CINCINNATI — There was a whole lot to like about Cincinnati's 37-24 upset of No. 8 Texas Tech Saturday afternoon. The Bearcats dominated the ground game, delivered their best defensive effort of the season, and handed the previously undefeated Red Raiders their first loss. Not to mention shake up college football along the way.
The victory was Cincinnati's first at home against an AP top-10 opponent in 20 years, and it came against a team that had won 18 of its previous 20 games. The Bearcats didn't just hang around and steal a victory, either. They dominated much of the game against one of the Big 12's best teams.
So we're changing things up a little this week. There was plenty of good, some things that were even better, and one stretch that deserves criticism. But there wasn't anything ugly enough to earn its own category, so this week's edition is The Good, The Better & The Bad. And we're not sorry about it in the least. Let's party.
The Good: The Running Game
Remember when Cincinnati couldn't run the football against Arizona? When the Bearcats managed just 74 rushing yards and looked completely incapable of establishing the physical offensive identity they wanted?
That certainly wasn't a problem Saturday.
Cincinnati ran the ball down the throat of a Texas Tech defense that entered the game as the only team in the country that had not allowed a rushing touchdown this season. The Bearcats averaged 6.4 yards per carry and delivered several of the game's biggest plays on the ground.
Cole Tabb was outstanding, rushing for a career-high 173 yards on just 16 carries. That's an average of 10.8 yards per attempt, and those weren't meaningless yards accumulated after the game was decided.
With Cincinnati trying to extend its lead just before halftime, Tabb broke loose for a 51-yard run that helped set up another touchdown. Then, with Texas Tech still hanging around in the fourth quarter, he delivered the knockout blow with a 58-yard touchdown run. My throat is still scratchy from yelling.
JC French IV contributed another 46 rushing yards, providing an run/pass threat that Texas Tech had to respect. The Bearcats weren't relying on one player or one type of running play, either. They attacked the Red Raiders in different ways and consistently produced.
There has been plenty of discussion about Cincinnati's offensive line and its inability to impose its will against better opponents. Saturday, the Bearcats answered those concerns against one of the best defenses they'll face all season.
If Cincinnati can continue running the football like this, its offense will be difficult for anyone in the Big 12, or beyond, to stop.
The Better: The Defense
As impressive as Cincinnati's running game was, the defense deserves even more credit. And after I wrote a lot this past week about how bad they are, I'm glad they shut me up; plus, I need to preserve my voice after that Cole Tabb touchdown run.
Texas Tech came to Nippert Stadium undefeated, ranked eighth in the country, and averaging more than 40 points per game. The Red Raiders had been overwhelming opponents offensively, but Cincinnati's defense made them look ordinary for much of Saturday afternoon.
The Bearcats held Texas Tech to zero touchdowns and two field goals in the first half, helping Cincinnati build a 24-6 advantage. More importantly, the defense consistently stepped up when the offense needed it most.
MJ Cannon made two of the biggest plays of the afternoon. He forced a fumble on Texas Tech's opening possession, which Antwan Peek Jr. recovered, giving Cincinnati an early opportunity to score. Later, Cannon made an incredible one-handed interception that helped set up another touchdown just before halftime. My only question on that play is, "Does offensive pass interference exist?"
Those turnovers helped Cincinnati take control, but the defense's ability to keep Texas Tech out of the end zone was even more impressive.
The Red Raiders scored 24 points, but six came on an interception return for a touchdown. Cincinnati's defense allowed just one offensive touchdown, and that didn't come until the final minute, when the Bearcats already held a commanding lead.
Texas Tech had to settle for four field goals, and Cincinnati forced three turnovers while recording four sacks. The Red Raiders also converted just three of their 15 third-down opportunities, repeatedly failing to sustain drives against a defense that was ready for them.
Perhaps the most encouraging part was how Cincinnati responded when things started going wrong.
After French threw two interceptions in the third quarter, Texas Tech had an opportunity to turn the game around as momentum was clearly shifting. The second interception gave the Red Raiders another possession with Cincinnati's lead down to nine points.
The defense responded by forcing a missed field goal, keeping the score at 24-15 and giving the offense an opportunity to settle down and regroup.
That's the kind of performance good defenses deliver. They don't just play well when everything is going their way. They make plays when the offense struggles, prevent mistakes from becoming disasters, and give their team opportunities to win.
Cincinnati's defense has been much maligned this season, but Saturday was an encouraging sign of what this unit can become. The Bearcats were physical, aggressive, and effective against an opponent that had overwhelmed nearly everyone else it faced.
If this is the defense Cincinnati can put on the field consistently, the Bearcats are going to be a difficult team to beat.
The Bad: Third-Quarter Turnovers
When you beat the eighth-ranked team in the country by 13 points, there isn't much reason to complain. But Cincinnati did have one stretch that nearly turned an outstanding afternoon into something far more stressful.
JC French IV threw two interceptions in the third quarter, and the first one was especially costly.
With Cincinnati leading 24-9, French threw a pass that Texas Tech's Peyton Morgan intercepted and returned 53 yards for a touchdown. An initial targeting penalty against Texas Tech would have wiped out the score, but officials overturned the call after reviewing the play. How they could have, I have zero clue, but here we are.
Suddenly, what had been a comfortable 18-point halftime lead was down to nine.
Things got worse on Cincinnati's next possession when French threw another interception. Texas Tech had an opportunity to pull even closer, but the Bearcats' defense prevented further damage by forcing the Red Raiders to settle for a field goal, which they missed.
French had entered the game without throwing an interception all season, the longest streak in the nation, making the back-to-back mistakes surprising, and unfortunate. To French's credit, he didn't let the mistakes ruin his afternoon. He responded by leading a big touchdown drive, finding Larenzo Fenner for a 17-yard score that pushed Cincinnati's lead to 31-15.
French finished with four touchdown passes, a career high, and deserves plenty of credit for helping Cincinnati win. But those two interceptions are something he'll need to learn from with another ranked opponent coming to town next week.
The Bearcats have plenty to feel good about after Saturday's victory. They ran the football against a defense that had been nearly impossible to run against, contained one of the conference's best offenses, and earned a win that Cincinnati fans will remember for years.
And for once, there really wasn't anything ugly about it.
