Cincinnati Bearcats vs Akron Zips Football Recap

Cincinnati 59, Akron 14

Some blowout wins represent a clear commentary on the winning team. This particular no-doubt demolition derby in the state of Ohio marked an unmistakably harsh verdict on the losing team.

The Cincinnati Bearcats shook off the pain of a blowout loss at Tennessee the week before by welcoming in one of the worst FBS teams in the country to Nippert Stadium in the Queen City. The Akron Zips came to town and Cincinnati took out all of its pent up frustration on its in-state visitor. The Bearcats shrugged off the 45-23 loss to Tennessee by blowing out the hapless, helpless Zips, 59-14, in a game that wasn’t even as close as perhaps that score might indicate. The Bearcats emptied the benches early and the defense allowed a few scores late. UC quarterback Zach Collaros feasted on a bad Akron defense, throwing for 157 yards and a touchdown despite playing barely half of the game. The increasing use of the running game in 2011 continued for coach Butch Jones’s boys, as the Bearcats had 10 different players carry the ball. Star tailback Isaiah Pead played sparingly as the game got out of hand quickly and true freshman Jameel Poteat got the bulk of the carries for the Cats.

Cincinnati ’s defense made the most of the opportunity to pummel a bad opponent after being torched through the air the week before at Tennessee. Maalik Bomar returned a fumble 54 yards for a touchdown, Dominique Battle returned an interception 54 yards for a touchdown, and Camerron Cheatham returned another interception 53 yards for a touchdown. The Bearcats also sacked Akron quarterback Clayton Moore four times. The win improves Cincinnati to 2-1, and more importantly, the boost in defensive confidence should serve the Cats well as conference play draws closer. Cincinnati received an appreciable momentum boost in advance of this Thursday’s upcoming collision with North Carolina State. If Cincinnati can use this blowout as a template and use it to play a crisp and precise brand of ball, this romp could actually possess some real-world value.

To be honest, though, that’s doubtful, because Akron is one of the five worst teams in the 120-member Football Bowl Subdivision. The Zips enjoyed a measure of success under former coach J.D. Brookhart, but current boss Rob Ianello, now in his second season, is proving that he’s simply not up to the task. Ianello made poor late-game clock management decisions in the latter stages of last year’s lost season. This year, he was faced with the need to coax some notable improvements from his team, but that’s clearly not happening. Akron was not competitive at all in this game; given that Cincinnati is a program immersed in struggles and hardships, this doesn’t say much for the Zips’ place in the larger college football pecking order.

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By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer