One must rewind to the Spandex era, when Bengals FB Ickey Woods gyrated his way into his city’s consciousness, to find a Cincinnati football player whose debut has been more auspicious than Hayden Moore’s. Corn Elder continued to be a star on special teams and returned a punt for a touchdown, but it was called back due to a questionable holding penalty. He hadn’t been cleared to return to practice. With Moore buying time and trusting his big receiver to out-jump the ‘Canes defenders, he fired a high, hot pass into coverage late and across the middle that if intercepted would have undoubtedly earned plenty of derision from commentators. Quarterback Tommy Armstrong, Jr. threw 21-of-45 completions for 309 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions.
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Miami got the scoring started in this one not with a touchdown, rather with a field goal to take a 3-0 lead. At 3-2 it’ll still be an uphill climb to get that prime bowl slot, but the Bearcats are in a heck of a lot better place than if they had dropped a game in which they were underdogs. Tuberville said Moore will get a chance to keep the job. But Cincinnati’s defense is one of the worst in FBS.
Kaaya has thrown a touchdown pass in all 16 of his games as a Hurricane, and is facing a Cincinnati defense that has allowed 1,018 yards in the last two weeks alone. Given that their current 2nd and 3rd leading rushers have also been off the field due to injuries, and that they lost their starting running back in the opener against Boise St. (Algie Brown), BYU could have a really hard time on the ground. Coming into week five the Bearcats were ranked third nationally in total yards and the squad set six school records, in addition to Moore’s, in the loss at Memphis.
Whether up, down, blowing them out or caught in a nailbiter-Miami needs to close strong. “I’m back”, Berrios said.
Cincinnati took a 14-13 lead into the second quarter but quickly added three points on a career long 51-yard field goal by sophomore kicker Andrew Gantz.
Brad Kaaya finished with 24 of 39 for 255 yards without a touchdown or interception for Miami, which will face No. 11 Florida State in the next outing. Moore is 46 of 81 for 782 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions. Per the NCAA, the Hurricanes’ games have averaged 4 hours, 18 minutes this year, the most of any FBS team.
“Let’s not crown him the next Johnny Unitas yet”, Tuberville said. Right now, he’s our quarterback.
“Gunner will not lose his position because of injury”. Losses to Temple and Cincinnati will make winning an AAC title hard, but Cincinnati is in good hands moving forward regardless of who is playing quarterback.
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McKay’s most impressive catch of the night, however, came in the 4th quarter; a 52-yard reception in which the lanky receiver showed surprising agility to slip past press coverage and track down a pass that appeared hopelessly overthrown.
