STAT WATCH: Bearcats’ 11 sacks ties most in FBS in 3 years
Oct 2, 2022, 11:22 AM | Updated: 11:25 pm
Cincinnati defensive lineman Jabari Taylor (90) runs for a touchdown after recovering a fumble during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Kennesaw State, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
(AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
Cincinnati wasn’t even the American Athletic Conference leader in sacks before Saturday. With one big night against Tulsa, the Bearcats begin this week at the top of the national chart.
Cincinnati tied a conference record with 11 sacks against the Golden Hurricane, matching the most in a Bowl Subdivision game in three seasons.
Jabari Taylor had a team-high 2.5 sacks and 10 players were credited with at least a half-sack. The Bearcats finished with 15 tackles for loss.
The last team with 11 sacks was Buffalo, which did it against Akron last season. No has had more since Miami (Ohio) had 12 against Akron in 2019.
The Bearcats’ season total of 23 sacks leads the nation, and their 92 since 2020 rank fifth, according to Sportradar.
THE 200 CLUB
Four players had 200-yard rushing games to raise the season total to 10.
Marquez Cooper of Kent State carried a national season-high 40 times for 240 yards against Ohio. Syracuse’s Sean Tucker had 23 carries for 232 yards against Wagner.
Northern Illinois’ Harrison Waylee ran 30 times for 230 yards against Ball State, the most allowed by the Cardinals since 2008.
Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs had 18 runs for 206 yards against Arkansas.
3X PICKS
Utah cornerback Clark Phillips intercepted three passes against Oregon State, most in a Bowl Subdivision game this season, and returned one 38 yards for a touchdown.
Phillips now has seven interceptions in his career and a pick-six three seasons in a row. He did it against Washington State in 2020 and again in 2021.
Utah’s previous three-interception game was by Robert Johnson at Colorado State in 2009. The Utes hadn’t had a player do it in a home game since 1970.
DANTE’S ON FIRE
Kent State’s Dante Cephas set the national season high for receiving yards with his 246 against Ohio. His 13 catches are tied for second most in an FBS game.
Cephas, averaging a Mid-American Conference-leading 100.2 yards receiving per game, broke the school single-game record set by Eugene Baker in 1997.
Cephas did most of his work in the second half, when he caught 11 balls for 230 yards.
PERFECT DAY
Syracuse’s Garrett Shrader was 17 for 17 in a 59-0 win over Wagner to become the first quarterback since at least 2000 to finish a game with a completion rate of 100% on so many attempts, according to Sportradar.
Of the 17 passes, 11 went for more than 10 yards, with his longest going for 32. He had 238 yards passing when he left after three quarters.
Shrader entered the game against the Orange’s winless opponent from the Championship Subdivision having hit 66.4% of his passes to rank 45th nationally. He enters this week 12th at 70.9%.
LONGEST FIELD GOAL
Missouri’s Harrison Mevis kicked the longest field goal of the season in the FBS when he connected from 56 yards against Georgia.
Mevis’ five field goals against the Bulldogs tied the school record, and he became the first Tigers kicker with at least four of 40 yards or longer in the same game.
Mevis also kicked a 52-yarder in the 26-22 loss and is 3 for 4 for the season from 50 or longer.
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