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Cincinnati keeps BCS hopes alive, downs West Virginia

Nov 9, 2008 - 5:18 AM MORGANTOWN, West Virginia (Ticker) -- Tony Pike hit Kazeem Alli with a 2-yard touchdown pass in overtime to lift Cincinnati to a 26-23 victory over No. 23 West Virginia on Saturday.

Pike completed 15-of-30 passes for 165 yards and rushed for a touchdown for the Bearcats, who kept their hopes for a Big East Conference title and a BCS bowl bid alive with the win.

The Mountaineers got the first crack in overtime and Noel Devine ran for 18 yards total on the first four plays. But Pat White was sacked on 3-and-3, forcing West Virginia to settle for a 27-yard field goal.

Cincinnati took advantage of their opportunity, with Pike gaining a first down with a 10-yard pass and moving up another eight yards on a penalty. Jacob Ramsey rushed for five yards to set up Pike's game-winning pass.

"We got them together and told them that No. 1, it's our defense that goes on the field first," Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly said. "Keeping them out of the end zone really gave the offense a lift, to be quite honest. Our defense played well all day, up until we got into that darn prevent stuff, which we all know, prevents you from winning."

Trailing, 20-7, with under four minutes to play, Cincinnati (7-2, 3-1 Big East) appeared to wrap up the win when DeAngelo Smith intercepted Pat White's pass on the 1-yard line.

With the fans filing out of the stadium and the Bearcats at the 7-yard line, they gave up a safety with 1:19 left to make it 20-9.

The Mountaineers (6-3, 3-1) got the ball back with 1:06 to play after a 21-yard kick return and moved 62 yards in eight plays, with White's TD pass pulling West Virginia within 20-15 with 23 seconds to play.

White ran it in for the two-point conversion to make it 20-17.

"A lesser team, and I'm talking about the Cincinnati football team, a lesser team would have folded under those circumstances," Kelly said. "Obviously, giving up the points we did late, all of the momentum was with West Virginia. We got the big stop to hold them to the field goal in OT, and then we were able to score the TD."

West Virginia recovered the on-side kick and White completed a 31-yard pass to Dorrell Jalloh. Another pass play fell incomplete, and Pat McAfee ran onto the field and connected on a 52-yard field goal attempt to force overtime.

"That was a big-time kick by McAfee and he got us back in the game and into overtime," West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said.

"That was one heck of a football game and how we battled back, I am so proud of our football team. I'm proud to be their head football coach. That was character in the second half. I am just as proud as I could be for our guys. I'm also proud of the West Virginia nation. I'm indebted and I won't forget it. This is going to make this team better."

Pike, who has a plate and six screws in his left forearm, played his first full game since September 27 and rushed for a touchdown in the second quarter.

White, who burned Cincinnati for 155 yards rushing last season, was held to 44 yards on 19 carries.

"Outstanding defensive play," Kelly said. "Pat White, Noel Devine, Jock Sanders - I could go on and on. We played very well defensively today. We needed to play that well.

"Team defense, but at the end of the day, you are going to have to make individual tackles on one or two of those guys, and we came up with them all night."

The Bearcats (7-2, 3-1) pulled into a tie for first place in the Big East with the Mountaineers and Pittsburgh.

"It was just a great football game, one that we knew that we had to win if we wanted to talk about being a Big East contender," Kelly said.

Cincinnati plays Louisville next weekend before a showdown against Pittsburgh on November 22.