Rutgers = Hornet's Nest

[Bearcat Chris]

Rutgers got beat at home by Maryland Satruday, a team WV destroyed.

Rutgers will remember how we knocked them out of the Top 10 last year. They are hungry for revenge.

I believe we can contain Rice, and that we can win the game, but absolutely everything has going to have to be in sync for the Bearcats to leave with a "W"!!

UC's success this year can be attributed, in part of course, to having 3 of its 22 starters (Byrd, Revels, Goodman) from the Colerain 2004 State Championship team that destroyed absolutely everybody they played.

Early prediction:
UC: 28
Rutgers:21

See you in Jacksonville.

B.C.

[capcbk]

Jacksonville???

After this coming weekend, the buzz will be New Orleans!!!

[Thegreatone]

Our Defense can and will stop The Knights offense. If we can take care of the ball we will win. I will go with 21-17.

[tophat]

For a number of reasons I wish RU had won. They'll be tougher coming off a loss.

[STKohls]

For a number of reasons I wish RU had won. They'll be tougher coming off a loss.

I was thinking the same thing. I'd rather UC play them while Rutgers is coming off a comeback win, undefeated, and ranked in the Top 10. Now Rutgers will have a little extra motivation this week.

[CatsClaw]

I was thinking the same thing. I'd rather UC play them while Rutgers is coming off a comeback win, undefeated, and ranked in the Top 10. Now Rutgers will have a little extra motivation this week.

And UC will have motivation since Rutgers fans, Rutgers players and some Cincinnati fans think that UC is "in trouble" because Rutgers lost. That will be extra motivation for UC to prove the critics wrong.

[Bruce Monnin]

Look for the Vegas people to have UC as a 3 point favorite.

[bearcatmark]

Rutgers was going to be incredibly motivated regardless. I think they may have been caught looking ahead this week. We ended their perfect season in embarassing fashion last year. They were coming off the biggest win in school history. The Rutgers players are going to be no more motivated coming off of a loss.

[Irishbearcat]

I see us winning against Rutgers. We are two-dimensional while they rely heavily on Rice. Our defense is quick and swarming, and reacts well.
I like our chances....

27-17

[subflea]

Look for the Vegas people to have UC as a 3 point favorite.

I doubt it. I bet it will either be rutgers by about 3 or a pick 'em.

[Thegreatone]

Rugters is a major Division I program, they will be motivated no matter what happened the previous week. Their coach is very good and gets paid to get the most out of his team each week and I believe he is one of the best in the country at that. Motivation will be there both sides, give me a better gameplan and execution over motivation anyday.

[jkwuc89]

Football is a very emotional game. Rutgers will be at home, coming off of a disappointing loss and they will remember the drubbing UC put on them last year. If UC can avoid falling behind by 2 scores early, I think UC will give Rutgers a helluva fight. The Bearcats must find a way to contain Rice and force Rutgers to pass which will give UC's ball hawking DB's opportunities to make plays. On offense, UC cannot be one dimensional. The Bearcats must make Rutgers commit to defending the run which will open up passing lanes for Mauk and the receivers.

[Big B]

You guys are giving Rutgers way too much credit. It takes a team at least 2 games to rebound from a demoralizing lost. (See Louisville, and Michigan). We are going up to Jersey and stomp a mudhole into the Rutgirls. 49 - 20.

[Bearcat85]

A little reminder from last week:

UC: 24
SDSU: 21

This is going to be a tough game, and frankly, I think they will be much tougher than anybody is expecting. We can't blow it here by looking forward to the game with Rutgers.

B.C.

[subflea]

Look for the Vegas people to have UC as a 3 point favorite.

Rutgers opened as a 6 pt favorite.

[General Woundwort]

I see us winning against Rutgers. We are two-dimensional while they rely heavily on Rice. Our defense is quick and swarming, and reacts well.
I like our chances....

27-17

Ahem.

Yards rushing per game:
Rutgers: 191.75
Cincinnati: 223.6

Yards passing per game:
Rutgers: 300.25
Cincinnati: 260

Rutgers passing game is far more "vertical" than UC - they average a ridiculous 18.5 yards per catch. They do not throw as often or as efficiently, but they can beat you down field.

Their defense is very suspect however - they have given up 200+ yards rushing twice already (to Navy and Maryland), and have only 9 sacks in 4 games against soft competition.

UC has the much better defense, and an offense that is better at stringing together first downs. If they can avoid getting burned on big passing plays, UC should roll. My prediction: 30-14.

[iamspen]

Ahem.
If they can avoid getting burned on big passing plays, UC should roll. My prediction: 30-14.

With the speed the Cats have on defense, I don't envision they'll get burned too often. Once or twice on a blown coverage, perhaps, but even then, it's rare that our defense makes that sort of mistake.

The main advantages UC's defense has are its speed and, perhaps more importantly, its intelligence. We've got a hugely smart football team here in Clifton.

Besides, the Bearcats are turning into one of the classiest teams in all of college football; class, especially in the midst of great success, can take a team farther than talent alone.

[bearcatd]

If either team needs "extra motivation" for an in conference game against a top 25 team, that team will lose.

[Bruce Monnin]

Rutgers opened as a 6 pt favorite.

Surprises me. The Sheridan odds (which has Rutgers favored by 3 points), and most of the Vegas odds are usually within one point of what the result would be predicted by using the Sagarin Predictor ratings.

And the Sagarin predicts us to win by 3 points.

I believe UC has covered the spread all five games. If any of you are into that sort of thing, this might be another good week to have some cash of the Cats.