Buckeyes Host Bearcats Saturday in The ‘Shoe
9/3/2019 10:39:53 AM | Football
Ohio State and Cincinnati meet for the ?fth time this century on the gridiron when the two teams tangle in a noon kick at Ohio Stadium Saturday. Ohio State and Cincinnati last met during the 2014 season with the Buckeyes prevailing in an entertaining and hard-fought game, 50-28.
This week’s game is the annual Hall of Fame game with three former Ohio State football players earning enshrinement: Boyd Cherry (1912-14), A.J. Hawk (2002-05) and Mike Nugent (2001-04). Ohio State’s sesquicentennial will also be recognized at the game. Ohio State is celebrating its ?rst 150 years of excellence in education, research, innovation and community engagement by re?ecting on its remarkable past and preparing for its bold future.
- Ohio State owns a 14-2 record all-time against Cincinnati with the most recent meeting coming in 2014, a 50-28 victory for the Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium.
- The Buckeyes have won 11 consecutive in the series dating back to a 29-0 win in 1900. Cincinnati’s two wins came in 1896 and 1897, respectively.
- Four of Ohio State’s ?rst 13 plays from scrimmage this past Saturday vs. FAU resulted in touchdowns: a 51-yard Justin Fields run, a 25-yard yard Fields-to-Jeremy Rucket pass, a 32-yard Fields-to-Binjimen Victor pass and a 29yard Fields-to Chris Olave pass.
- Cincinnati ?nished 11th nationally last year in total defense, allowing just 303.5 yards per game and opened the 2019 season by limiting UCLA to just 218 yards.
- Cincinnati opened its 2019 season last Thursday night with a 24-14 victory over UCLA at Nippert Stadium. Quarterback Desmond Ridder threw for 242 yards and a pair of TDs while Michael Warren carried the ball 26 times for 92 yards and a touchdown in the win. Defensively, the Bearcats held UCLA to just 218 total yards, including 62 on the ground.
FIELDS’ BIG DEBUT
- Justin Fields’ ?rst start for Ohio State was a successful one, as the sophomore quarterback accounted for ?ve touchdowns (four passing, one rushing).
- Fields tied Dwayne Haskins’ record for touchdowns responsible for by a quarterback in his initial start.
- In the ?rst quarter alone, Fields completed seven of nine passes for 115 yards and three TD while also rushing for a 51-yard touchdown.
- Fields’ 51-yard TD rush was the longest run by an Ohio State quarterback in ?ve years (and 60 games), or since J.T. Barrett’s school quarterback-record 86 yard rush at Minnesota in 2014.
QUICK STARTERS
- Ohio State’s 28 ?rst-quarter points were the most they scored in a single quarter since putting up 28 vs. UNLV on September 23, 2017 in a 54-21 victory.
- The Buckeyes scored all four of their touchdowns in the ?rst quarter during a span of just over eight minutes.
- Four of Ohio State’s ?rst 13 plays from scrimmage resulted in touchdowns: a 51-yard Justin Fields run, a 25-yard yard Fields-to-Jeremy Rucket pass, a 32-yard Fields-to-Binjimen Victor pass and a 29yard Fields-to Chris Olave pass.
A CAREER DAY FOR JEREMY RUCKERT
- Sophomore TE Jeremy Ruckert started for the ?rst time in his career last Saturday and responded by setting career highs in every statistical category. He had four catches for 38 yards and two touchdowns.
- Ruckert is the ?rst tight end to catch multiple touchdown passes in a game since Nick Vannett did it in a win versus Rutgers in 2014.
21
UC coach Luke Fickell spent 21 seasons at Ohio State: ?ve as a player (1992-96) and 16 as a coach, including on staff for the 2002 and 2014 national championship seasons.
9
Ohio State Assistant AD for sports performance Mickey Marotti was Cincinnati’s strength and conditioning coach for nearly nine years, from 1990-98.
41
Ohio State has won 41 consecutive games vs. in-state schools, dating to a 7-7 tie with Wooster in 1924, and is unbeaten in its last 44 games. Ohio State’s last loss occurred in 1921 to Oberlin, 7-6.
10
Number of players on Ohio State’s roster from Cincinnati, including P Drue Chrisman, LT Thayer Munford, DT Jerron Cage, LB Justin Hilliard and CB Amir Riep.
- Cincinnati opened its 2019 season last Thursday night with a 24-14 victory over UCLA at Nippert Stadium. Quarterback Desmond Ridder threw for 242 yards and a pair of TDs while Michael Warren carried the ball 26 times for 92 yards and a touchdown in the win. Defensively, the Bearcats held UCLA to just 218 total yards, including 62 on the ground.
- Cincinnati has won 12 of its last 14 games dating back to the start of last season. Its only losses in that span are to UCF (38-13) and Temple (24-17, OT).
- The 11 wins that UC compiled last year were the second most in school history, only behind the 12-1 squad that went to the Sugar Bowl in 2009.
- Cincinnati ?nished with the nation’s No. 11 unit in total defense last year, giving up an average of just 303.5 yards per game. The Bearcats also allowed just 17.2 points per game, eighth best in the country.
- Ridder was the 2018 AAC Rookie of the Year after completing nearly 63 percent of his passes for 2,445 yards and 20 TDs as a redshirt freshman last season.
