Final Huddle: Bearcats Capture AAC Title 35-20 Over Houston
CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bearcats football team is 13-0.
Never in history was that statement true, until UC's 35-20 AAC Championship victory over No. 21 Houston. The Bearcats used a furious offensive stretch coming out of halftime to secure a big lead, and the front seven tanks started firing on the other side.
The Cougars proved a worthy opponent for much of the game but couldn't find anyone on offense to make a play besides wide receiver Nathaniel Dell.
Here's the Final Huddle from the biggest night in Bearcats Football history.
'Blackcats' Ball Out
Going into Halftime, Cincinnati needed a turnaround performance from their defense, and they got it. Senior linebacker Joel Dublanko spied quarterback Clayton Tune for much of the second half after he slithered for scrambles, proving to be the right fix.
The Bearcats finished with eight total sacks, as Dublanko led the way in his spy role with two. Eight different players recorded at least a half-sack in the game. It was evidence of just how hard UC smacked Houston in the mouth coming out of the halftime locker room.
Tune—who led the conference in season completion rate (69%)—passed for 250 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception on 26 attempts. The Cougars dropped back roughly 40 times, but the quarterback faced blanketed coverage on most of those plays. He ran 23 times for 21 net rushing yards.
It took a broken play on a Dell screen pass to give Houston their chance to hit 20 points. Great teams adjust mid-game, and Cincinnati did just that after Houston scored on its first three possessions.
Ford Flies at Nippert
Jerome Ford nearly became the fourth Bearcat ever to rush for 200-plus yards in a single game during his dominant performance on Saturday night.
The junior tallied 187 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries against Houston. He was just two yards shy of his career-high set in October against UCF (189 yards, four touchdowns).
Ford showed his big-play ability throughout the contest—capturing his fourth career 75-plus yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Ford ran with purpose and great vision while his offensive line opened up big holes all afternoon. The entire team helped spark a great ground attack like they have all season. At one point in the second half, wide receiver Alec Pierce got into a small scuffle with a Houston corner because he blocked the Cougar so well into out-of-bounds territory.
Cincinnati entered the game ranked sixth nationally in rushing EPA/play, and they showed why against a Houston team that was ranked 12th on the defensive side of that metric.
Dell Digs Deep
Dell was the entire Cougars offense on Saturday night, totaling nine catches for 152 yards and one touchdown. The 5-foot-10 slot receiver displayed innate shiftiness, and he put up a rare performance against one of the best coverage units in the nation.
Over the past two years, Cincinnati hasn't allowed any player to post 150-plus receiving yards. Dell is the first player to gash the Bearcats like this since Memphis's Damonte Coxie tallied 165 receiving yards in 2019.
Mike Tressel's unit normally doesn't allow performances like this and the program as a whole has allowed just four 150-plus yard receiving outings since 2017. Dell did a lot of his damage after the catch, evidenced by this third-down conversion that kept Houston's hopes alive in the fourth quarter.
Dell is one of the best receivers Cincinnati faced in AAC play, and the competition only gets tougher as they turn the sights toward the College Football Playoff.
Make sure you bookmark All Bearcats for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!
You May Also Like:
Watch: Luke Fickell and Desmond Ridder Discuss Bearcats' Win Over Houston
Ticket Punched: Luke Fickell's Bearcats Defy Odds, Should be Playoff Bound After Win Over Houston
Watch Halftime Highlights: Bearcats Lead Cougars 14-13
Game Preview: Bearcats Take on Houston in AAC Championship
Pregame Chat: Bearcats' Quest for College Football Playoff Berth Continues in AAC Title Game
Watch: UC Sets Stage for 'Blackcats' Defense in AAC Championship Game
Report: Bearcats Offensive Lineman Marcelo Mendiola Entering Transfer Portal
Listen: Wes Miller Discusses Swift Jacket Removals During Games
Watch: Brian Kelly Addresses LSU Fans With Southern Accent
Georgia, Cincinnati Lead Country in one 'Style Points' Statistic
Three Man Weave: Cincinnati Narrowly Edges Miami 59-58
Watch: Darrian Beavers Mic'd up Ahead of AAC Championship Game
Marcus Freeman Will Reportedly Replace Brian Kelly at Notre Dame
Report: Notre Dame Players Want Marcus Freeman as new Head Coach
Bearcats Stay at No. 4 in Latest College Football Playoff Rankings
Game Preview: UC Rekindles Hardwood Rivalry Against Miami
Bearcats Legend Tony Pike Weighs in on Luke Fickell's Future at the University of Cincinnati
Look: Brian Kelly Abruptly Leaves Notre Dame, Informs Players Over Text Message
The All Bearcats UC Football MVPs
Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner Named AAC Defensive Player of the Week
UC Football Moves up to No. 3 in Latest AP Poll
Five UC Seniors Accept Invites to 2022 Senior Bowl
Three Man Weave: Cincinnati Drops Second Straight in 61-59 Loss to Monmouth
Top 2022 Edge Rusher Mario Eugenio Commits to Cincinnati
Todd McShay: 'Ohio State is Simply Better' Than Cincinnati
Final Huddle: UC Clinches Undefeated Regular Season in 35-13 win Over ECU
Report: Luke Fickell Staying at Cincinnati Following This Season
Coby Bryant Named Finalist for Jim Thorpe Award
Bearcats Move up to No. 4 in Historic CFP Rankings
Top Recruit on Bearcats Head Coach Luke Fickell: 'He's Not Leaving'
Mario Eugenio: 'Cincinnati is a Different Vibe'
Darrian Beavers Named Butkus Award Finalist
Bearcats Offer Rising 2023 Wide Receiver Tyler Williams
Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner Taken in First Round in Latest Mock Draft
Alec Pierce Projected as Possible First-Round Pick by Evaluator
Three-Star 2022 Wide Receiver Commits to UC
Bearcats Men's Basketball Adds Third Piece to 2022 Recruiting Class
UC Football Lands Commitment From Elite 11 Quarterback
Wes Miller and UC Sign Two Recruits From 2022 Class
UC Football Lands Four-Star Linebacker Trevor Carter
-----
Be sure to keep it locked on All Bearcats all the time!
Follow All Bearcats on Twitter: @AllBearcats
Like All Bearcats on FaceBook: All Bearcats
Follow All Bearcats on Instagram: @BearcatsTalk