnovers. But it’s the time of possession differential that truly makes this win impressive. Miami controlled the ball for 34:38 to Cincinnati’s 25:22. Those long, methodical drives could have very easily ground the young, inexperienced Bearcats defense into dust. But they held strong for sixty minutes and time and time again forced the Hurricanes to settle for field goals.
That was the difference in this game and why it tops the list. The character of Cincinnati’s defense and their ability to play up to the talent level of Miami won this one for the Bearcats. This could have easily turned into a shootout a la Memphis the Thursday prior but instead UC’s defenders refused to give up the victory. That kind of performance deserves the #1 spot in my mind.