CINCINNATI — Well, that was certainly one for the ages for the Victory Bell.
Cincinnati spent the first half getting punched in the mouth by a Miami team that played about as well as it possibly could. The Bearcats then spent the second half dragging themselves off the canvas, scoring 28 points and completing their largest comeback since 2018.
It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t comfortable. It was, however, a great game.
Let’s take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly from the 129th Battle for the Victory Bell.
The Good: Mental Toughness
Cincinnati trailed 28-7 at halftime and had provided almost no reason to believe a comeback was coming.
Miami returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, scored again less than five minutes into the game and controlled nearly every important moment of the first half. The RedHawks played incredibly well, while Cincinnati appeared overwhelmed on offense, defense and special teams.
The Bearcats could have folded.
They didn’t.
Cincinnati outscored Miami 28-3 after halftime and outgained the RedHawks 280-163 over the final two quarters. JC French IV accounted for three second-half touchdowns, Kenny Worthy intercepted David McComb and the defense repeatedly kept the game within reach.
Even after Miami extended its lead to 31-21—and even after French lost a fumble in Cincinnati territory—the Bearcats continued fighting. The defense forced a missed field goal following the turnover, French found JV Gibson for a touchdown and Cole Tabb completed the comeback with a 53-yard scoring run with 1:29 remaining.
Antwan Peek Jr. then forced a fumble on Miami’s final possession to secure the victory.
That is mental toughness. Cincinnati spent one half looking completely lost and the other refusing to lose.
The Bad: Special Teams
Allowing the opening kickoff to be returned 98 yards for a touchdown is about as poorly as a special-teams unit can begin a football game.
That was only the beginning of a rough day for the kicking units.
Cincinnati’s Stephen Rusnak came up short on a 52-yard field-goal attempt late in the second quarter. Miami responded by driving 65 yards in 1:34 and scoring a touchdown with 21 seconds remaining, turning a possible 21-10 halftime deficit into a 28-7 hole.
Miami’s special teams were hardly special, either. Kellan McLaughlin’s 36-yard field-goal attempt in the third quarter struck one of his own linemen in the helmet. He later missed from 45 yards after the RedHawks recovered a Cincinnati fumble in Bearcats territory, leaving the door open for UC’s comeback.
Saturday’s special teams weren’t very special—for either side.
The Ugly: Poor Starts
There are slow starts, and then there is whatever Cincinnati produced during the first half Saturday.
Miami scored 14 points before many fans had settled into their seats. Scoop Smith returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, and the RedHawks followed Cincinnati’s three-and-out with a four-play, 67-yard touchdown drive.
UC briefly responded with a Cole Tabb touchdown, but Miami continued landing punches. The RedHawks drove 91 yards for another score, then covered 65 yards in only 1:34 to take a 28-7 lead into halftime.
Miami deserves credit. McComb was poised, Maleek Huggins made several tremendous catches and the RedHawks played like the better team for two quarters.
Still, that first half represents the floor for this Cincinnati team. The Bearcats were beaten in every phase, surrendered explosive plays and appeared unprepared for the intensity Miami brought into the game.
Cincinnati proved it can recover from a start that poor. Let’s hope it never has to prove it again.
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