Cincinnati Bearcats football blown out at West Virginia 42-21
MORGANTOWN, West Virginia – The "Country Roads" leading to Morgantown were scenic and it was a beautiful day for football as the University of Cincinnati played their ugliest game of 2023.
For the fourth time all season, the Bearcats were outgained in total yards as West Virginia pleased the announced crowd of 43,588 at Milan Puskar Stadium with a 42-21 Senior Day victory.
Junior quarterback Garrett Greene evoked memories of Pat White with his running and throwing as No. 6 racked up six points repeatedly on the day. Greene had a career-high rushing day with 154 yards and was 12-for-19 passing for 210 yards.
Instead of UC having two 100-plus yard rushers, it was the Mountaineers with Greene and Jahiem White. White had 209 yards with Greene adding 154 for a combined 363. White is only a freshman.
West Virginia outgained UC 635-344, outpassing them 210-191 and outrushing them 425-153.
Emory Jones and Corey Kiner topped UC's running game with 56 yards each. Jones was 14-for-24 passing for 166 yards and two touchdowns.
Fourth downs not so friendly
Against Houston, the Bearcats failed in some 4th-and-short situations that kept Houston in the game. Saturday, the Bearcat brass opted to play conservatively and punted in the first quarter on a 4th-and-1 pinning the Mountaineers on their 9-yard line after a 48-yard Mason Fletcher punt. All the Mountaineers did was go 91 yards in 14 plays covering 6:42. On 4th-and-1 from the 3-yard line, WVU gambled with Greene going in for the game's first score.
Early in the second quarter, UC had a 4th-and-2 near midfield and sent Fletcher to punt the ball again. West Virginia started from the 15-yard line that time. Greene would then hit running back Jaheim White on a 75-yard strike as the Mountaineers jumped out 14-0.
Mountaineers shift into overdrive
As UC's first-half offense continued to sputter, West Virginia was scoring nearly as quickly as the referees handed them the pigskin. C.J. Donaldson culminated a two-play, 40-yard drive with a 13-yard score, then UC finally got on the scoreboard thanks to a Brady Lichtenberg scramble to the 1 and an Emory Jones tush-push, the Mountaineers responded in 52 seconds.
Garrett Greene took the Mountaineers 75 yards and romped into the end zone to make for the 28-7 halftime advantage.
Greene with a nose for the blue and gold end zone
After UC couldn't move the ball on their initial possession of the third quarter, Greene again led a time-consuming 12-play, 88-yard drive lasting over seven minutes. His 18-yard run was his third touchdown of the day on the ground.
A little over four minutes later, Greene engineered a 74-yard drive with Jahiem White racking up his second touchdown.
UC would add a garbage-time score when Jones would hit Xzavier Henderson for 55 yards, then Chamon Metayer for a 30-yard score for their first touchdown in a couple of quarters. Metayer would benefit again with 5:11 remaining as a 7-yard pass from Jones pulled UC within 21 after the extra point.
UC wraps up their season next Saturday at Nippert Stadium against Kansas.
Final: West Virginia 42, Cincinnati 21
West Virginia is now 7-4 (5-3 Big 12). UC is 3-8 (1-7).
Metayer with a 2nd score | West Virginia 42, Cincinnati 21
Jones leads the Bearcats on an 83-yard drive after the Willis interception. Chamon Metayer with the 7-yard score. The drive covers 3:36 and there's 5:11 left in this titanic struggle.
Ken Willis stops another West Virginia score with an INT at the 1-yard line | West Vrigina 42, Cincinnati 14
There is still over eight minutes left in the game.
UC returns to the scoreboard after a lengthy absence | WVU 42, Cincinnati 14
The Bearcats have their longest drive of the day, 96 yards on six plays covering 3:02. It's Emory Jones with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Chamon Metayer. The play was set up by a 55-yard completion from Jones to Xzavier Henderson. There is 12:29 left in the game.
As a reminder, there is no running clock in college football | WVU 42, Cincinnati 7
Six plays, 74 yards in 3:08. Jahiem White in from four yards. West Virginia now has a pair of 100-yard rushers as White is at 109. Greene has 154. :31 still left in the third frame.
Garrett Greene inspires musket-fire again | WVU 35, Cincinnati 7
Greene is having a Pat White-like performance as he leads the Mountaineers on a 12-play 88-yard drive covering over seven minutes. His third rushing touchdown has him at 154 yards. There is 4:39 left in the third quarter.
Halftime | WVU 28, Cincinnati 7
It's the most points UC's given up by halftime all season. West Virginia has outgained UC 338-139. WVU's Garrett Greene has run for 136 yards and is 6-of-10 passing for 139 yards. The Bearcats are being outrushed 199-78. Corey Kiner has 39 yards. Passing-wise, Emory Jones is 7-of-10 for 36 yards and Brady Lichtenberg is 2-for-3 for 25. Lichtenberg is UC's second-leading rusher with 27 yards.
West Virginia has a 52-second drive | WVU 28, Cincinnati 7
West Virginia quarterback Garrett Greene now has 136 yards rushing. It took West Virginia all of 52 seconds to march down the field with Greene taking it in from 26 yards out to crank up the Milan Puskar Stadium fireworks again.
UC on the board before halftime | WVU 21, Cincinnati 7
Brady Lichtenberg leads the Bearcats on an 11-play 75-yard drive in 4:35 but it's Emory Jones who's called on for the tush-push score from the 1-yard line. Lichtenberg set up the play with a 17-yard scramble of his own.
West Virginia continues to dominate | WVU 21, Cincinnati 0
The Mountaineers cover 40 yards in two plays as C.J. Donaldson dances into the end zone to extend the lead. Quite honestly, these are beatdown numbers at this point. West Virginia has outgained UC 263-38 and outrushed them 143-17.
West Virginia's second score comes quick | WVU 14, Cincinnati 0
Twice UC has opted to punt at 4th-and-short near midfield and twice the Mountaineers have responded with scoring drives. This one was 85 yards in 2"01 as quarterback Garrett Greene finds running back Jahiem White all alone for a 75-yard touchdown. 12:42 remains before halftime.
End first quarter, UC has a 4th-and-2 on own 46 | WVU 7, Cincinnati 0
On 3rd-and-2, Emory Jones passed to tight end Chamon Metayer who was tripped up and fell short of the first down. This is only UC's second drive as they head into the second quarter. Hall of Fame former West Virginia coach Don Nehlen being honored during the break. Nehlen was a UC assistant in the early 1960s.
West Virginia gambles on 4th-and-1 from UC 3-yard line and is rewarded | WVU 7, Cincinnati 0
With 2:43 left in the first quarter, the Mountaineers used their second timeout on fourth down with the ball on UC's 3-yard-line. Garrett Greene the quarterback goes straight in for the touchdown. It was a 14-play drive that began on West Virginia's 9-yard line.
West Virginia takes ball after winning coin toss, but doesn't score | Cincinnati 0, WVU 0
11;33 left in the first quarter as the Mountaineers drive to the UC 34-yard line but come up empty. a 52-yard field goal attempt by Michael Hayes is short. On the drive, 40 of WVU's 55 yards came through the air. Starting running back C.J. Donaldson Jr. wasn't in on the opening series.
Pregame update
UC wide receiver Aaron Turner will switch from No. 9 to No. 80 today for the Bearcats. Offensive lineman-turned-tight end Trevor Radosevich is again wearing No. 87. UC tight end No. 88 Payten Singletary is out injured today.
MORGANTOWN, West Virginia – In preparation for a hostile crowd at Milan Puskar Stadium, the University of Cincinnati Bearcats, like many teams in the past, peppered their players with numerous renditions of "Take Me Home, Country Roads" by John Denver.
It's the state anthem of West Virginia and played repeatedly in Morgantown.
UC West Virginia 3 ways to another Cincinnati Bearcats Big 12 football victory in West Virginia
For the Bearcats to reach "Almost Heaven" Saturday, they'll have to shut down a potent offense that's averaged over 30 points per game. Last week's 59-20 loss at Oklahoma was the first time the Mountaineers have been under 30 points scored since Sept. 30.
Both teams rush the ball successfully with West Virginia averaging 213.8 yards per game for No. 7 in the nation and the Bearcats at 223.2 yards for No. 5 among Division I schools.
Common opponents
West Virginia lost to Houston, that UC just beat, 41-39 on a Hail Mary. The Mountaineers have also lost to Oklahoma State and Oklahoma who both also defeated UC. Coach Neal Brown's squad does own a 41-28 win at UCF and a 37-7 trouncing of BYU in Morgantown.
Non-conference-wise, the Bearcats won at Pitt 27-21 while WVU hosted and defeated the Panthers 17-6 just a week after UC's victory.
Back again
It's the 20th meeting of UC and West Virginia but the first since 2011 when the Mountaineers won 24-21 at Paul Brown Stadium as Tony Miliano had a field goal blocked as time expired. The Butch Jones-led Bearcats lost in Morgantown in 2010, 37-10. UC's last victory over WVU was when Brian Kelly's 'Cats won 24-21 at Nippert with quarterbacks Tony Pike and Zach Collaros splitting time. Isaiah Pead ran for 175 yards and UC went to 10-0.
Wolverine/Bearcat connections
Friday, Michigan fired linebackers coach Chris Partridge who allegedly participated in the destruction of evidence related to the Connor Stallions sign-stealing controversy. His replacement is former UC Bearcat head coach (1994-2003) Rick Minter's son, Jesse Minter.
Also, a report first aired by iHeart Media's Mo Egger, a report Connor Stallions purchased tickets to last season's UC vs. East Carolina game has been confirmed. Michigan opened this season vs. ECU, winning 30-3.
Hoop news
Expect some movement on that Aziz Bandaogo/ Jamille Reynolds eligibility situation come Monday.
"We remain hopeful the NCAA will allow Aziz to play this season but we're preparing for all possibilities and time is running out," Bandaoago attorney Swain Woods of the Raleigh-based Morningstar Group said over the weekend.
A broader action by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is also a possibility.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bearcats football loses at West Virginia 42-21
