How UC Bearcats kept Victory Bell vs. Miami RedHawks at TQL Stadium

Two miles and about 12 minutes from campus, the University of Cincinnati Bearcats got punched in the mouth by the Miami RedHawks at TQL Stadium and survived to win 35-31.

Down 28-7 at halftime and booed off the field, the Bearcats outscored the RedHawks 28-3 in the second half to win one of the bigger nail-biters in the series. A final Miami drive was foiled by Antwan Peek Jr. who forced RedHawks quarterback David McComb to fumble. Drew Logan pounced on it and the Bearcats sideline erupted.

It was UC's biggest comeback win from a halftime deficit since they defeated Ohio University after trailing 24-7 in 2018.

It was the first American football game at the FC Cincinnati venue and the first Bearcats game on grass this season.

UC can now proudly clang the Victory Bell all the way back to their Lindner Center trophy case. The series is now 62-60-7 for the Bearcats.

JC French IV finished the game 31-for-43 for 309 yards for two touchdowns and one rushing score. Cole Tabb led all rushers with 79 yards for the Bearcats. David McComb was 17-for-28 for 334 yards in the loss for Miami with a touchdown toss and rushing score.

UC outgained Miami 446-410 and eventually outrushed them 137-76.

Adversity hits UC Bearcats early at TQL Stadium

Curiously, Miami won the coin toss and chose to receive. Fourteen seconds later, Scoop Smith was in the end zone after a 98-yard trot and the RedHawks led 7-0. It was Miami's first kickoff return for a touchdown since Maurice Thomas for 99 yards against Western Michigan in 2018.

For the second time in three years, Chuck Martin and the RedHawks drew first blood. In UC's last loss to Miami in 2023, Brett Gabbert hit Gage Larvadian from 79 yards out, 15 seconds into the game.

Not finished, Miami went on a four-play, 67-yard drive with Lazaro Rogers scoring on a 12-yard run to give the RedHawks a two-touchdown lead, less than four minutes into the game.

Cincinnati Bearcats booed off field at halftime

With just 26 rushing yards and being forced to throw with a major deficit, UC was struggling while their defense was being picked apart by Kansas transfer David McComb. By the break McComb had thrown for 179 yards and a touchdown and had 27 rushing yards and a score.

UC missed a 52-yard field goal attempt that might have made the score 21-10 and the RedHawks made them pay when McComb hit Maleek Huggins. Boobirds rained down on TQL Stadium as the Bearcats trotted off the field wounded and weakened.

2nd half comeback for UC

Down 28-7 at the half, UC scored 14 unanswered points to get within a touchdown. Miami's Kellen McLaughlin added a field goal, then UC scored on a pass from French to JV Gibson to get within a field goal. A missed field goal by McLaughlin would give the Bearcats life and a final drive.

Cole Tabb's 53-yard scamper to paydirt was UC's longest run of the year and gave the Bearcats their first lead with 1:29 to go. Peek Jr. then sealed it with a strip.

What does this mean for Cincinnati Bearcats football?

UC is 3-0 for the first time since 2021, when they made the College Football Playoff semifinal under Luke Fickell. Previously, no Scott Satterfield-coached team has begun 3-0.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, all UC teams that have started 3-0 have made bowl games with the exception of 2003, when Rick Minter’s final squad finished 5-7. Brian Kelly and Butch Jones accomplished the feat once and three of Fickell’s teams had 3-0 starts.

A 2-1 record is far from the end of the world, but losing two of three to your closest football rival makes fan bases irritable.