Recap: Louisville vs. Cincinnati
Sports Network | November 15, 2008
Louisville, KY (Sports Network) - John Goebel rushed for 77 yards on 10 carries and scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter that helped seal the 22nd-ranked Cincinnati Bearcats' 28-20 victory over the Louisville Cardinals.
Tony Pike finished 19-of-33 for 250 yards, two touchdowns and an interception while Dominick Goodman had nine receptions for 134 yards and a score.
Mardy Gilyard also hauled in a TD catch, part of a five-catch, 73-yard performance for the Bearcats (8-2, 4-1 Big East), who were coming off arguably their biggest win of the year, as they knocked off then 20th-ranked West Virginia 26-23 in overtime last weekend after taking out previously 24th- ranked South Florida a week prior.
The win temporarily gives Cincinnati sole possession of first place in the Big East standings at 4-1, breaking a three-way tie with WVU and Pittsburgh, who are both 3-1 and have scheduled open dates on Saturday. The Bearcats, who are bowl eligible for the third straight season, will host Pittsburgh on November 22nd in a game that could very well be for the Big East title.
Hunter Cantwell completed 19-of-35 pass attempts for 204 yards with a score and a pick apiece while Victor Anderson gained 60 yards rushing on 13 carries and scored for the Cardinals (5-5, 1-4), who have dropped three straight coming off ugly losses to both Pittsburgh last weekend and Syracuse a week prior.
After Pike was intercepted on Cincinnati's first drive of the final quarter with the team still holding a precarious 21-20 lead, the Bearcats survived a missed field goal by Louisville. Dustin Grutza came on for Pike and completed a 24-yard pass to Goodman on 3rd-and-5 to the Cardinals' 43. Goebel then broke off a 37-yard run and on the next play took it up the middle for a six-yard score with less than 6 1/2 minutes remaining.
The Cardinals gained just 23 yards in turning it over on downs on the ensuing series but Cincinnati let them stay in the game when Jake Rogers missed on a 43-yard field goal with 2:19 remaining.
Cantwell, though, had four straight passes fall incomplete and the Bearcats were able to run out the clock.
