Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) -
CINCINNATI: The Bearcats dominated in an instate matchup taking down Miami-
Ohio 52-14, to collect the Victory Bell for the seventh straight season. It
was also the Bearcats' seventh consecutive win overall dating back to last
season. The Bearcats' 4-0 start is the best since 2009 when the team finished
12-0 in the regular season. The offensive eruption came largely on the ground
with Cincinnati accumulating a season-high 272 yards, while scoring four
touchdowns on the ground. Running back George Winn rushed for 128 yards and a
pair of scores for his second multi-touchdown game of his career. Quarterback
Munchie Legaux had three total scores (two passing and one rushing) which
matched a career high. Legaux only rushed for 22 yards and threw for 157 on
13-of-23 passing. Cincinnati's defense surrendered 379 yards of total offense
but were stingy against the run with the RedHawks managing only 59 yards
rushing. The team had six tackles for loss and entered play 28th in the nation
in the category. Cincinnati will play its second straight game at home and
fourth overall this season when the Bearcats host Fordham next weekend.
CONNECTICUT: In a battle of two of the Big East's best defenses, UConn fell
19-3 to nationally ranked Rutgers. The Huskies are now 1-18 all-time against
ranked opponents. The only win came in 2007 in a win over No. 11 South
Florida. UConn's defense was as advertised, especially in the first quarter
holding Rutgers to 43 total yards in the first quarter and only six points in
the first half, while forcing two turnovers. Jory Johnson led the charge with
a game-high 10 tackles. Connecticut held on to its league-leading tackles for
loss total with seven in the game for 46 total this season. Jory Johnson led
the way with 10 total tackles while Sio Moore had nine and 1.5 for loss. The
Husky offense was limited to 244 yards of total offense. The Huskies were
especially ineffective on the ground with 53 yards rushing with a 1.9 yards
per carry average. Lyle McCombs, the Big East's third leading rusher entering
play, had only 32 yards on 12 carries. Chandler Whitmer threw for 191 yards
while completing only 14-of-32 passes and throwing four interceptions. Those
interceptions added to a fumble equaled a season-high in turnovers by UConn.
Next up Connecticut returns home to welcome in Temple, fresh of its first Big
East win, a team the Huskies lost to 30-16 in the last meeting in 2010.
LOUISVILLE: With the week off, Louisville stayed at No. 18 in the top-25. The
Cardinals will put that ranking, and their perfect 5-0 start, on the line next
weekend in a road contest against Pittsburgh. It will be the squad's third
straight road contest.
PITTSBURGH: A late rally from the Panthers fell short on Friday night as
Pittsburgh was handed a 14-13 loss by the Syracuse Orange in the Carrier Dome.
It was the first loss by Pittsburgh against the Orange since 2004. Despite
holding the Orange scoreless through the final three quarters, Pittsburgh
couldn't dig itself out of an early deficit. The offense struggled mightily on
the ground against the Orange with a net average of 0.7 yards per carry and 27
total rushing yards. The bulk of the blame for that was the five sacks taken
by quarterback Tino Sunseri which resulted in minus 33 yards. Sunseri still
had a good game despite the pressure, completing 25-of-33 passes for 319
yards. Sunseri is now second in the Big East in passing yards this season
(1,463). Ray Graham managed only 57 yards rushing on 24 carries, while scoring
the Panthers' only touchdown. Devin Street caught a career-high 10 passes for
130 yards to lead all receivers. Pittsburgh's defense held down the Big East's
leading passer Ryan Nassib, limiting the Orange to only 185 yards through the
air. Pittsburgh has quite a challenge ahead of it next week as the Panthers
look for their first conference win this season in a battle with No. 18
Louisville.
RUTGERS: After a dominating defensive effort led to a 19-3 victory over
Connecticut, the Scarlet Knights moved up to No. 20 in the most recent top-25.
Rutgers is now 5-0 this season giving Kyle Flood's squad a 5-0 mark for the
first time since 2006 and the third time since 1976. It was also the first win
as a ranked team by the Scarlet Knights since 2007. Flood along with Urban
Meyer of Ohio State are the only first-year coaches to still be undefeated at
this point in the season. Rutgers is now the 15th ranked team in the nation in
total defense after allowing only 244 total yards to the Huskies. The Scarlet
Knights are 43-4 since 2000 when holding opponents to less than 300 yards. The
defensive unit was particularly punishing against the run allowing only 53
yards and a 1.9 yards per carry average. Rutgers is the second-best team
against the run in the nation this season (60.6 yapg). Khaseem Greene had
eight tackles in the game and is now ninth in school history in career
tackles. The defense also added to the team's offensive output with Wayne
Warren scoring on a 25-yard interception return in the fourth quarter. Big
East leading rusher Jawan Jamison ran for 110 yards for his sixth straight
game of more than 100 yards. He is one of only three players in Rutgers
history to accomplish that feat. Gary Nova completed 18-of-27 passes for 157
yards and a touchdown. As part of a two-game homestand Rutgers will play host
to Syracuse in the final game between the squads as Big East foes.
SOUTH FLORIDA: A blocked field goal with little more than a minute left in
regulation doomed South Florida in a 37-28 loss to the Temple Owls on
Saturday. After Maikon Bonani's 45-yard attempt was blocked, Temple running
back Montel Harris scored on a 35-yard rushing touchdown to seal the Bulls'
fate. The Bulls lost despite having more first downs (23-22) and total yards
(384-383). The Bulls struggled to stop the Owls' running attack, surrendering
216 yards on the ground on 51 carries. B.J. Daniels threw for 219 yards and a
touchdown on 18-of-31 passing and rushed for a score, however he also threw a
costly interception. The rushing touchdown gives Daniels 24 for his career
which ties a school record. It is the second time this season he has thrown
for and rushed for a touchdown. Demetris Murray rushed for 80 yards and a
touchdown and Lindsey Lamar added 57 yards and a score of his own. Kayvon
Webster led the team in tackles for the second straight week with eight. South
Florida is on bye next week giving the Bulls an extra week to prepare for a
tough road contest against No. 18 Louisville.
SYRACUSE: The Orange got out to an early 14-0 lead and then held on for a
14-13 win at home over Pittsburgh in the final matchup between the squads as
members of the Big East. It was the first win for Syracuse against Pittsburgh
since 2004, ending a seven-game losing streak. In the game, wideout Marcus
Sales caught six passes for 63 yards to become only the sixth receiver in
Syracuse history to record 100 career receptions. Also on that list is Alec
Lemon (150) who caught five passes for 42 yards to extend his streak of games
with a reception to 20. Ryan Nassib, who led the Big East in passing yards
entering play, threw for a season-low 185 yards and also threw an
interception. As a team Syracuse rushed for 120 yards on 33 carries led by
Jerome Smith (10 carries, 61 yards), while Adonis Ameen-Moore scored a
touchdown from a yard out on his first carry of the season. The Orange defense
played well, especially against the run, holding the Panthers to just 27 yards
on 37 carries. The defense was also responsible for one of the Orange's two
touchdowns as Dyshawn Davis returned a fumble 52 yards for a score in the
first quarter. Brandon Sharpe had a career-high four sacks in the contest.
Left tackle Justin Pugh made his first start of the season after recovering
from a shoulder injury. Syracuse has a stern test ahead of it next weekend
when it travels to Piscataway, New Jersey to tangle with No. 20 Rutgers.
TEMPLE: In its first Big East Conference game since 2004, Temple won in a
second half shootout 37-28 over South Florida on Saturday. It was also the
fourth consecutive win in conference openers, the three previous coming as
members of the Mid-American Conference. Also making a major comeback in the
game was running back Montel Harris. The former Boston College Eagle, looked
more like the player that earned All-ACC honors in 2010, rushing for 133 yards
on 24 carries including a pair of rushing touchdowns. It was his 23rd career
100-yard rushing game which leads all active players. In his eighth straight
start under center, Chris Coyer threw for 167 yards and a touchdown on
16-of-20 passing, while also rushing for 64 yards and a score on 13 carries.
Matt Brown also had a rushing touchdown and 59 yards as the Owls piled up 216
yards on the ground. Tyler Matakevich led the defense, which allowed 383 total
yards, with a career-high 15 tackles, including two for a loss. Temple will
travel up to Hartford, Connecticut next weekend to take on Connecticut.
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