Despite racking up a ton of penalties, the Bearcats tied a conference record with 11 sacks en route to a 31-21 win over Tulsa last night. Jabari Taylor led the way with a game-high 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks against Tulsa to start AAC play with a win.
Mike Tressel’s defense looked to create pressure on Tulsa senior quarterback Davis Brin because he was obviously bothered by an ankle injury. That strategy definitely paid dividends as Cincinnati recorded the most sacks (11) in a game in nearly 15 years.
Taylor could not be contained all night long as he continuously bullied his way into the backfield and dominated Tulsa’s line. The senior defensive end was extremely destructive early on and it quickly became clear the Golden Hurricane had no answer for him.
Jowon Briggs and Ivan Pace were a big part of the record-breaking performance as well, combining for 16 tackles and three sacks. Pace had a game-high 10 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and the game-clinching pass deflection against Tulsa.
After jumping out to an lead due to Deshawn Pace’s pick six, the #Bearcats beat Tulsa in the conference opener tonight. Cincinnati extended its win streak against AAC opponents and recorded a conference record 11 sacks.https://t.co/oibJiUA566pic.twitter.com/hw0Qe7XrRl
— Cincy on the Prowl (@CincyOnTheProwl) October 2, 2022
Cincinnati Football: Jabari Taylor leads Bearcats to most sacks since 2007
Luke Fickell’s team entered the week with 12 sacks this season before nearly doubling that on Saturday night. Following the historical showing, Cincinnati leads the nation with 23 sacks and should be able to add to that against South Florida next Saturday.
After a scoreless opening possession, the Bearcats took an early lead as Deshawn Pace picked off Brin and returned it for a touchdown in the first quarter. Cincinnati built a double digit lead before struggling to stay disciplined in the second half again.
Even though Tulsa wasn’t able to take full advantage, the Bearcats picked up a lot of unnecessary penalties that could be more costly against a better opponent. During the postgame press conference, Fickell broke down the performance per Cincinnati Enquirer.
"“We can’t get out of here fast enough. It was tough preparing for the game a little bit not knowing who was going to be at quarterback. To get that pick and take it for a touchdown. Obviously a big play and a great way to start. It was a battle and it didn’t disappoint. That’s what it’s like in a conference game and I don’t care what conference you play in. When you go on the road, you better be at your best. I’m not sure we were completely at our best.”"