Cats stay perfect, escape Mountaineers

No. 5 Cincinnati improved to 10-0 for the first time in school history after beating No. 25 West Virginia 24-21 in front of a record-setting crowd Friday, Nov. 13.

Isaiah Pead carried the load for the Cats rushing 18 times for 175 yards and a touchdown.

“I was in rhythm and gaining confidence,” Pead said. “The [offensive] line was hot, I was hot.”

Photos: UC vs. WVU - 11.13.09

Pead’s longest run came early in the second quarter when he broke loose for 52 yards. Pead added a 43-yard run in the fourth quarter to set up what turned out to be the game-winning field goal by Jake Rogers.

Sophomore quarterback Zach Collaros turned in a solid performance completing 17-of-24 passes for 205 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Collaros also rushed 10 times for 44 yards.

Tony Pike made his much anticipated return just five minutes into the game.

Pike entered the game on first down and goal from the West Virginia 9-yard line and threw a strike in the back of the endzone to Armon Binns. Pike finished the game completing 2-of-4 passes for 16 yards and two touchdowns.
   
UC head coach Brian Kelly was happy with his team’s performance after another close, hard-fought victory.
   
“This was a great win, a great college football game,” Kelly said. “This is why you sign up for this duty.”
   
Pike’s touchdown pass started the Cats scoring, but their lead didn’t last long.

Late in the first quarter, West Virginia quarterback Jarrett Brown scrambled for eight yards into the endzone to even the score at seven apiece.

The Mountaineers took a 14-7 lead in the second quarter after an eight-play, 80-yard drive that was capped off by freshman Ryan Clarke’s 37-yard touchdown run with 8:05 remaining in the half.

The Cats answered back quickly on a Pead two-yard touchdown run with 5:26 remaining in the second quarter tying the score at 14-14.

From there, the Bearcats didn’t look back.

UC scored on a 6-yard touchdown catch by D.J. Woods from Pike in the third quarter and Rogers kicked the game-winning 38-yard field goal with 2:08 left in the game.

West Virginia added a late touchdown, but couldn’t recover the ensuing onside kick with 33 seconds left; the game was over.

The Cats put up 437 yards of total offense while allowing 390 yards to West Virginia.

Andre Revels led the team in tackles with 13 and JK Schaffer was right behind Revels with eight total tackles.

“As a unit we came out and communicated better,” Revels said. “We came out with that fire you need. Defensively we took care of business.”

The Bearcats won their 16th straight regular-season game tying the 1953-54 team for another school record.
 
The win was also the Cats 11th-straight victory at Nippert Stadium and their 11th-consecutive Big East win.
 

The Cats continue their drive toward back-to-back Big East Championships and possibly a shot at the BCS National Championship.

The Bearcats have a week off before playing their last home game of the season Friday, Nov. 27, against the University of Illinois.