Cliff: Cincy pregame/game thread

category: OSU Sports

Cliff: Cincy pregame/game thread 1661CommentsCliff%3A+Cincy+pregame%2Fgame+thread2009-09-19+21%3A22%3A26Cliff+Kirkpatrick

Early pregame talk in the press box centered around the GT’s game picks in the Game Day Section and RB Jacquizz Rodgers.

The official word on Rodgers (ankle) is it’s a game-time decision if he plays. However, logic and experience covering the Beavers tells me he plays.

Coach Mike Riley kept Rodgers out of practice to keep him fresh and to make sure his minor injury doesn’t linger late into the season. The answer will be known soon. UPDATE: Quizz started the game as expected.

Also, people noticed I was the only one on the GT staff to pick Cincinnati to win. My predicted score was 34-28.

When I pick games I usually go with betting line, and the Bearcats are slightly favored. Sometimes I just go on a hunch. At least I got people talking, and that’s point of those picks.

Check the blog throughout the game. I’ll be updating throughout.

First quarter
The Beavers started with a great first defensive stand to force a punt. James Rodgers is now the punt returner. The offense sputtered and only got a 46-yard Justin Kahut FG.

Another great defensive outing, a 3-and-out. WR Darrell Catchings entered the game and caught an 18-yard pass. OT Mike Remmers kills a drive with a 15-yard hands to the face penalty. Kahut comes through with a 39-yard FG.

Third 3-and-out. CB James Dockery has a TFL and a pass breakup. OSU goes to Rodgers and Taylor Kavanaugh since Cincy punted away from Rodgers the last time. Offense stalls. QB Sean Canfield is missing high a lot today.

Second quarter
Cincy offense starts to pick up end of first quarter with the passing game. QB Tony Pike scored on a 7-yard TD scramble.

Special teams playing better. Rodgers has 38-yard KOR. P Johnny Hekker gets his punt downed on Cincy’s 1-yard line. That leads to a safety with the defensive making a tackle of the RB, who couldn’t get out of the end zone.

Cincy’s offense continues to improve. The defense, however, is making the Bearcats work hard for the latest score, a 1-yard run by Isaiah Pead. 14-8 Cincy.

Jacquizz Rodgers isn’t as dominating as usual and the WRs are not getting open for Canfield. Defense continues to play well, and is pressing the QB.

And Cincy takes control. Pike hit DJ Woods with a 45-yard TD pass right before the half. Cincy 21-8. Not looking good for the Beavers.

Here’s a pic of the stands in at the end of the first quarter.

Third quarter
The Beavers needed that 80-yard TD drive to open the half, or it would have gotten ugly. Committing to the run a game helped. Quizz set it up 24-yarder on the first play and capped it off with a 9-yard score.

Both teams are struggling on offense. Penalties are flying with procedure and personal fouls. LB Keaton Kristick picks off a pass with 4:51 left in the third quarter. That was the first of his career.

Fourth quarter
The drive started in the third quarter, and looked good. Then it broke down in the fourth. OSU still got a 23-yard FG from Kahut.

Cincy comes back with a 19-yard TD pass from Pike to Mardy Gilyard. Bearcats were fortunate that a questionable fumble call went their way. It’s 28-18 with 8:03 left in the game. David Pa’aluhi stripped Woods, but his forward progress was stopped before the strip.

An INT with 5:24 left in the game sealed it. It was tipped off of Catchings. It was OSU’s first turnover of the season. The Beavers were the last D-IA school to have a turnover.

I’m headed out. Postgame blog will be up as soon as I can. It will be updated a few times in the night.

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