TAMPA (SNN-TV) – The USF football team (2-8, 1-5 American) faced the highest-ranked foe ever to face the Bulls in Raymond James Stadium on Friday night and No. 2-ranked Cincinnati (10-0, 6-0 American) kept its College Football Playoff hopes alive holding off the late charging Bulls for a 45-28 victory.
USF produced 21 points and 309 yards in the second half and had the ball with the lead cut to 10 and 3:08 to play. The Bulls 28 points was the most given up on the season by a Bearcats’ defense that entered the game ranked No. 3 in the nation allowing just 14.9 points per game.
The Bearcats improved to 19-1 over the last two seasons behind senior quarterback Desmond Ridder who passed for 304 yards and two touchdowns and added 65 yards rushing, including a 13-yard touchdown run.
Bulls running back Jaren Mangham posted his sixth multiple rushing touchdown game of the season, recording his 14th and 15th touchdowns on the year to tie Marlon Mack (2016) for No. 2 on the USF season chart and three behind Quinton Flowers season record of 18 set in 2016.
Freshman Jimmy Horn Jr. posted a career-best 108 yards receiving on five catches, including an electrifying 80-yard touchdown on a short slant route. Freshman quarterback Timmy McClain passed for 245 yards and a touchdown and added a 13-yard touchdown run, but was also intercepted twice by one of the top pass defenses in the nation. Linebacker Antonio Grier posted a career high in tackles for the second straight game to lead USF with 14.
Trailing 31-7 in the third quarter, the Bulls’ offense found its footing in the second half behind big plays from freshman receiver Horn and strong play from freshman quarterback McClain.
After McClain drove the Bulls 75 yards in 12 plays for the USF’s second touchdown of the game to cut the Cincinnati lead, Horns’ 80-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter, the eighth-longest in program history and the Bulls’ longest play on the season by 33 yards, cut it even further to 31-21.
Cincinnati responded with a 73-yard drive in eight plays capped by a 17-yard touchdown pass from Ridder to push the lead back to 17, 38-21, with 14:00 to play.
Omarion Dollison fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Cincinnati recovered on the Bulls 20. The Bearcats drove to the USF 5 and had first and goal when the Bulls defense stood its ground. Cincinnati was held out of the endzone on three plays and USF forced a fumble on 4th and 1 that was recovered by linebacker Dwayne Boyles at the 2.
McClain then drove the Bulls 98 yards in 16 plays to cut the lead to 38-28 with 6:14 to play. McClain was dynamic on the drive, running 22 yards for a first down, hitting Xavier Weaver with a 13-yard strike, scrambling and then finding Holden Willis with a 32-yard completion and finally finishing the drive with a two-yard touchdown run.
The Bulls’ defense forced a Bearcats’ punt on the next possession and USF had the ball on its own 7-yard line down 10 with 3:08 to play. USF moved the ball 30 yards before a McClain pass over the middle was tipped and intercepted.
Cincinnati then slammed the door with a 55-yard touchdown run by Myles Montgomery.
USF got two early turnovers in the first quarter and put the first points on the board.
After USF drove to the UC 39 and punted on its opening drive, the Bearcats fumbled on their opening offensive play as Dwayne Boyles forced the ball out from UC’s Michael Young and Daquan Evans recovered on the UC 13.
On its first play, USF attempted a direct snap to running back Kelley Joiner who handed off to quarterback Timmy McClain, but the exchange was fumbled and UC recovered.
This time the Bearcats ran two plays before Ridder was picked off by Bulls’ cornerback Christian Williams who returned it 61 yards to the UC 2. Jaren Mangham plunged in a play later with his 14th rushing touchdown of the season and USF led 7-0.
Cincinnati then scored on its next three possessions of the half, driving 75, 73 and 34-yards for touchdowns and added a late 46-yard drive for a field goal to take a 24-7 halftime lead. Ridder was 18-of-21 for 170 yards passing and a touchdown and ran in for a 13-yard score as Cincinnati led in offensive yards 260-39 at the break.
Cincinnati built its largest lead of the night when it took the opening kickoff of the second half and drove 81 yards in eight plays to increase its lead to 31-7.
USF is back in action on Saturday, November 20th at noon against Tulane on the road.
