CINCINNATI — We've had plenty of negative things to say about the Cincinnati Bearcats' defense this season, and for good reason. There have been games when the unit simply hasn't played well enough to give the team a reasonable chance to win. No, that's not entirely true. There have been games where they've been flat out awful.
But credit needs to be given when it's earned, and Cincinnati's defense deserves plenty following Saturday's 37-24 upset of No. 8 Texas Tech.
The Bearcats held the Red Raiders to just two field goals in the first half, helping Cincinnati build a 24-6 halftime lead. More importantly, the defense repeatedly came through with big plays against one of the Big 12's better teams.
Cincinnati forced three turnovers, recorded four sacks, and held Texas Tech to just 3-of-15 on third-down conversions. The Red Raiders didn't score an offensive touchdown until garbage time in the final minute.
Texas Tech finished with 24 points, but six came on Peyton Morgan's 53-yard interception return in the third quarter. The Red Raiders' offense scored just 18 points, including four field goals and a late touchdown.
The defense also answered when the offense put it in bad situations. After JC French IV threw his second interception of the third quarter, Texas Tech took possession at Cincinnati's 37-yard line, trailing 24-15. The Red Raiders advanced to the 19, but the Bearcats held firm and forced a missed field goal, preserving their nine-point lead.
We've criticized this defense heavily in the past, especially following the losses to Arizona and West Virginia. Against Arizona, the Bearcats surrendered 522 total yards, including 238 rushing, in a game Cincinnati lost 34-7. Two weeks later, West Virginia piled up 598 total yards, including 464 through the air, in a 45-42 victory.
Those performances were bad, and the criticism was justified. One good game doesn't suddenly make those earlier problems disappear, either.
But if we're going to hold the defense accountable when it plays poorly, we also need to recognize when it plays well. Saturday wasn't simply a good game against an overmatched opponent. Cincinnati made clutch plays against a top-10 team and their great play certainly played a major role in one of the program's biggest victories in years.
That said, there is still room for improvement as the Bearcats are allowing 429.4 yards and 26.4 points per game, numbers that indicate Saturday's performance needs to become the standard rather than the exception.
The next test won't be any easier, either. No. 6 Utah visits Nippert Stadium on Saturday with a 7-0 record and an offense averaging 478.4 yards and 37.4 points per game. The Utes are also among the nation's best teams on third down, converting more than half their opportunities.
If Cincinnati can produce another performance like it did against Texas Tech, the Bearcats will have a legitimate opportunity to knock off a second consecutive top-10 opponent.
We've been hard on this defense because its performances deserved criticism. On Saturday, those same players deserved praise, and they've earned every bit of it.
Now the challenge is proving they can do it again.
