UC Bearcats win Belk Bowl against Duke, 48-34
Dec 27
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cincinnati.com
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The University of Cincinnati rallied from a 16-0 deficit in the first quarter with 27 consecutive points but needed an 83-yard touchdown pass from Brendon Kay to tight end Travis Kelce with 44 seconds left to beat Duke, 48-34, Thursday night in the Belk Bowl.
Nick Temple returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown with 14 seconds left after linebacker Maalik Bomar hit Duke quarterback Sean Renfree as he was attempting a pass.
UC got the ball back for its winning touchdown drive on a fumble recovery by senior defensive lineman John Williams at their 6-yard line when it appeared Duke was on the verge of the go-ahead score. UC forced four Duke turnovers without losing a turnover itself.
UC finishes the season 10-3, its second consecutive 10-win campaign.
Kay completed 17 of 25 passes for 332 yards and four touchdowns and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. Renfree was 37-of-49 for 358 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Backup quarterback Brandon Connette, who also played running back and tight end, threw a touchdown and rushed for a score for Duke.
Running back George Winn rushed for 130 yards and one touchdown for UC, while Kelce had five receptions for 123 yards and his touchdown. Wide receiver Anthony McClung had three catches for 110 yards and a touchdown.
UC played the game under interim head coach Steve Stripling, who replaced former coach Butch Jones when Jones left to take the job at Tennessee. New head coach Tommy Tuberville watched the game from a club suite at Bank of America Stadium.Duke was appearing in its first bowl game since the 1994 season. The Blue Devils jumped out to a 6-0 lead on the opening drive of the game, going 79 yards in eight plays before capping the possession with a 5-yard touchdown run by Connette, who took a direct snap out of the wildcat formation. UC’s Adam Dempsey blocked the extra point.
The Blue Devils extended the lead to 9-0 on a 33-yard field goal by freshman Ross Martin on their second drive.
Duke had six plays of 10 or more yards and gained 123 yards on 19 plays on its opening two possessions. UC’s offense went three-and-out on its first two drives, totaling just 10 yards on six plays. Duke got its second touchdown on a blocked punt by Tony Foster that went 26 yards back into the end zone, where Foster fell on the ball, giving the Blue Devils a 16-0 lead with 4:45 left in the first quarter.
UC got its initial first down of the game when Kay ran for 20 yards around the left end. The Bearcats eventually got on the board with a 45-yard field goal by Tony Miliano with 1:43 left in the first quarter.
UC grabbed a 17-16 lead at halftime on two touchdown passes from Kay in the final four minutes of the half. He connected with McClung on a 25-yard pass with 4:02 left. The drive started at UC’s 46-yard line when the defense held on downs.
Kay and Ralph David Abernathy IV hooked up for a 41-yard touchdown pass with 42 seconds left in the half to cap a 98-yard drive.
UC scored 10 points in the third quarter, getting a 27-yard field goal from Miliano and 46-yard touchdown by Winn.
Duke answered with 15 straight points to take a 31-27 lead.