No. 12 Buckeyes Taking Nothing for Granted against Bearcats – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/22/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 22, 1999
Associated Press
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%^$After watching Cincinnati record the biggest upset in school history, Ohio%^$State coach John Cooper can afford to take nothing for granted when his%^$12th-ranked Buckeyes meet the Bearcats on Saturday.%^$
%^$Cincinnati (2-1), coming off a loss to Division I-AA power Troy State two%^$weeks ago, beat then-No. 8 Wisconsin 17-12 Saturday. The Bearcats allowed 231%^$rushing yards to Heisman Trophy hopeful Ron Dayne, but Robert Cooper answered%^$with 20 carries for 143 yards, including a 51-yard scoring run.%^$
%^$”We have a lot of respect for Cincinnati,” said John Cooper, who is%^$looking for his 100th career win. “It is not a fluke that they beat Wisconsin.%^$They played extremely well and deserved to win. Cincinnati will come here with%^$a lot more confidence after such an outstanding win.”%^$
%^$Though less than 100 miles apart, this is only the 12th meeting between the%^$schools and the first since Ohio State’s 67-6 win in 1931.%^$
%^$The Bearcats needed just three weeks to match last season’s win total, but%^$they are going to have a tough time exceeding that number this weekend.%^$Cincinnati has not beaten Ohio State (2-1) since a 24-0 victory in Nov. 1897.%^$
%^$The Buckeyes have overwhelmed their opposition over the last two games,%^$posting a 22-point victory over UCLA followed by a 40-16 rout of Ohio.%^$
%^$Cincinnati coach Rick Minter acknowledged that Ohio State’s ineffective%^$first half against the Bobcats works against his team this week.%^$
%^$”They had a wakeup call from Ohio U. and they’re not going to want to let%^$that happen again,” Minter said.%^$
%^$In a season-opening 23-12 loss to the Miami Hurricanes, Ohio State managed%^$just 220 yards and 12 points. Ohio State’s offense, led by quarterback Steve%^$Bellisari, has averaged 478 yards and 41 points per game since.%^$
| %^$ %^$ %^$ Linebacker Na’il Diggs. %^$ |
%^$The defense, spearheaded by linebacker Na’il Diggs (23 tackles, six for%^$losses) will have to contain the Bearcats’ running game, which is averaging%^$over six yards per carry behind Robert Cooper and freshman P.J. Mays.%^$
%^$The Bearcats also have quarterback Deontey
Kenner, who has continued from%^$his record-setting season a year ago.%^$
%^$Kenner, a junior, already has 582 passing yards this season. Last year, he%^$became the first quarterback in school history to throw for 2,000 yards. %^$
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-GO BUCKS!-
