Errors cost Bearcats vs. OU
Errors cost Bearcats vs. OU

By Jake Trotter

Published: September 7, 2008

NORMAN — Even though Cincinnati lost 52-26, the Bearcats squandered several opportunities in the first half that could've kept the game closer.

On their second drive, the Bearcats failed to capitalize off Mardy Ginyard's 51-yard kickoff return.

Opting to go for it instead of kicking a field goal on fourth down at the OU 26, quarterback Dustin Grutza's completion to Dominick Goodman came up a yard shy of a first down.

The biggest mistake of the day, however, came on UC's next offensive possession after the Bearcats drove all the way to the Sooner 6 and had first and goal. That next play, Grutza's ill-advised throw on the run was picked off by Dominique Franks in the end zone.

Earlier on that drive, Grutza completed a 30-yard pass to Amon Binns down to the OU 1. But holding negated the play, and eventually Grutza would throw the pick.

“As a team, we see that we have a few more steps that we've got to do,” Gilyard said. “If we play consistent the whole game, I feel confident that it would have been a whole lot closer, if not a little bit on the other side with us. But we didn't. It is what it is.”

The Bearcats committed one final colossal mistake near the end of the first half when Goodman caught a pass and was streaking down the sideline, until OU linebacker Ryan Reynolds punched the ball out for a fumble at the Sooner 44. In the confusion of trying to figure out who had possession, UC's Marcus Barnett was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. Even though instant replay gave UC back the ball, the 15-yard penalty prevented the Bearcats from attempting a field goal or throwing into the end zone.

“I told our kids, we had some nice individual performances. We did some good things,” UC coach Brian Kelly said. “We didn't play consistent football. We weren't consistent in that high level of play. We had flashes of it, but it wasn't consistent.”

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