TUCSON, AZ – After ending September with a master class in the trenches against Kansas State, the Cincinnati Bearcats dug a trench that couldn't escape Oct. 3 at Casino Del Sol Stadium.
Fifth-year quarterback Noah Fifita took Arizona 75 yards on the opening drive and the Wildcats never trailed in a 34-7 win over the Bearcats,
"I was really excited about it because we also answered with three and out on defense," Arizona coach Brent Brennan said.
Arizona holds Cincinnati to 74 yards rushing
Against Kansas State, UC racked up 271 yards on the ground and had a pair of 100-plus-yard rushers. Against the Arizona version of the Wildcats, UC was held to 74 yards rushing and Arizona's Antwan Roberts (87) and Quincy King (77) both had more individual yards than UC had as a team.
UC hadn't been under
100 yards rushing since last November's 26-14 loss at Nippert Stadium to BYU.
"That was a big-time college atmosphere," Arizona coach Brent Brennan said. "We knew they wanted to run the ball and we said, 'No!'"
UC's top rusher was JC French, who gained 52 yards but finished with 29 thanks to getting sacked three times. Gi'Bran Payne had 24 yards and averaged just 2.2 yards per carry and Cole Tabb was held to 19 yards and a 3.2-yard average.
"They're a really good football team," French said. "I feel we can come in and run on anybody. Everybody takes accountability for tonight. We have a lot of games left."
What did Arizona do differently to stop UC Bearcats run game?
The Bearcats' bread-and-butter has been their "pancake-pounding" offensive line. UC had outrushed their opponents by a sizable margin in every game thanks to returning starters Tengesdahl, Taran Tyo and Joe Cotton, plus impressive outings on the right side by new starters Xavier Lozowicki and Judea Milon.
UC's rushing offense came into the game ranked No. 7 in the country, but Arizona's rush defense was ranked No. 13. They were allowing around 80 yards on the ground and UC fell six short of that.
"What they do is different," UC coach Scott Satterfield said. "They're an aggressive, more of a blitz defense. They play man, screw down the coverage and then muddy up the front with all of the different stunts and blitzes. They did a great job. It's a great run defense."
UC Bearcats best figure out run game, run defense soon
After a bye next weekend, the Bearcats take on West Virginia. The Mountaineers in their 45-42 loss at Iowa State, got 149 yards rushing from quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. and 142 from running back Cam Cook.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Trenches in Tucson won by Arizona over Cincinnati Bearcats
