Around the Big Ten: No. 8 Cincinnati at Indiana Game Recap

Cincinnati's defense came through in the clutch, forcing a couple of timely turnovers to seal the victory.

It was a classic back and forth affair in Bloomington this afternoon between Cincinnati and Indiana, with the Bearcats coming out on top 38-24. Coming into this game ranked 8th in the polls and hoping to be the first Group of Five team to make the college football playoff, Cincinnati could not afford a loss. While the Hoosiers battled for sixty minutes, they could not overcome a couple of untimely turnovers that ultimately did them in.

Jumping out to a 14-0 lead, it was all Hoosiers early on, as head coach Tom Allen was pressing all the right buttons and seemed to have the Bearcats flustered. Michael Penix Jr. and the offense were rolling and Cincinnati's Desmon Ridder couldn't get much going. However, everything changed after Indiana linebacker Micah McFadden was ejected from the game for targeting. From that point on, Cincinnati seized momentum and never let it go, as Penix Jr. started to unravel.

Indiana could not get out of their own way in the second half as they threw an interception in the end zone, fumbled on Cincinnat's three yard line and allowed a 99 yard kick return for a touchdown. After coming out hot, the Hoosiers repeatedly shot themselves in the foot. Before they knew it, they had been outscored by the Bearcats in the second half, 28-10.

Ridder finished 20-36 for 210 yards, with a touchdown and an interception, while Penix Jr. finished 17-40 for 224 yards, with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Cincinnati tailback, Jerome Ford, helped carry the load on offense, finishing with 20 carries for 66 yards and two touchdowns.

This was by no means Cincinnati's best game, but they did what they had to do to keep their playoff hopes alive. The room for error is razor thin for this Cincinnati team, and whether that is fair or not is an argument for another time. As long as Luke Fickell and his squad keep winning, they will stay in the playoff conversation. All eyes will be on the Bearcats as they travel to South Bend in two weeks to face Notre Dame in a top ten matchup.

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