University of Cincinnati football coach Luke Fickell opened his weekly session with media members with what felt like the biggest exhale of his coaching career.
"Well, I'm glad that week's over," he said.
Fickell and the No. 2-ranked (Associated Press/USA Today Coaches polls) Bearcats (7-0, 3-0 American Athletic Conference) passed their toughest test of the season on Saturday with a 27-20 win at Navy (1-6, 1-4 AAC). It was the first time this season Cincinnati didn't win by double digits.
[ Recap:No. 2/3 UC Bearcats get first win on road against Navy Midshipmen ]
[ Analysis:A tough win still beats a bad loss, as the Bearcats continue chase for trophies ]
"All in all, no matter what, on both sides of the ball, you do find out a lot about yourself after a game with an academy, especially the Naval Academy," Fickell said. "And on the road, you find out what you're really made of. Because someway, somehow, it's going to be very difficult."
The seven-point victory was a far cry from the 42-0 drubbing Fickell's Bearcats put on the Midshipmen at Nippert Stadium during the 2018 season, Fickell's second at UC.
"I think we got a false sense of security a couple years ago, just with how the game went and how it got out of hand and got lopsided quick," Fickell said.
The fifth-year Cincinnati head coach said his biggest disappointment on Saturday was in his team's inability to slam the door on Navy when UC held a 27-10 lead in the fourth quarter.
"Hopefully we really look at it as an opportunity for us to grow," he said.
Defensively, the Midshipmen lined up with three down linemen and dropped eight players into pass coverage for most of the day. That was much different than the four down linemen and two safeties UC senior quarterback Desmond Ridder said he was expecting Saturday from studying Navy on film.
"Once we saw that, we knew that our game plan that we had was basically scrapped," he said.
Ridder, who completed 18 of 30 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns against the Midshipmen but also threw his first interception since Sept. 18 at Indiana, said on Tuesday there's no way a less-mature, inexperienced Cincinnati team would have won that game.
"We have a great group of leaders, a great group of seniors," he said. "You talk about being frazzled and helping people calm down and staying under control. I think myself and the other seniors really do a good job of keeping the team calm and under control and to know what we came here to do and that's obviously get a win."
Fickell said Saturday's game was even something he and his coaching staff will use to better prepare the Bearcats for what's ahead.
"(It was) an incredible lesson for us as a program and us as coaches," he said. "(It's) an example that we'll use for a lifetime, to be honest with you. And now, it's time to move on. We've got to continue to do a better job of handling all the things that come along with the successes or the wins and the attention that we're getting as an individual and as program. For me, the message will continue to be stay humble and stay hungry."
Cincinnati now sets its sights on Tulane (noon on Saturday on ESPN2), a team that is also 1-6 (0-3 in AAC play) and is looking to topple everything Fickell and the Bearcats are building. It will also be UC's last time to impress the 13-member College Football Playoff selection committee before it releases its first CFP rankings on Nov. 2.
"It's always key to know what you're walking into," Fickell said. "I think that's where the maturity of our program's got to take over. Not just handling the outside things, but knowing every week what we're going to walk into."
Bryant, Gardner named semifinalists for Jim Thorpe Award
Cincinnati's cornerback tandem of Coby Bryant and Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner are both being considered for one of college football's top individual honors.
The Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame announced on Monday that Bryant and Gardner are each a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, presented annually to the nation's top defensive back.
Bryant and Gardner each have two interceptions this season. Bryant's 11 passes defended are tied for third in the nation, while Gardner has allowed only nine completions all season and has two pass breakups.
Gardner, a Detroit native, has never allowed a touchdown in his three-year career, spanning more than 850 coverage snaps.
Bryant and Gardner are two of 12 semifinalists for the award.
[ Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner, Coby Bryant are Cincinnati's impenetrable cornerback tandem ]
DT Brooks earns spot on AAC Honor Roll
Cincinnati graduate defensive tackle Curtis Brooks' career day over the weekend earned him a spot on this week's AAC Honor Roll.
Brooks had a career-high 10 tackles (seven solo) with three tackles for loss, including a sack, in Saturday's win at Navy.
"I'll tell you what, our inside guys – so Marcus Brown, Curtis Brooks, (Jowon) Briggs – they did an unbelievable job," Fickell said. "For a lot of people who don't understand and don't know, I won't get into the officiating of things, but it is a really nasty game inside there. Those guys, as much as anything, were the difference in obviously the rushing attack, and even a lot of those minus-yardage plays. Those guys were phenomenal."
Brooks, who earned his degree in interdisciplinary studies in December 2020, has 28 tackles (17 solo) and 6.5 tackles for loss, including 2.5 sacks, this season.
Scheduling update
Cincinnati will host Tulsa at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 6 at Nippert Stadium. The matchup, which will serve as UC's homecoming, will air on ESPN2.
It will be a rematch of last season's AAC Championship Game. The Bearcats defeated the Golden Hurricane, 27-24, on a 34-yard field goal by kicker Cole Smith as time expired to give Cincinnati its first AAC title in program history.
Red vs. Black World Series
The UC baseball team will close out its fall practice schedule this week with its annual Red vs. Black World Series.
The Bearcats' three-game intrasquad contest will take place at the UC Baseball Stadium. Game 1 is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Wednesday. Game 2 is set for 3 p.m. on Friday. Game 3 will take place at noon on Saturday regardless of the results of the first two days.
Admission is free.
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