Quote:UC-Miami thriller: Instant analysis, as Bearcats rally to win
Tom Groeschen, tgroeschen@enquirer.com Published 11:59 p.m. ET Sept. 16, 2017 | Updated 11:08 a.m. ET Sept. 17, 2017

OXFORD, Ohio -- In shocking, can-you-believe-this fashion, the University of Cincinnati rallied to beat Miami University 21-17 and retained the series' traveling Victory Bell here Saturday night.

It was the 12th straight year that UC has beaten Miami, despite the Bearcats appearing hopelessly beaten. Miami had even greased the goal posts beforehand, so that spectators could not tear them down in the event of a RedHawks victory.

UC junior safety Malik Clements returned an interception 14 yards for a touchdown with 1:07 left, which lifted UC to a 21-17 lead. UC trailed 17-6 with 4:45 remaining, but scored 15 points in a span of 2:52 to take the lead.

What did Clements think when he suddenly saw the ball coming his way, thrown by Miami junior quarterback Gus Ragland?

"I was saying that I have to catch it," Clements said, smiling. "The game was on the line, and big-time players make big-time plays. I just had to make a play for my team."

Miami marched downfield for a final drive, but on 4th-and-5 from the UC 20-yard line, Ragland was pressured heavily by defensive tackle Cortez Broughton and other Bearcats. Ragland's throw fell incomplete with 7 seconds left, and UC players soon raced over for their annual Bell ringing on the sidelines.

"It's an incredible program win," first-year UC coach Luke Fickell said afterward, to the tune of more Bell sound just outside the locker room. "To put yourself behind the 8-ball like we did, and to see guys continue to fight and scratch and claw. There was no give-up. There was no pouting. No chins down, heads down. That's what I'm most proud of."

The team also made a postgame trip over to its fans, to sing the school fight song in a lower corner of Yager Stadium seats.

Miami fans watched all this in stunned silence, some unable to move from their seats for several minutes. Attendance was 21,811 at a stadium that seats 24,286.

UC (2-1) entered as a 4-point underdog, the first time in many years that Miami was favored in this game.

Miami (1-2) is coming off a bowl appearance, after a resurgent 2016 season under coach Chuck Martin.

"Very, very, very difficult defeat," Martin said. "Most difficult defeat I've had in 25 years, probably by a wide margin. The reason it's so difficult is because of how hard our kids played."

A glance at some of the key moments from Saturday night:

Big TD, big pick

Miami went ahead 17-6 on a 37-yard field goal by Sam Sloman with 4:45 left. UC answered with a 20-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Hayden Moore to wideout Kahlil Lewis, and a 2-point conversion pass to Lewis brought UC within 17-14 with 2:52 left.

"It was a weird feeling," Moore said. "We all knew we were going to win. There was no doubt. Going into the second half, we knew we could make the plays. We just had to execute."

Miami then made a mistake on its kickoff return. Tur freshman Jaylon Bester, back deep because of a late-game injury to Maurice Thomas, brought the ball out of the end zone and was tackled at his own 5-yard line.

Moments later, Clements picked off Ragland. With 1:07 left, UC had an improbable lead. As it turned out, UC also had the game won.

Red-and-black UC hearts were pounding as Miami drove downfield in the final seconds, but the Bearcats and their fans exhaled after Broughton and Co. forced the final Miami incompletion.

"Obviously we came back and made the big play at the end that stopped them to win the game," Fickell said. "But to see how they fought and they fought through some adversity, again, I'm proud."

Big gamble fails

With UC facing fourth-and-inches from its 34-yard line early in the third quarter, Fickell gambled and lost. UC sent Moore up the middle, but he was stopped for no gain.

UC trailed 7-3 at the time. Miami took over on downs.

Result: Short drive, 1-yard touchdown run by MU running back Kenny Young. That put Miami ahead 14-3, with 9:55 left in the third quarter.

"It wasn't much of a decision, to be honest with you," Fickell said of the fourth-and-inches failure. "I didn't really want to do that. We had a little bit of a communication thing, but that's on me. I wanted to draw them offsides, to be honest with you. He snapped the ball and again, I can't put him in that situation. I've got to do a better job, especially coming out of that half."

UC put together a decent drive on its next possession, but matters stalled and Josh Pasley missed a 47-yard field goal attempt.

UC did trim the Miami lead to 14-6 on a 36-yard field goal by Pasley, with 11:38 left in the game.

Tough interception

With UC down 14-3 late in the third quarter, the Bearcats were at the Miami 7-yard line with third-and-goal. Moore then threw an interception at the goal line, where MU safety Cedric Asseh was parked and waiting.

One or two things appeared to happen for UC: A receiver (or two) running the wrong route, and/or Moore making the wrong read. Result: A zigzagging 46-yard return by Asseh, as Miami fans jumped and cheered and UC boosters slumped into their seats.

Moore, receivers still getting acclimated

Moore was off target in the early stages, going 10-for-22 for 46 yards (one interception) in the first half. Moore also had five passes dropped in the first half alone, and six for the game.

Yet, Moore finished 24-for-43 passing for 222 yards and one TD, with two picks.

A drop by wideout Devin Gray was the most egregious, a certain touchdown had he caught it. With UC backed up at its own 14-yard line about midway through the second quarter, Moore launched a pass downfield toward a streaking Gray. Gray, all alone near the MU 40-yard line, had the ball in his hands but dropped it. The groan from UC fans echoed throughout the stadium.

Moore said he never lost confidence or his receivers, despite the UC offense still finding its legs. Moore also said UC was determined to keep the Bell in Clifton for another year.

"You don't want to be that team, to let the Bell go," Moore said. "That gives us even more motivation to take it back home. I know how important it is to all the people at UC, all the fans and all the alumni. That's why we had to fight back and we had to keep on going, to get the Bell."

Secondary burned early

The UC secondary was torched twice in Miami's first scoring drive. First, Ragland found a streaking Maurice Thomas down the middle for 55 yards to the UC 30, with UC safety Carter Jacobs in pursuit.

Moments later, Ragland found wide receiver Luke Mayock for a 24-yard touchdown pass. The 6-foot-5 Mayock caught the ball in the end zone over 6-foot UC cornerback Linden Stephens, who was there, but not tall not enough to stop it. That gave Miami a 7-3 lead with 3:37 left in the first quarter.

Stephens bounced back in the second quarter, breaking up a downfield pass in UC territory to help thwart a RedHawks drive.

Boone out, but backups produce

UC played without No. 1 running back Mike Boone (twisted left ankle). Bearcats senior Boone was hurt on the final UC play against Michigan last week. Saturday, Boone wore a walking boot and watched from the sidelines in his No. 5 jersey.

Boone entered Saturday as UC's top rusher, with 148 yards (4.5 per carry) and two touchdowns.

Redshirt freshman Gerrid Doaks and true freshman Michael Warren II stepped in and produced in Boone's absence. Doaks carried 17 times for 71 yards, Warren nine times for 51 yards. Fickell said afterward that he expects Boone to return next week against Navy.

Miami hurting

UC coach Martin, as mentioned, called it his toughest loss in a quarter-century.

"The kids played their hearts out," Martin said. "Deserved a better fate. Coaching staff deserved a better fate ... great game plan. Equipment people deserved a better fate. Media people deserved a better fate. Strength staff deserves a better fate."

(09-17-2017 02:37 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  I was happy to find out that CLF said in his post game presser that the going for it on 4th down on our own 30 was a miscommunication. He said they were to line up and try and pull Miami off sides and if that didn't work they were going to punt it. Instead of hard count to pull Miami offsides, they hiked the ball and ran a play. He also manned up and said that was on him as he has to do a better job of communicating.

I'm glad this was lack of communication and not a coaching decision to go for it there.

(09-17-2017 02:37 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  I was happy to find out that CLF said in his post game presser that the going for it on 4th down on our own 30 was a miscommunication. He said they were to line up and try and pull Miami off sides and if that didn't work they were going to punt it. Instead of hard count to pull Miami offsides, they hiked the ball and ran a play. He also manned up and said that was on him as he has to do a better job of communicating.

I'm glad this was lack of communication and not a coaching decision to go for it there.

Quote:Cincinnati Football‏Verified account
@GoBearcatsFB
Update in the football office this morning. #Bearcats

(09-18-2017 04:03 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  

Quote:Cincinnati Football‏Verified account
@GoBearcatsFB
Update in the football office this morning. #Bearcats

(09-18-2017 07:09 PM)Bearcatbdub Wrote:  They gonna need a bigger bell soon...

(09-19-2017 02:39 PM)mbj655 Wrote:  

(09-18-2017 07:09 PM)Bearcatbdub Wrote:  They gonna need a bigger bell soon...

Yep, I've been thinking the same thing for few years now. I guess they will have to completely start over on the UC side and paint smaller numbers.

(09-19-2017 02:52 PM)Cat_Litter Wrote:  

(09-19-2017 02:39 PM)mbj655 Wrote:  

(09-18-2017 07:09 PM)Bearcatbdub Wrote:  They gonna need a bigger bell soon...

Yep, I've been thinking the same thing for few years now. I guess they will have to completely start over on the UC side and paint smaller numbers.

Could use a range... 2006-2017 would clear some space. Next year they can just paint over the "7".

(09-19-2017 07:22 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(09-19-2017 02:52 PM)Cat_Litter Wrote:  

(09-19-2017 02:39 PM)mbj655 Wrote:  

(09-18-2017 07:09 PM)Bearcatbdub Wrote:  They gonna need a bigger bell soon...

Yep, I've been thinking the same thing for few years now. I guess they will have to completely start over on the UC side and paint smaller numbers.

Could use a range... 2006-2017 would clear some space. Next year they can just paint over the "7".

Brilliant. Maybe leave it open ended.... 2006 - ?