Sep 17, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats running back Corey Kiner (2) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Miami Redhawks in the first half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports — © Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

Engage Eight: Bearcats win 16th Straight Battle for the Victory Bell

Cincinnati takes series lead in rivalry for first time since 1915.

Author:
Alex Frank
Updated:
Sep 18, 2022 11:39 AM EDT

In this story:

Cincinnati Bearcats

Miami (OH) RedHawks

MACON — The Cincinnati Bearcats football team has a series lead in the Battle for the Victory Bell for the first time since 1915 with a 38-17 win over Miami.

The Bearcats rode 478 yards of total offense and a dominant defense to victory, nearly holding the RedHawks scoreless for the final three quarters.

Here are eight observations from the game.

1. It's clear UC made the right decision at quarterback. Ben Bryant gets better and better every game, and his 26-of-35 passing performance for 337 yards and two touchdowns was his best showing of the season.

2. Charles McClelland looks as healthy as ever in his Bearcats career. He's running well (18 carries, 101 yards, and two touchdowns) and that only makes this Bearcats offense harder to stop.

3. This Bearcats offense looks different than years past? Want to know why? Because receivers are making a huge impact. Both Tre Tucker and Tyler Scott topped 100 yards today, marking the first time two Bearcats had 100-yard outings in the same game since 2016.

4. Ivan Pace Jr. played with his hair on fire today against his former school.

He seems to know where the football is going on every play, and wastes no time getting there.

5. Cincinnati fell behind by 10 points twice early, but their run defense stiffened (1.9 yards percarry allowed) nicely to help outscore the RedHawks 31-0 over the final 42:39 of the game.

6. The turnovers and penalties are still concerns for this team. The Bearcats lost two fumbles early, and Bryant also threw an interception that nearly turned into points for Miami in the fourth quarter.

7. UC also committed four penalties on their final offensive possession. While they came with the second-teamers in the game, it still cost quarterback Evan Prater a chance to show what he can do in another opportunity for playing time.

8. A 21-point win over your rival, and a good Miami team at that, is good regardless of the things that went wrong.

Next up: a home game against Indiana to wrap up non-conference play. Fans can watch on ESPN2 via fuboTV. Start your free trial here.

Make sure you bookmark All Bearcats for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more.

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