CINCINNATI -- The University of Cincinnati hasn't lost a football game to their counterparts from Miami University in nine years. The Bearcats have outscored the RedHawks almost 28 points a contest in the eight wins. Miami hasn't managed to score more than three touchdowns during the current streak, while UC's 14-0 victory last season is the only time the Bearcats have failed to score at least 24 points in their run.
UC has every right to look ahead at their Sept. 28 game in the Horseshoe against Ohio State. The trip to Oxford last season and last Friday's season-opening win against Toledo should serve as good reminders why they can't be thinking about the Buckeyes when kickoff of the 119th Victory Bell game comes this Saturday (7 p.m.) at Paul Brown Stadium.
"I don't think we are having a problem with that because of the way we played (at Miami) last year," said UC head coach Tommy Tuberville. "We looked like we were looking ahead last year. We struggled to make first downs, we struggled to score points and they had a lot to do with that."
It took until there was just 4:55 left in the fourth quarter for UC to put points on the board against Miami last year. The Bearcats turned the ball over three times, negating the wide disparity in offensive yards (369-87) and time of possession (37:04-22:56) they enjoyed.
While the Bearcats beat Toledo in their opener this season, the Rockets scored 34 points along the way. That included 27 consecutive at one point to cut a one-time UC lead of 34 points to just seven. UC's defense allowed 563 total yards. Toledo averaged 6.9 yards per play, including 6.2 yards per rushing attempt en route to piling up 240 yards on the ground.
That was the most rushing yards allowed by a UC team since Pittsburgh ran for 272 yards against the Bearcats on Dec. 4, 2010. The total yards was the most by a UC opponent since Florida gained 659 yards in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 2010.
"The front seven last week, the first game, that wasn't the front seven you saw last year," said linebacker Nick Temple. "We're a physical, dominant front seven and we're going to show that this week."
Miami (0-3) is in the midst of a 19-game losing streak, the longest FBS losing streak in the nation. The RedHawks were tied at Michigan, 10-10, in the second quarter last Saturday before losing 34-10. Their offensive numbers under first-year head coach Chuck Martin have gotten better through the first three games this season; points per game are up from 9.8 to 15.7 while yards gained has increased from 225.8 to 345. Six turnovers cost Miami in a 17-10 loss to Eastern Kentucky two weeks ago. The RedHawks committed just one turnover against Michigan.
When the teams met last season it was the third game for UC under Tuberville. The defense has undergone a slight change now that associate head coach/defensive line coach Robert Prunty and linebackers coach Hank Hughes are also co-defensive coordinators, replacing Art Kaufman. It's not so much of a change that players should have been as confused as they appeared to be against Toledo.
The defense forced just one three-and-out the entire game, although it did force a punt after just one first down on Toledo's first possession and later stopped the Rockets on downs at the UC 33-yard line early in the second quarter. Two of Toledo's touchdowns came on passes of 54 and 38 yards to wide receiver Alonzo Russell. Quarterback Logan Woodside completed 27-of-40 passes for 322 yards in his first start.
"I was disappointed with our defensive backs," said Tuberville. "You can't give up that many plays in a game. We can give up completions but you can't give up easy touchdowns like we did. We allowed them to get back in the game so that was one area of concern.
"And it was experienced players, guys that just didn't communicate. It was more of not effort but communication and that's what you worry about when you get to the first part of the season, just guys communicating, different coverages, who's got deep, who's got short, and we blew four or five of them and they took advantage of it."
While there will be plenty of anticipation for next week's game in Columbus, UC will need to worry about first things first this Saturday.
"We shouldn't take anybody on the schedule lightly," said Temple. "We've got a tough schedule and everybody on our schedule can beat us. We shouldn't take anyone lightly. We should get better each week and just harp on stopping the run."
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