By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Louisville quarterback Dave Ragone is pulled down by Cincinnati linebacker Tyjuan Hagler during the first half. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

LOUISVILLE - The two best quarterbacks in Conference USA were the main attraction, but it was defense that made the difference. Specifically, the University of Cincinnati's.

The UC Bearcats, sparked by Antwan Peek's fumble recovery and return for a touchdown early in the second half, rallied from a 7-0 deficit to beat Louisville, 24-14, Thursday night at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.

The win keeps alive the Bearcats' flickering bowl hopes.

UC, 4-5 overall, 3-2 in Conference USA, broke a four-game losing streak to the Cardinals and reclaimed the Keg of Nails that goes to the winner of this rivalry.

"We've been close," said UC coach Rick Minter. "We've had our opportunities. It's been a long, hard road, getting that keg back."

Louisville is 5-4, 3-2 in the league.

Running back DeMarco McCleskey's 1-yard touchdown run with 13:15 left in the game gave the Bearcats their first lead of the night, following a 22-yard pass from quarterback Gino Guidugli to tight end A.J. Lucius to the Louisville 5.

Guidugli, who threw for only three yards in the first half, finished with 120, completing 9 of 23 passes. He wasn't intercepted.

UC quarterback Gino Guidugli looks downfield for a receiver. (AP photo) | ZOOM | SPECIAL: Click here for free desktop wallpaper version of this photo. (112K)

"Gino didn't get any help in that first half," Minter said. "He must have had five drops. Some of those were very catchable. It was fantastic to be down only seven after that first half."

Defensively, UC held Louisville to only 176 yards.

Quarterback Dave Ragone, a two-time C-USA offensive player of the year, was 11-for-31 for just 91 yards.

"Our defense set the tone for the game," Minter said. "Everybody talked about the quarterbacks, but all week long I said the difference would be on defense and special teams."

UC pulled even early in the third quarter on Peek's play after Ragone was sacked by Andre Frazier. It was Peek's second career touchdown.

UC's special teams, a problem all night long and for much of the season, struck again after the UC touchdown, allowing a 92-yard kickoff return by Louisville's Broderick Clark. Clark appeared to be pinned on the sideline but picked his way through the traffic and broke free for a touchdown.

UC came back to tie on McCleskey's 1-yard touchdown run with 3:24 left in the third quarter. The key play in the 50-yard drive was a 28-yard pass from Guidugli to McClesky on third-and-15 from the Louisville 29.

UC running back DeMarco McCleskey scored the tying and go-ahead touchdowns and now holds the career rushing touchdowns record at UC. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

UC's usually potent passing game was shut down in the first half, the Bearcats mustering only 52 yards of offense and failing to score a point for the first time this season.

Guidugli, who entered the game leading the conference in passing yardage with an average of 270 yards per game, failed to complete a pass until the 5:15 mark in the second quarter.

He failed to connect on his first nine passes and finished the half with just three completions in 13 attempts for three yards.

It wasn't entirely Guidugli's fault. Five of those incompletions were on target, but dropped, three by wide receiver Jon Olinger and two by Tye Keith.

Louisville wasn't much better. The Cards, following a 24-yard punt by UC freshman Chet Ervin, drove 75 yards, 32 of them by running back Henry Miller, to take a 7-0 lead with 3:55 left in the first quarter.

But the Cardinals failed to capitalize on a blocked punt that handed them the ball on the UC 41 late in the period and were stopped on fourth-and-3 at the UC 33.

Cincinnati	0	0	14	10	-24
Louisville	7	0	7	0	-14

First Quarter
Lou-Miller 4 run (Smith kick), 3:55

Third Quarter
Cin-Peek 15 fumble return (Ruffin kick), 10:28
Lou-Clark 92 kickoff return (Smith kick), 10:08
Cin-McCleskey 1 run (Ruffin kick), 3:24

Fourth Quarter
Cin-McCleskey 1 run (Ruffin kick), 13:15
Cin-FG Ruffin 29, 2:06

A-36,253.

	Cin	Lou
First downs	15	12
Rushes-yards	50-115	33-70
Passing	120	106
Comp-Att-Int	9-23-0	12-32-0
Return Yards	106	188
Punts-Avg.	9-34.3	9-33.2
Fumbles-Lost	0-0	3-2
Penalties-Yards	7-54	11-85
Time of Possession	33:09	26:51

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING-Cincinnati, McCleskey 26-82, Hall 9-23, Guidugli 4-12, Murray 3-12, Wolke 1-0, Harwell 2-(minus 1), Vann 1-(minus 7), team 4-(minus 6). Louisville, Miller 18-71, Gates 3-13, Patterson 4-2, Dorsey 1-(minus 2), Ragone 7-(minus 14).

PASSING-Cincinnati, Guidugli 9-23-0-120. Louisville, Ragone 11-31-0-91, Dorsey 1-1-0-15.

RECEIVING-Cincinnati, McCleskey 3-35, Keith 2-19, Vann 2-8, Olinger 1-36, Lucius 1-22. Louisville, Harris 4-30, Russell 3-34, Tinch 1-25, Patterson 1-8, Owens 1-7, Dorsey 1-3, Gates 1-(minus 1).