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| The Bearcats own the Big East Title, expecting an Orange Bowl date. |
It really wasn't University of Cincinnati's 30-10 win over Syracuse that won the Bearcats a share of the Big East Title and a BCS bid; we can thank Pitt's 19-15 win over West Virginia for that. Beating Syracuse Saturday meant that Cincinnati, for the first time since winning the Missouri Valley Conference in 1964, have won a conference title outright. The last time they've won a share of any title, was the 2002 Conference USA title.
While the Bearcats prepare for Hawaii this Friday (hey, we clinched a BCS berth, let's go to the beach), rumor is circulating that Brian Kelly is leaving for Notre Dame, as per unnamed sources in Cincinnati. It's hardly a secret that Charlie Weis' job is in serious doubt, but rumor suggests a deal with Kelly is already in place, waiting on Notre Dame to buy out Weis. We're having a great run in college football right now, and Kelly leaving would seriously bum us out; especially if he leaves before the Bearcats play their BCS game.
Pike completed 28 of 44 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns... Bearcats showed off at the recruits at the game... Mayor Mark Mallory recognized Bearcats football... the Bearcats is Ohio's only BCS team...
The Bearcats finished the game with 18 more first downs than the Orange, converting 50% of third downs (7/14), and 412 yards total, while Syracuse picked up only eight first downs, converted only three of 14 third downs and recorded only 211 yards total (a quarter of those yards picked up on a 58-yard run by Tony Fiammetta). No offense to Orange fans, but Syracuse's offense was dreadful. Quarterback Cameron Dantley completed a five-yard pass with 6:47 left in the first quarter. A combination of bad passes, awesome Bearcats pass defense (and pass rush), or dropped passes, Dantley didn't complete a pass until 11:14 left in the game.