The University of Cincinnati Bearcats are going to have to do something they haven't done so far this year — and precious little in the past several years — if they are going to stay on track for a bowl appearance.

        They are going to have to win on the road.

        Saturday's game at Memphis (2p.m. kickoff) is the best chance for the Bearcats (5-4) to gain their sixth victory, which would make them bowl-eligible.

        Although there are no guarantees that a winning record will put the Bearcats in a bowl, four teams from Conference USA definitely are going to bowls.

        And UC would be attractive to the Motor City Bowl in Detroit. The Motor City is a lot more driveable for UC fans than it is for the other bowl contenders in C-USA, which is a league of mostly Southern-based teams. UC isn't a big-drawing team, not even at home, but the faithful probably could be rallied for a bowl trip.

        First things first, though. That's a victory at Memphis (4-5; 2-3 in C-USA).

        UC (3-2 in C-USA) has only one remaining regular-season game after Memphis — Nov.18 at Nippert Stadium vs. C-USA power Southern Miss — and a victory there might be harder to come by, even though UC is 5-0 at home.

        UC coach Rick Minter, who subscribes wholeheartedly to the one-game-at-a-time approach, is in that mode more than ever this week. Unlike in some years past, UC has the horses to win on the road now: it's a veteran team, and the players are not only good, they're relatively healthy.

        The Bearcats have the offense to outscore Memphis if they do what they did last week against UAB and get good field position.

        But the Bearcats still have to do what they couldn't do at Wisconsin — close the deal — and maintain mental toughness for two halves.

        “Our guys know what's on the line for us as a team,” Minter said. “We let the one slip away at Wisconsin, the one slip away at Tulane, and Louisville could have gone either way. I feel like we could have at least split on the road already.”

        In other words, UC needs to play better football, regardless of the venue.

        In last Saturday's 33-21 victory over UAB, the Bearcats finally put together two halves on both sides of the ball against a high-quality opponent. UAB was 6-2 and ranked sixth in the nation in total defense. Senior quarterback Deontey Kenner (20-of-32, 351 yards) came as close as he has all season to a breakout game, and the talented and deep wide receiving corps finally lived up to its abilities.

        Memphis is ranked second nationally in total defense (262 yards a game) and first in rushing defense (68 yards a game).

        “They took Tennessee's offense and just stuffed it, took UAB and shut 'em down, stopped East Carolina,” Minter said. “They thrive on a very physical, attacking front four.”

UC needs road win Saturday Recruiting

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