Connor Barwin On Football SPECTacular

What's On Tap?

* Player Spotlight: Is he a defensive end? Is he a linebacker? Or maybe a tight end? One thing is for sure, Connor Barwin is a football player.
* From the Press Box: Joining us to talk some Bucs football is Stephen Holder of the St. Petersburg Times
* On The Clock: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
* Will also talk NFL Draft, Jason Taylor, as well as the Ryan Moats/ Officer Powell Situation as we go around the NFL

Don't be a SPECTator...You're calls will drive the show as well... 347.945.6275.

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Photo Credit: College Press Box (Cincinnati)

Q&A: Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati

How does it feel to have a team go through pretty much your whole life experience and dissect it?

Mickens: It’s a real great experience, well, if you haven’t been in trouble it’s a good experience. If you got in a little trouble along the way, it’s pretty bad, but I’m a clean guy. It’s amazing how many things they can find out about you.

What is one of the strangest things they knew about you or one of the strangest questions they asked you?


Mickens: Well there really weren’t any strange questions; they just really want to know about you. They wanted to see how your family was when you grew up and basically just see if you were going to be honest with them. I like how they know that stuff and ask that kind of stuff...they really just want to get to know you.

How is your knee and are you going to be 100 percent for your Pro-Day?

Mickens: The knee is getting better. I’m back in Cincinnati rehabbing. I’m busting my butt every day trying to get ready for my Pro-Day. The goal is to do everything on Pro Day and hopefully my knee will be 100 percent by that day so I can.

What do you think is the most underrated part of your game? And do you think you are a better man-to-man guy or zone guy?

Mickens: I think the most underrated part of my game is the knowledge I have for the game. My route recognition, I think, is a good part of my game. I think I pick that up during the game, to see how the receiver likes to run his routes. I love playing man-to-man; it’s that man versus you. That’s how you tell how good of a corner you are, I think, if you can lock down a receiver then it shows that you’re pretty good. I like the challenge of it and getting in the man’s face and dominating him.

Do you think the 40-yard dash is overrated?

Mickens: Yeah, I believe the 40-time is overrated. I think that if you can play football, you can play football. It’s not how fast you ran. You can’t put some of these world class track athletes out there on the football field and expect them to be a football player. I think it comes down to being a football player and that’s what I am.

Cincinnati has been traditionally known as a basketball school, at least until your class came along. Talk about how your class and the addition of Coach Kelly changed the program.

Mickens: It’s been a long process from my freshman year, where we were 4-7, to winning the Big East this year. We just grew together as a team and then coach Kelly came in and gave us the vision, telling us that we can win games we just need to believe in ourselves. He set that in stone for us and we believed in ourselves and we went for a good run this year and we won the Big East. A lot of things changed from my freshman year to senior year.

Is there any cornerback that you model yourself after?

Mickens: Asante Samuel. He gets his hands on the ball a lot and I try to do that when I’m out there, too. I just try to make plays on the ball like he does. Then you have Champ Bailey, he’s a great corner and can lock down basically the whole side of a field.

Do you think it hurts your profile that you came from an up and coming program and not a program like Ohio State?

Mickens: It might a little bit, but I really don’t get into all that. I think no matter where you come from if you can play football, you can play football and it's going to show in the long run. That’s what I base my stats on—I think I’m a football player so I’ll be okay in the long run.

How is your knee doing?

Mickens: It’s not all the way taken care of, but it’s getting back. I’ve been rehabbing, but I came back a little too fast for the bowl game and it swelled up on me the first day of practice. So I’ve just been focusing all my attention to rehabbing and just trying to get 100 percent. There’s nothing wrong with it, it just takes time and unfortunately I don’t have as much time as I would like.

Do you think you would have been better off not playing in the Orange Bowl, or would your competitive nature not allow you to miss the game?

Mickens: I just love playing football and I love my teammates, my coaching staff, and the Cincinnati fans and that was my last college game so I just had to play. If I have an opportunity to play football, I’m going to take it. I don’t regret anything about it. I enjoyed the experience and I always dreamed of being in a BCS game. I wouldn’t take it back, I would play again.

What was your proudest moment as a college football player?

Mickens: It had to be winning the Big East this year. That’s something that we all dreamed about coming in as freshmen, winning the Big East. When we went 4-7 our freshman year we felt like we were so far away, but we stuck with it and we kept going uphill and we finally won it this year. It was so exciting when we won it, it was something we always dreamed about and we worked so hard to get.

Who is your favorite athlete to watch other than a football player?

Mickens: Shaq. I love Shaq and how he dominates. He’s just a big force in the middle of the paint and he dominates.

Who is your favorite superhero of all time?

Mickens: Flash. I used to have the nickname Flash.

What wide receiver would you love to cover? It can be a past or present player.

Mickens: I would love to cover Larry Fitzgerald. He just goes to catch the ball and he’s a dominant player right now in the NFL and I would love to see where my game is at.

Photo Credit: College Press Box (Cincinnati)

Scout's Take: Cincinnati CB Mike Mickens

The former Bearcat falls short of the prototype in terms of his measurables – he lacks ideal speed for corner and at 184 pounds he doesn’t make up for it with size and bulk. Mickens does make up for his lack of speed with his quickness in short areas and his instincts, anticipating well. One aspect of his game that cannot be questioned is his production, as Mickens was an All-Big East performer all four years at Cincinnati (Second Team as freshman/sophomore and First Team as a junior/senior). He also possesses elite ball skills. Mickens gets a good read on passes, has the aggressiveness to go for the big play and the reliable hands to finish the play with an interception (14 career INTs). Durability wasn’t a big question until recently when an injury to his left knee caused Mickens to miss the final three regular season games of the 2008 season. Attempts to return for the Orange Bowl and the Senior Bowl were both truncated—he was in-and-out of the game (and ineffective) against Virginia Tech, a game he should have likely sat out. He also had leave the Senior Bowl early after looking less than healthy the first couple of days in Mobile. Mickens was still not at 100 percent at the NFL Scouting Combine, making his upcoming Pro Day (March 19) pivotal. Since his injury, Micken’s stock has been on a slide, however if his knee checks out this senior corner could be among the top bargains in the 2009 Draft. He will start in the league.

Photo Credit: College Press Box (Cincinnati)

Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati

By CHRISTOPHER MOGOLLON - BIG EAST INSIDER

January 1, 2009 * 8:00 * FOX

The Orange Bowl features an Old-School Big East team in Virginia Tech versus the New-School Big East champion Cincinnati. Both of these programs exceeded pre-season expectations, as Virginia Tech became the first school to win back-to-back ACC Championship games and Cincinnati's 11 wins is the most in school history. Virginia Tech will be looking to make up from their sloppy loss against Kansas in the Orange Bowl last season while Cincinnati will try to win their first BCS bowl game in school history.

When the Hokies Have the Bowl

The Hokies are a running team led by their freshman tailback Darren Evans. In his last five games Evans posted three 100-yard performances, including 253 yards against Maryland. During that stretch he also caught 12 balls for 98 yards. Although they do not throw the ball often, the play of quarterback Tyrod Taylor is very important to Virginia Tech winning the game (12-2 overall as a starter). Taylor started and played entire ACC Championship game and nearly took every snap in the Hokies final regular season game against Virginia. Taylor isn't a great passer but can create big plays with his running ability, rushing for 691 yards and six touchdowns. He has split some of the snaps with senior Sean Glennon who is a slightly better passer. The Hokies leading receivers are all freshman – Jarrett Boykin leads the team with 413 yards receiving. Cincinnati has proven they can stop the run, ranked the 13th best rush defense in the country. They stopped the Rutgers' rushing attack earlier in the year and held LeSean McCoy to only 82 yards. They did allow 150 yards to Donald Brown of Connecticut, but most of those yards were when the game was over due to six turnovers by the offense. Senior linebacker Torry Cornett has been the Bearcats most consistent tackler in the second half of the season. They have also shut down a running quarterback this season holding Patrick White to 42 yards on 20 carries.

When the 'Cats Have the Ball

The Bearcats enter Miami on a six-game winning streak, much of which is due to the clutch performance of their quarterback Tony Pike. Because of injuries he was forced to take over under center and many doubted Cincinnati could win the conference. Pike responded down the stretch throwing for 11 touchdowns in the last six games including a three-touchdown effort against ranked Pittsburgh. A big part of his second half success has been the depth Cincinnati has at wide receiver. All Conference receiver Marshawn Gilyard leads the team with 1,118 yards and ten touchdowns. He is lightening fast and a big play wide out catching six balls for over 40+ yards – watch out for his yards after the catch. He finished the season strong averaging 120 yards and nine catches in his last three games. Senior Dominick Goodman is a strong possession receiver leading the team with 78 catches – his seven grabs for 101 yards propelled Cincinnati in a victory over Pittsburgh, which all but clinched the conference title. Keep an eye out for sophomore wide receiver Marcus Barnett and tight end Ben Guidugli. Sophomore Running back John Goebel has taken a bulk of the carries down the stretch; he leads the team with seven rushing touchdowns. Virginia Tech has the speed and playmakers on defense to shut down the run and defend a strong passing attack. A great match up in this game will Victor Harris and Stephan Virgil against the Bearcat wideouts. Harris is an All-Conference lock down corner – sixth in the nation with six interceptions. A key factor in this game could be Virginia Tech's ability to win the game up front in the trenches. This is a strong defensive line ranked the 18th in run defense and 21st in the nation in sacks. Sophomore Jason Worilds leads the team with eight sacks and has been very disruptive down the stretch recording at least one sack in his last seven games.

Cincinnati Bearcats (11-1, 7-1)
Pass: Tony Pike – 2,168 yards, 18 TDs
Run: Jacob Ramsey – 630 yards, 2 TDs
Catch: Marshwan Gilyard – 1,118 yards, 10 TDs

Virginia Tech Hokies (9-4, 5-3)
Pass: Tyrod Taylor – 896 yards, 2 TDs
Run: Darren Evans – 1,112 yards, 10 TDs
Catch: Jarrett Boykin– 413 yards, 2 TDs

Prediction: Cincinnati 23 Virginia Tech 14

Photo Credit: David Knachel, Virginia Tech Athletics Communications

This Date in College Football History

Dec. 29, 1997: At the inaugural Sports Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho, Cincinnati beats Utah State 35-19. Bearcats quarterback Chad Plummer throws for a touchdown and rushes for a touchdown while Cornelius Bonner catches two touchdown passes. It was Cincinnati's first bowl game since the 1951 Sun Bowl.

Credit: The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame

A Football Fan’s Four-Pack…

By JOHN GARRETT

Army vs. Navy (December 6, 12:00, CBS): In one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports, Army and Navy will battle for the 109th time in front of a sold-out crowd that will include President George W. Bush at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The Black Knights (3-8) and Midshipmen (7-4) will feature two of the most prolific rushing offenses in the nation when they fight for the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy, which is presented annually to the winner of the football competition among the three major service academies – Army, Navy and Air Force. Navy leads the nation averaging 292 yards per game on the ground, while Army will feature the country’s ninth-best run-attack with an average of 254 yards per contest

Super Senior: Collin Mooney, FB, Army

Star of Tomorrow: Ricky Dobbs, QB, Navy

USC @ UCLA (December 6, 4:30, ABC): For the 37th time, the battle between these Pac-10 rivals will have a Rose Bowl berth on the line. No. 6 USC (10-1, 7-1 in Pac-10 play) is searching for its fourth straight and 33rd overall entrance to the Rose Bowl, while UCLA (4-7, 3-5 in Pac-10 play) would love nothing more than to repeat the stunning performance that upset the Trojans in 2006 – the last time USC traveled to Pasadena for the rivalry – which knocked the Men of Troy out of the BCS Championship Game. But keep in mind that USC has won eight straight games, which has guaranteed them at least a share of the Pac-10 title for the seventh straight time. A win over the Bruins would extend its NCAA record streaks of BCS bowl berths and 11-win seasons to seven consecutive.

Super Senior: Patrick Turner, WR, USC

Star of Tomorrow: Brian Price, DT, UCLA

Arizona St. @ Arizona (December 6, 8:00, FSN): The Wildcats and Sun Devils will meet for the 82nd time in a rivalry that dates back to 1899. Arizona State (5-6, 4-4 in Pac-10 play), which won 20-17 in Tempe last year, has won five of the last six contests although four of the last seven games have been decided by a touchdown or less. Arizona (6-5, 4-4 in Pac-10 play) will have to contend with a Sun Devil defense that tied an NCAA record with four defensive touchdowns last week – its fourth game in a row with a defensive score – and one that hasn’t allowed a touchdown in 10 quarters. At stake in the Duel in the Desert is the Territorial Cup, the oldest rivalry trophy in the NCAA.

Super Senior: Rudy Carpenter, QB, Arizona State

Star of Tomorrow: Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona

Cincinnati @ Hawaii (December 6, 11:30, ESPN2): Coming off of their first Big East championship, the No. 13 Bearcats (10-2, 6-1 in Big East play) are tied for the highest ranking in school history and will make their first appearance in a Bowl Championship Series game. Hawaii (7-5, 5-3 in WAC play) secured a bowl berth for the third straight year and sixth in the last seven years after a 24-10 victory over Washington State last Saturday. The Warriors accepted a bid to the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl for the fifth time since 2002. Both teams will be a bit unfamiliar with each other considering the last time Hawaii played a Big East opponent was when they took on Boston College in 1992.

Super Senior: David Veikune, DL, Hawaii

Star of Tomorrow: Mardy Gilyard, WR, UC

Photo Credit: College Press Box (USC)

KANSAS IS TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK

DALLAS (FWAA) – With their 40-37 win over Missouri, the Kansas Jayhawks (7-5) are the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week for games of the weekend of Nov. 29.

Todd Reesing threw for 375 yards and four touchdowns, including a 26-yard game-winner on fourth down with 27 seconds left to lift the Jayhawks to the dramatic win in the schools' 117th meeting.

Kerry Meier caught 14 passes for 106 yards and a pair of scores, the last providing the margin of victory as Kansas, which led 26-10, had to come from behind and then withstand a Missouri drive and field goal attempt in the waning seconds.

Other Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Bowl National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Nov. 29 included:

• Cincinnati (10-2): The Bearcats clinched their first Big East Conference championship with a 30-10 win over Syracuse, giving them their second straight 10-win season.

• Mississippi (8-4): In winning the Egg Bowl, the Rebels held Mississippi State to 37 total yards in a 45-0 win.

• Oregon (9-3): The Ducks ran up 694 yards of offense in a 65-38 win over rival Oregon State to spoil the Beavers' hopes of a clinching a Rose Bowl berth.

The FWAA has named a national team of the week since the 2002 season. This is the fifth season that the award has been sponsored by the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

For more information go to footballwriters.com.

Fans' Weekend Guide - Week Thirteen

The Conference Title is on the Line When…
BYU @ Utah (November 22, 6:00, The MTN): The Utes enter the “Holy War” undefeated and 60 minutes away from a likely BCS bowl. Standing in their way is in-state rival BYU. How apropos! Utah, coached by BYU alum Kyle Whittingham, has their defense playing well – they have allowed just 11.4 points per game over the second half of the season. Since suffering their lone loss of the campaign, the Cougars are averaging 41.5 points per game. If state pride, a conference title and a BCS bid are not enough drama for you, tune in because of the quarterbacks. BYU’s Max Hall, a Davey O’Brien Semifinalist has thrown three game-winning touchdown passes in the final four minutes of games this season, while Johnny Unitas Finalist Brian Johnson of Utah has led three game-winning drives in the final minute. Hopefully you have the Mountain Network.

Don’t Call it an Upset When…
Michigan St. Visits Penn St. (November 22, 3:30, ABC): The Nittany Lions have been out in front of the Big Ten pack. However, heading into the final week of the season, Penn St. is in a three-way tie with pre-season favorite Ohio St. and surprise contender Michigan St. The Spartans are led by Javon Ringer (1,548 yards, 20 touchdowns) on the offensive side of the ball, with a solid bend-but-don’t-break defense, which is the Big Ten’s best in the red zone.

The Team That Can’t Afford to Look Ahead is…
Oregon St. Visiting Arizona (November 22, 7:00, FSN): The Beavers are two wins away from smelling the roses, with their hated rival Oregon waiting in the wings. However, before they think about the future, they should take a look at the past. Last season, it was Oregon who strolled into Tucson as the Pac-10 leaders, only to lose their quarterback Dennis Dixon and control of their own destiny in a 34-24 loss in the desert. That marked the fourth straight year the ‘Cats knocked off a ranked opponent in November. Can they do it again? With the number two scoring offense and number four scoring defense in the Pac-10, this wouldn’t even be an upset.

The Team on the Cusp is…
Cincinnati Hosting Pittsburgh (November 22, 7:00, ESPN2): With a 4-1 conference mark and three straight wins heading into this contest, the Bearcats are in position to claim their first ever Big East Title and BCS birth. A win over the Panthers and the lone obstacle would be the Syracuse Orange – in other words…people of Cincinnati get out your BCS bowling shoes. What is most remarkable is that Brian Kelly has put his team in this position despite having to play four different quarterbacks. Cincinnati’s stellar run defense – they’ve allowed a Big East low eight rushing touchdowns – will be tested by the conference’s most talented back in LeSean McCoy (1,043 yards, 16 touchdowns).

Photo Credit: College Press Box (Utah)

Senior Spotlight: Big East Conference

CINCINNATI BEARCATS @ LOUISVILLE CARDINALS – NOVEMBER 14 - 8:00 ON ESPN2

CB Mike Mickens, Cincinnati

Mickens burst on the scene as a true freshman – earning a starting role and finishing second in the nation in passes defensed – and he has continued to improve each season. The Bearcats’ senior has the prototypical length for a corner with the wingspan to challenge receivers on any ball thrown in his vicinity. He is always around the pigskin, despite the fact that since his true freshman season, opposing quarterbacks have been looking in his direction with less frequency. Mickens is dangerous with the ball in his hands, evidenced by his two touchdowns off interceptions last season. He looks to be able to play in either a man-to-man or a zone-based defensive scheme. Mickens has smooth hips and is capable of turning and running with receivers without losing a step.
2008: 59 Tackles, Three Interceptions (12 PDs)

QB Hunter Cantwell, Louisville

Cantwell has the prototypical build of a drop back, pocket passing quarterback, possessing the type of height and bulk many signal callers around the country envy. He also has a strong arm and is capable of making all the throws. Until this season, Cantwell had been mostly raw potential – he had only four career starts heading into his senior campaign after backing up fellow Kentucky native Brian Brohm the last three seasons. In terms of his ability as a pocket passer, Cantwell has a pretty high ceiling, but he is still learning on the job to some extent. His accuracy and decision making still leave something to be desired – he has thrown an interception in six straight games. He has dealt with numerous losses for the Cardinals, both in graduation and injuries.
2008: 1,743 Yards, 13 Touchdowns, 11 Interceptions

Photo Credit: College Press Box (Louisville, Cincinnati)

Connecticut 40, Cincinnati 16

By CHRISTOPHER MOGOLLON - BIG EAST INSIDER

The Connecticut defense led the way this Saturday in their 40-16 win over Cincinnati. The Huskies’ defense held the ‘Cats in check all game by stopping them on third downs (0-for-17) and forcing six turnovers—three interceptions and three fumble recoveries. Connecticut defensive end Cody Brown was disruptive, recording a sack and a forced fumble. Linebacker Scott Lutrus led all tacklers with nine, while Robert McClain recorded two interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to put the final nail in the coffin. Cincinnati wide receiver Mardy Gilyard was the lone bright spot for the ‘Cats catching seven balls for 87 yards and a touchdown.

The Huskies broke out for 30 points in the second half led by running back Donald Brown. His 53-yard run late in the fourth quarter put him in the school’s record books as the single season leading rusher in Connecticut history and his 1,324 yards are second in the nation. Brown’s 153 yards makes it eight straight games with over 100 yards and has become a strong candidate for Big East Offensive Player of the Year. Quarterback Cody Endres, who is playing for injured Tyler Lorenzen, completed only 42 percent of his passes, but did not make any mistakes (zero interceptions). Kicker David Teggart was perfect on the day nailing four field goal attempts.

Photo Credit: UConn Athletic Communications

Scarlet Knights Drop Fifth Of The Season

By JOHN GARRETT -
RUTGERS BEAT WRITER

You can’t ask for much more than to be in a situation to win the game with under two minutes left in the fourth quarter – especially when you’ve been outplayed most of the day.

But for the second week in a row Rutgers had the ball and fate in their own hands, but was unable to capitalize.

The Scarlet Knights (1-5) had redshirt sophomore Kordell Young in the starting lineup at tailback – his first start since the season opener – but it wasn’t enough as they dropped their second consecutive Big East contest 13-10 to Cincinnati (5-1).

Early on, the Rutgers defense looked good up front, but the secondary once again was susceptible to the pass. On their fourth drive of the game, the Bearcats started to exploit the porous secondary, but stalled in the red zone, settling for a field goal which put Cincinnati up 3-0 with 1:06 left in the first quarter.

With a chance to answer the Bearcats’ score, the Scarlet Knights failed to convert on a third-and-6, throwing the patented two-yards-short-of-the-sticks pattern.
Rutgers first 4 drives: 14 plays for 29 yards.

Special teams also played a factor in the first half. After a Teddy Dellaganna 60-yard punt, out of his own end zone, Cincy returned the punt 33 yards into Knights territory -- three plays later starting quarterback Chazz Anderson scampered in for an 8-yard touchdown.

As bad as Rutgers special teams’ coverage was, Tim Brown put a little, but not enough, life back into kickoff returns.

Starting inside their own 10-yard line with a little more than three minutes to go in the half, the Knights converted on their first third-down play of the half. But all-for-not, as fifth-year senior quarterback Mike Teel missed a wide open Brown for a sure score with a very badly underthrown ball.

At the half, Rutgers had two rushing yards and two first downs for 63 total yards -- Teel was 6-of-15, for 61 yards.

But this is the Big East, so they were still in the game, only down 10-0.
On the opening drive of the second half the Knights drove 90 yards on eight plays, highlighted by a third-and-2 halfback-option pass in which Young connected with junior fullback Jack Corcoran for a 17-yard score – Rutgers first third-quarter points of the year.

The Knights were right back in the game, only down 10-7.
On the following drive the Knights defense held the Bearcats to a 51-yard field goal. San San Te matched the long field goal with a 50-yarder of his own (the longest by a RU kicker since 1988), to bring Rutgers within 13-10 with 3:53 remaining in the third quarter.

But in typical Scarlet Knight fashion, they were unable to capitalize. With 2:10 remaining in the fourth, and starting at their own 12-yard line, Rutgers converted on first down, but then found themselves in a fourth-and-1 with 1:32 left and the ball on their own 31-yard line. Junior wide receiver Kenny Britt, who was well covered, dropped a slant pass…game over.

Big East - The Week That Was - Week Four

By CHRISTOPHER MOGOLLON - BIG EAST INSIDER

On Friday night, the Connecticut Huskies rolled past visiting Big 12 opponent Baylor 31-28. Connecticut tailback Ronald Brown rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner in the fourth quarter. It was Brown’s fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing game and his 716 yards lead the nation, with his 10 rushing touchdowns second only to Javon Ringer's 11. Brown and the Connecticut offensive line made up for the lack of a pass threat, as Huskies’ quarterback Tyler Lorenzen was ineffective, throwing two interceptions. Highly touted Baylor freshman quarterback Robert Griffin didn't disappoint, as he threw for three touchdowns and 208 yards, including a late fourth quarter scoring strike to wide out Kendall Wright. The freshman wide receiver caught six passes for 114 yards. Despite allowing four touchdowns, the Connecticut defense stepped up late, stopping Baylor in their final two possessions. The Huskies remained undefeated and look to continue their success on the road, as they visit Louisville for another Friday night under the lights.

Cincinnati, South Florida and Pittsburgh all prevailed on Saturday.

Pittsburgh tailback LeSean McCoy rushed for 78 yards on 18 carries, including the game-winning touchdown early in the fourth quarter against the previously undefeated Iowa Hawkeyes. The Panthers continue to struggle through the air, as quarterback Bill Stull completed only eleven passes and no receiver had more than two receptions. The Pitt rush defense was not strong either, giving up 158 yards on the ground.

Meanwhile, in the Sunshine State, the USF Bulls survived their third straight scare with a 17-9 win over Florida International. South Florida's defense allowed a total of 189 yards and didn't allow FIU to reach the end zone until the final minute of the game. Quarterback Matt Grothe was held without a rushing or passing touchdown for the first time in his career. Bulls’ tailback Jamar Taylor led all rushers with 56 yards on twelve carries. South Florida looks to cap off a perfect non-conference this week at NC State.

Cincinnati bounced back versus Miami (OH) with a 45-20 win against their rival. The story of the game was quarterback Tony Pike, who made his first start. The junior was 20-of-24 for 241 yards and three touchdowns. He hooked up with wide receiver Dominick Goodman for a couple of big plays to set up scores. Goodman finished the game with six receptions for 94 yards. Senior Mike Mickens picked off his first pass of the year, returning it 72 yards for a touchdown.

Photo Credit: USF Athletics Communications

This Date in College Football History

September 18, 1999: Cincinnati stuns No. 9 Wisconsin and eventual Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne 17-12 at Nippert Stadium, as the Bearcats grab their first-ever win over a ranked opponent. The Badgers end the season with a No. 4 ranking and a Rose Bowl victory, while Cincy finishes 3-8.


Credit: The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame

No. 5 West Virginia hopes to extend domination of No. 21 Cincinnati in Big East showdown

By JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) - West Virginia has already supplied the soundtrack for the biggest game ever played at Nippert Stadium.

The fifth-ranked Mountaineers cranked up the music at their home field this week, getting ready for a loud road game that will go a long way in determining the Big East title. Frank Sinatra, Marvin Gaye, Kiss and Alien Ant Farm blared from loudspeakers during practice, a song selection almost as incongruous as the game itself.

Things like this just don't happen in Cincinnati.

``This is the biggest game they've had in many, many, many, many years,'' coach Rich Rodriguez said. ``So we've got to understand what type of intensity we're going into.''

No. 21 Cincinnati (8-2, 3-2) has never played such a high-profile home game since Nippert Stadium opened in 1902, when it was a modest patch of grass surrounded by wooden bleachers perched on hillsides.

The 35,000-seat stadium will be full on Saturday when the Mountaineers (8-1, 3-1) try to stay on track for their second conference championship in the last three years. For a change, the home fans will outnumber the Mountaineer crowd.

Strange times indeed for a Cincinnati program more accustomed to being an afterthought.

``I've experienced everything as far as change around here, going from Conference USA to the Big East, actually getting ranked and all that stuff that was kind of a dream,'' fifth-year receiver Mike Daniels said. ``Now it's a reality.''

The last two times the teams have met, it was a cold dose of reality for the Bearcats.

West Virginia came to town in 2005 and won 38-0 on its way to the conference title. Last year, they won 42-24 in Morgantown, a game that defined the huge gulf between the two programs. Quarterback Patrick White ran for 93 yards and threw for 98 more. Tailback Steve Slaton had 148 yards on only 12 carries.

West Virginia is 13-1-1 all-time against the Bearcats, who would like to think they've caught up with White, Slaton and the rest of an offense that is averaging a conference-best 40 points per game.

``In the past, it was really hard for us to get an idea of what they were trying to do,'' safety Haruki Nakamura said. ``This year with the speed and experience we have, I think we have a great idea of what they're doing. I think we have the ability to stop them. We've just got to make sure we don't make mistakes and beat ourselves.''

It could come down to that.

The Bearcats lead the nation with 22 interceptions and 35 takeaways. The Mountaineers are one of the nation's best at holding onto the ball, with only 14 turnovers so far. They had three last week against Louisville, and had to rally for a 38-31 win.

``We have to protect the ball,'' White said. ``Last game we had three turnovers. They capitalize off turnovers. Coach Rod always tells us no negative plays and no turnovers wins the game.''

The Bearcats like to think they have an offense that can keep up with the Mountaineers this time around. Ben Mauk, who transferred from Wake Forest after breaking his arm and dislocating his shoulder last season, has gotten stronger in the last two weeks.

Mauk threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in a 27-3 victory over then-No. 16 Connecticut last week that left all three teams scrambling for the league title.

``He makes plays with his feet,'' West Virginia linebacker Mortty Ivy said. ``Watching film, you can't tell what he is going to do. As long as we execute and play the pass and go full speed, we should be OK.''

West Virginia would win the Big East if it beats Cincinnati, Connecticut (8-2, 4-1) and Pittsburgh (4-5, 2-2) to finish the season. Cincinnati would win the title if it beats West Virginia and Syracuse, and the Mountaineers beat UConn.

``We're where we wanted to be,'' Mauk said. ``It's not like we're astonished to be at this point. We're where we expected to be.''

Source: ncaafootball.com; Photo Credit: WVU Sports Communications

CFI: WINNER TAKES ALL

BY CHRISTOPHER MOGOLLON
BIG EAST INSIDER

A road win for West Virginia sets up a scenario where they would just need home wins over first place Connecticut and rival Pittsburgh to win the conference. With Ohio State losing last week and Oregon's loss on Thursday, the Mountaineers also move a bit closer to potentially playing for the National Championship although they still need a lot of luck. Cincinnati could also put themselves in the driver’s seat to win the conference, if the Bearcats can pull off the upset at home they would just need one more loss by Connecticut and Pittsburgh and a victory over Syracuse to win the conference, all likely scenarios if they can beat the mighty Mountaineers.

This battle is between the two top scoring teams in the conference so expect some points to be scored. West Virginia's Steve Slaton ran wild on Cincinnati last season rushing for 148 yards and averaging a remarkable 12.3 yards a carry in the blowout win. Slaton is having a solid year, ranked third in the conference with 885 rushing yards and second with 14 rushing touchdowns. Slaton has five games this season with 100-plus yards, but none have been in conference play. Watch out for Slaton to be effective catching the ball as well. Also keep an eye on freshman Noel Devine, he doesn't touch the ball that much but he is averaging 9.2 yards when he does. The youngster opened eyes earlier this year at Maryland and then again at Rutgers…maybe he will continue the trend and make an impact in another big road game.

The Bearcats rely a lot on their quarterback and his passing efficiency. Ben Mauk had maybe his best game of the year last week in Cincinnati's victory over the Huskies throwing three touchdowns and scoring all the points for his offense. Cincinnati ranks second in passing offense in the Big East and Mauk is second in touchdown passes with 21. The trio of Dominick Goodman, Marshawn Gilyard, and Marcus Barnett may be the best receiving corps in the conference. The freshman Barnett is second in the conference with eight touchdowns and he has racked up 508 yards this season. Goodman leads the team in receptions and ranks third in the conference with 49. His 612 receiving yards leads the team and he has also racked up three 100-yard games to go along with six touchdown grabs in his last six games. West Virginia ranks second in the conference in pass defense, so keep on eye out for veteran safeties Erick Wicks and Ryan Mundy, both are hard hitters and have three picks each this year.

Another interesting match up will be the play of these two teams in the red zone -- West Virginia has the best red zone offense in the conference and the Bearcats lead the conference in red zone defense.

Ultimately though, the key match-up is Pat White versus the Cincinnati Defense: It's no secret that West Virginia runs nearly all of their offense through Heisman candidate Patrick White, while many would be surprised to hear that White leads the conference in pass efficiency completing 69.0 percent of his passes and in nine games, he has only thrown two interceptions. White isn't the best passing QB and will not beat you with only his arm, but he has learned to be more balanced racking up 1,251 passing yards and 11 touchdowns through the air. White is lethal when he runs and can score at anytime, last week he took a 50 yard scramble to the house versus Louisville to win the game in the final minutes. White has 803 rushing yards this season, which ranks fourth in the conference. He has rushed for 100 yards three times this season, including his last two games.

In order to stop WVU from scoring Cincinnati must contain White's running game, it is no coincidence that White was held to only 36 yards in West Virginia's only loss of this season at South Florida. The only other running quarterback this defense has faced was against South Florida where they did an OK job of holding Matt Grothe to 75 yards on 22 carries.

That might be the magic number for White and ‘Cats. More and they’ll be celebrating in Morgantown, but if Cincy holds him below 75 yards, the newbies to the BIG EAST might just crash the BCS party.

Photo Credit: WVU Sports Communications

From humble beginnings, WVU, UC coaches now gunning for BCS bid

JOHN RABY
Associated Press

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Like most major college football coaches, West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez and Cincinnati's Brian Kelly toiled for years on little known campuses.

They built obscure programs brick by brick - Kelly at Grand Valley State and Rodriguez at Glenville State - and eventually earned national recognition.

Two coaches with their own versions of the no-huddle, spread offense can gain an edge for their team in the tight Big East race when No. 5 West Virginia (8-1, 3-1) plays at No. 21 Cincinnati (8-2, 3-2) on Saturday night.

For Kelly, the son of an alderman in Chelsea, Mass., his early calling was in politics.

He once held campaign signs for his father outside polling places, earned a political science degree at Amherst College and worked on former U.S. Sen. Gary Hart's 1984 Massachusetts campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination before football took over.

Kelly joined the staff at Division II Grand Valley State in 1987 and eventually became head coach in 1991, a job he would hold for 13 seasons.

``It taught us how to do our own laundry,'' Kelly said. ``We had to do things on our own. We generally had three or four staff members. Not that we're control freaks or that we micromanage. We definitely have our hands in a lot of things and I think that goes back to our backgrounds and being in Division II football. You had to do all those things.

``I think it's served me well and I think it's served Rich very well.''

The Lakers won back-to-back Division II national titles in 2002-03. Kelly spent three seasons as head coach at Central Michigan before moving on to Cincinnati last December.

Rodriguez was a defensive back at West Virginia in the early 1980s and became the nation's youngest college head coach at age 24 when he was hired at NAIA Salem College in 1988. But Salem dropped football the following summer when it formed a partnership with Japan's Teikyo University.

He was the only candidate with any coaching experience when he was hired in 1990 at Glenville State, where the team had only about 30 players. They got dressed in the locker room and were carpooled several miles to a makeshift practice facility.

``They say necessity is the mother of invention,'' Rodriguez said last month after his 100th career coaching win. ``Not only was it a smaller place, but they were so hungry to just get a first down. They would be happy with anything you did.''

It was there that Rodriguez developed the run-oriented offense that he still sticks with today.

``The first couple of years it was trial and error. After the second year, we said we know what we want and since then it's been evolving,'' he said.

Rodriguez guided the Pioneers to their first West Virginia Conference championship in more than three decades. Glenville State won four league titles from 1993-96 and earned an NAIA runner-up finish in 1993. He was rewarded with the additional duties as athletic director in 1995, the year the school moved to Division II.

Glenville State President Bill Simmons' prediction about Rodriguez was on the mark when in 1996 he said, ``I'm sure sometime within the next five years a major institution will show a great deal of interest in him.''

After assistant coaching stints at Tulane and Clemson under Tommy Bowden, Rodriguez took over at West Virginia in 2001.

Opponents are still trying to figure out Rodriguez's offenses, which annually rank among the top five in the nation in rushing.

``What you are seeing now as opposed to when we were running the spread 10-15 years ago, you are seeing more of a variety of how they are defending it. So offensively you've got to have an answer,'' Rodriguez said. ``The versions and parts of the spread will always be here.

``But those defensive guys are smart, too. So it's ever evolving like it always has been.''

Approaching the end of his first season in the Big East, Kelly's expectations have been met.

``I came in knowing full well that top to bottom you had the most balanced BCS league in the country, and to win a championship you have to go through West Virginia,'' he said.
Courtesy: ncaafootball.com, Photo Credit: Collegiate Images

CFI: CONNECTICUT & CINCINNATI RIDE THE TURNOVER WAVE

BY BROCK MURPHY
CFI COLUMNIST

At the beginning of the season, most fans of the Big East discussed West Virginia, Louisville and Rutgers as the likely candidates to win the conference. The more learned fans knew to give South Florida a significant chance at making a dent in the season’s conference standings.

Outside of their own insiders, few if any fans considered Cincinnati or relative newcomer Connecticut as legitimate challengers for the conference crown.

Yet, as the tenth week of the season approaches, UConn is only team with an undefeated conference record while Cincinnati is tied for third in the conference’s standings.

They play each other this Saturday afternoon (3:30PM EST) in Cincinnati.

So, what’s the story behind these two teams? Turnovers. Cincinnati and Connecticut are ranked 3rd and 4th in the nation, respectively, in turnover margin.

Cincinnati has forced no fewer than 34 turnovers this season (eight, alone, last weekend against South Florida). No other team is even close. Four teams (Florida Atlantic, South Florida, Kansas and Michigan) are a distant second, with 27 turnovers gained.

Most of the Bearcats’ turnover productivity is courtesy of their pass defense, which has produced more interceptions than any other team in the nation – twenty-one (21).
But, guess which team is #2? You guessed it. Connecticut.

And while Cincinnati has thrown nine interceptions of its own this year, UConn has thrown only four.

In the final analysis, Cincinnati’s defense has produced 11 more turnovers than that of Connecticut while the Huskies’ offense have been far more careful, giving up nine fewer turnovers than the Bearcats this season.

But, it is all about turnovers? Of course, each team has more to offer than dominance in turnover margin.

On offense, Cincinnati’s Ben Mauk is far more efficient (18th, nationally) than UConn’s Tyler Lorenzen (42nd). Still, while Lorenzen’s game against South Florida was not utterly efficient (135 rating), it contained a curious blend of efficiency. While completing fewer than half of his passes (10 of 21), he managed to turn two of his 10 completions into scores.

Of course, every offense strives for balance and UConn’s search has been complicated by injuries. Sophomore Donald Brown (5-10, 213) was the starter when 2007 began but he injured his ankle four weeks ago, missed the Virginia game (the only loss suffered by the Huskies this year – and by just one point at that), and saw his carries limited upon his return to health due to the subsequent emergence of fellow-sophomore

Andre Dixon (6-1, 187).
Yet, against Rutgers, Dixon injured himself after 10 carries, opening the door for Brown’s return to the lineup. Twenty-four carries, 154 yards and one score later, Brown upstaged former Heisman candidate Ray Rice (110 yards) and made a strong bid for a return to the starting lineup.

It was Brown’s first 100-yard performance of the season and it was a bit of an ambush on a Scarlet Knight defense which likely prepared for Dixon’s style and tendencies; not Brown’s. That could be important this weekend. Brown is on film. The Bearcats, who sport the nation’s 20th-ranked rushing defense (107 ypg) will be ready for him.

When Cincinnati has the ball, the pressure will be placed firmly on the shoulders of senior QB Ben Mauk. Having yet to throw more than one interception in any game this year, he has kept mistakes to a minimum. Still, he does not have a game-changer at tailback to assure his unit of balance. In fact, last weekend, his 75 rushing yards tied South Florida QB Matt Grothe as the game’s leading rusher.

Without offensive balance, Mauk will have his hands full against the Husky defense. Ranked 12th in the nation in efficiency, UConn’s stop unit allows only a 58 percent completion rate and less than 10 yards per completion. They have also picked off 19 passes this year while giving up only six TD’s.

No team has thrown more than one TD against the Huskies’ defense this season. UConn’s last two opponents, South Florida and Rutgers (whose QB, Mike Teel, is the 23rd-rated passer in the NCAA), failed to log a scoring toss.

In just his ninth season as a head coach, Connecticut’s Randy Edsall has 49 wins. None of them have been against Cincinnati. The Huskies are 0-3 against the Bearcats. The Husky nation would like nothing better than to have Edsall pick up his 50th career win on national television against a conference opponent they have never beaten before.

Photo Credit: Collegiate Images

CFI: THE BIG EAST REPORT

BY CHRISTOPHER MOGOLLON
BIG EAST INSIDER

GETTING BACK INTO THE RACE

The Cincinnati Bearcats with put themselves right back into the Big East Title race with a dramatic victory over 18th ranked South Florida. The first quarter was mayhem -- the game began with a 73-yard interception taken back for a touchdown by who else but Trae Williams. Cincinnati, who answered with a touchdown of their own, was answered right with a 100-yard kick off return for a touchdown by Mike Jenkins. Using big plays themselves the Bearcats put up 24 points in the final eight minutes of the quarter. It was a blocked punt recovered for a touchdown by Antwuan Giddens that sparked the Bearcats on their run. The defense of Cincinnati forced a remarkable eight turnovers in the game including four interceptions and a defensive touchdown. Quarterback Ben Mauk had a solid effort throwing for 162 yards and three touchdowns, as Marshwan Gilyard caught three of his passes for 100 yards. Mauk came up big on the ground (75 yards) making up for an overall poor rushing attack for Cincinnati -- Jacob Ramsey was held to only 1.9 yards per carry. South Florida chipped away at the lead from the beginning, as Matt Grothe finished with 382 yards passing, 75 rushing yards and a total of two touchdowns but the team couldn't get over his three picks. Despite all the turnovers and big special team plays by Cincy, the Bulls had a chance to win it at the end but the secondary batted two of Grothe's passes in the end zone to clinch the 38-33 victory.

FRESHMAN STANDOUT

With a total of seven receptions and 110 yards receiving, both career highs, Carlton Mitchell helped the Bulls attempt a comeback against Cincinnati. Mitchell averaged 15.7 yards a catch and had a 51 -yard reception, which put South Florida in a good position to score.

THE LONGSHOT

The Pittsburgh Panthers have found themselves back in the race the for conference title, sure it is far fetched but with their win over Syracuse (20-17) they are in second place in the BIG EAST. Pittsburgh won this game thanks to their special teams setting up both touchdowns. Lowell Robinson racked up 108 yards on kick returns including a 64-yard return and Aaron Berry netted a total of 106 yards on punt returns. Freshman LeSean McCoy had his fourth straight 100-yard game rushing for 140 yards and a touchdown.

THE NEW CINDERELLA

Just a year ago it was Rutgers having a magical season and on their way to a program changing season. This year it is all about the Huskies, they continued to surprise the experts by dominating the Scarlet Knights in a 38-19 victory. Connecticut doesn't have the star power on offense but were very efficient capitalizing early for 18 points in the first quarter. The player of the game had to be running back Donald Brown. The sophomore tailback had a season-high 124 yards, averaging six yards per carry. He had a big 33-yard touchdown run in the third and a 70-yard run to setup a score. Quarterback Tyler Lorenzen didn't make any big mistakes and threw for two big touchdowns. Ray Rice had his fourth straight 100-yard rushing performance racking up 116 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. Mike Teel also had some good numbers throwing for 343 yards but zero touchdowns and a key interception. Tight End Steve Brouse had a season high four catches and caught his fourth touchdown in the first quarter. The biggest play of the game might have come from Tyvon Branch who on four kick returns netted a total of 184 yards including a 97-yard touchdown responding to a RU field goal.

Photo Credit: Collegiate Images

CFI: THIS DATE IN HISTORY

Oct. 31, 1914: Cincinnati’s Bearcat mascot is “born” as the unnamed team plays on the moniker of its standout fullback Leonard K. “Teddy” Baehr. Cheerleader Norman Lyon invents the cheer “Come on, Baehr-cat!” as UC upsets Southern power Kentucky 14-7. The student paper adapts the cheer and nicknames the team the “Bearcats,” complete with a cartoon with a bear’s face and cat’s body.


Courtesy: The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame.

Cincinnati's Mauk nominated for FedEx Orange Bowl Courage Award

DALLAS (FWAA) - Ben Mauk has been nominated for the FedEx Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award, to be announced at the end of the 2007 season. Mauk, a senior quarterback, overcame a severe injury last year at Wake Forest, and then transferred after graduation to Cincinnati, where he has led the Bearcats to their best start since 1954.

Mauk was the starter at Wake Forest, but he suffered a dislocated right shoulder and broken upper arm in the season opener. The injuries required two surgeries; Mauk now has three pins in the shoulder and eight attaching a steel rod to his humerus bone. The injury occurred when Mauk attempted to recover a fumble; two Syracuse players fell on his arm.

He graduated last spring with an education degree, then enrolled at Cincinnati, taking advantage of the NCAA rule, rescinded soon afterward, that allowed graduates to transfer without sitting out a year. Mauk won the Bearcats' starting job last August. He ranks 11th nationally in passing efficiency while leading Cincinnati to a 6-1 record.

For the second straight year, the Football Writers Association of America and the FedEx Orange Bowl will announce a weekly nominee each Wednesday during the season. A blue-ribbon panel will determine the winner from all of the nominees. The winner of the FedEx Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award will be announced in December and be presented with the trophy.

2007 FedEx Orange Bowl Courage Award Nominees
· Sept. 12: Brian Kajiyama, Hawaii
· Sept. 19: Terry Clayton, Kentucky
· Sept. 26: Danny Langsdorf, Oregon State
· Oct. 3: Lester Karlin, Virginia Tech
· Oct. 10: Zerbin Singleton, Navy
· Oct. 17: Ben Mauk, Cincinnati