Enquirer news services

It's this simple for the University of Cincinnati football team: Two victories in their last two games earn the Bearcats another bowl berth, but just one loss ends it all.

The first win must come today, when UC welcomes Alabama-Birmingham to Nippert Stadium for a 1 p.m. contest. If the Bearcats (5-6, 4-2 Conference USA) beat the Blazers (5-6, 4-3), then defeat East Carolina in next week's regular-season finale, they will advance to the postseason for a school-record third straight season.

"It's all in front of us," UC coach Rick Minter said. "Our kids are pretty fired up about the rest of the season."

The Bearcats have won four of their five previous games with UAB, including a 31-17 decision last season. The Blazers' lone win was a 24-21 overtime decision at Nippert in 1999.

Conference USA's championship race is tight entering the season's final weeks. Louisville and TCU are tied for first at 5-2, but UC and East Carolina aren't far behind at 4-2. If Louisville beats Houston today, the Cardinals would claim at least a share of their third straight conference championship and eliminate the Bearcats from the title chase. Still, UC would make a bowl with seven wins. The Liberty Bowl would probably pick Louisville, but C-USA also has tie-ins with the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala., the Houston Bowl, the Hawaii Bowl and the New Orleans Bowl.

UC vs. UAB

When: 1 p.m. today.

Where: Nippert Stadium.

Radio: WLW-AM (700).