Monday, October 22, 2001
UC faces other C-USA unbeatens next
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The University of Cincinnati, off to its best conference start in nearly four decades, will likely determine its Conference USA fate in the next three weeks.
The Bearcats improved to 4-2, 4-0 in Conference USA with Saturday's 29-28 victory over winless Houston.
UC is in first place in C-USA, followed by East Carolina (3-0) and Louisville (2-0). Those two teams just happen to be the Bearcats' next two C-USA opponents.
Saturday, UC plays host to Louisville (3 p.m.), the defending C-USA champion that made an appearance in the national rankings earlier this season. It plays host to East Carolina Nov. 10, a week after a non-conference game at home against Connecticut.
“No doubt it's a big game,” UC coach Rick Minter said of U of L. “It's a traditional rival, one we look forward to playing regardless of the implications. What makes it even more important is these two teams have the opportunity to who wins the championship.”
The Bearcats certainly are on a roll. They're 4-0 in conference play for the first time since 1963, when they won the Missouri Valley Conference. They's won seven straight Conference USA games, dating to last season's 38-24 loss to Louisville.
Louisville, 6-1 overall, beat Southern Miss 24-14 Tuesday, and will have plenty of time to prepare for the Bearcats.
“They've played a taxing schedule,” said Minter. “Southern Miss, tough Colorado State and Illinois teams, and Kentucky. They've been tested.”
The Bearcats got another strong offensive performance Saturday. Freshman quarterback Gino Guidugli completed 19 of 27 passes for 317 yards and a touchdown. DeMarco McCleskey rushed for 100 yards and Tye Keith caught six passes for 102 yards.
Guidugli's 300-yard game was the third of his career. Greg Cook holds the UC record with six.
Guidugli leads all freshmen in passing efficiency with a rating of 153.1. He is 106-for-156 for 1,300 yards, with nine touchdowns and three interceptions. He's second in the nation in completion percentage at 68 perecent.
“It's amazing to me a lot of what he does,” Minter said.
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 UC faces other C-USA unbeatens next
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