UC jumps to No. 5 in AP poll

[Jeb]

[quote]UC jumps to No. 5 in AP poll
Cincinnati gets highest rank ever
Enquirer staff and news services • October 18, 2009


The University of Cincinnati moved up to fifth place Sunday in the Associated Press college football poll, the highest ranking ever for UC's football program. The Bearcats also were ranked sixth Sunday in the USA Today Top 25 Coaches' Poll, their highest spot in that survey.

Ohio State, meanwhile, dropped to 18th in the Top 25 poll in the wake of an upset loss to Purdue on Saturday. The Buckeyes were ranked 17th in the USA Today poll, a drop of 10 positions from their ranking last week.

Alabama passed Florida and jumped to the top of the AP poll.

The unbeaten Gators had been in the top spot since the preseason, but the Crimson Tide has been gaining ground for weeks by winning more convincingly than the Gators.

The final surge came after Alabama beat South Carolina 20-6 and Florida needed a field goal in the waning seconds to beat Arkansas 23-20 at home.

The Crimson Tide, which received 10 first-place votes last week, got 39 out of 59 from the media panel Sunday. Florida received the other 20 first-place votes.

Texas is No. 3, followed by Southern California, Cincinnati and Boise State at No. 6.

Florida remained ahead of Alabama in the USA Today poll, but Alabama displaced Texas in the second spot. Texas dropped to third place despite beating Oklahoma Saturday.

UC will have to find a way to keep its high-octane offense going without Tony Pike for at least one more game after Pike injured his left wrist during the South Florida game.

Coach Brian Kelly said Pike, who broke his left forearm last season and played with a plate and six screws that are still in place, will miss Cincinnati's next game, at home Oct. 24 against Louisville.

Cincinnati (6-0) is expected a decision on his status by Monday.

Without Pike, who's thrown for 1,633 yards, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions, Cincinnati has around backup Zach Collaros.[/quote]
http://communitypress.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20091018/SPT0101/310180038/UC+jumps+to+No.+5+in+AP+poll

[Jeb]

Also, ...the BCS poll has us at # 5.

[ThurmanMunster]

fuck the AP, we are # 5 in BCS!

[-GoBengals-]

nice.. go bearcats.. its funny i remember HAVING to buy football season tickets so i could get basketball season tickets for the bearcats growing up..

they better go undefeated tho.. a single loss and they will drop like a fucking rock..

go bearcats.

[Jeb]

[quote name='GoBengals' date='18 October 2009 - 11:49 PM' timestamp='1255920543' post='818547']
nice.. go bearcats.. its funny i remember HAVING to buy football season tickets so i could get basketball season tickets for the bearcats growing up..

they better go undefeated tho.. a single loss and they will drop like a fucking rock..

go bearcats.
[/quote]

...my, how things have changed!

[Jeb]

[quote name='ThurmanMunster' date='18 October 2009 - 10:59 PM' timestamp='1255917551' post='818517']
fuck the AP, we are # 5 in BCS!
[/quote]

Rumor is, ...Pike could play next game.

What if ...

Coach decides to go a 3 quarterback game, ...the offense being adjusted for each QB? I could see coach doing it. Chaz is a good passer, Zack is a good runner, ...and Tony is well balanced in the super-fast spread. After all, Kelly said he wants to speed up the spread even faster for Tony, Zack is a real running threat, and Chaz is your typical pocket passer with an accurate arm.

[Farbeyonddriven]

[quote name='Jeb' date='19 October 2009 - 11:31 AM' timestamp='1255962709' post='818660']
Rumor is, ...Pike could play next game.

What if ...

Coach decides to go a 3 quarterback game, ...the offense being adjusted for each QB? I could see coach doing it. Chaz is a good passer, Zack is a good runner, ...and Tony is well balanced in the super-fast spread. After all, Kelly said he wants to speed up the spread even faster for Tony, Zack is a real running threat, and Chaz is your typical pocket passer with an accurate arm.
[/quote]

I could see that scenario.

[Jeb]

[quote name='Farbeyonddriven' date='19 October 2009 - 11:43 AM' timestamp='1255963392' post='818663']
I could see that scenario.
[/quote]

Lets say we run the table and win out the season, ...

...what happens if USF wins out?

That'll knock down Pitt and WVU and they may not be ranked by the time we play them. On the other hand, it strengthens the value of our win against USF. So, would that really hurt our bid for the championship game or not? USF is a tough team.

[Farbeyonddriven]

If we go undefeated and USF wins out, I see it only helping our BCS bid.

[Jeb]

[quote]Updated: October 19, 2009, 5:30 PM ET
Cincinnati unsure of Pike's status
Associated Press

CINCINNATI -- Tony Pike was back at practice Monday with a cast on his left forearm, an indication that No. 5 Cincinnati may not be without its starting quarterback for long.

Pike had the forearm on his non-passing arm examined by a specialist on Monday, and was allowed to practice wearing a cast. Coach Brian Kelly plans to let him practice this week, then decide whether he will play against Louisville (2-4) on Saturday.

The senior was hurt late in the first half of a 34-17 win at South Florida on Thursday night. Pike broke the forearm last season, had a plate and six screws inserted, and wore a protective cast when he returned after missing only two games.

The plate shifted when he was tackled on Thursday night, causing concern that he might need more surgery and be lost to Cincinnati (6-0) for the season.

Before practice, Kelly said Pike won't play unless he can protect the injury while running Cincinnati's spread offense, which can expose quarterbacks to hits.

"He's got to be able to do things in a shotgun offense," Kelly said. "He's got to be able to take snaps, and we can't put him out there if he's not in position to protect himself. If he can't protect himself, he can't play in a spread offense with an empty backfield."

Pike got hurt late in the first half at South Florida but tried to play after halftime. He was ineffective, got hit again and came out of the game early in the third quarter.

"When he came out [to start the third quarter], most people would not have," Kelly said. "He was in a lot of pain. It said a lot. I know it sent a message to our team that this guy is going to get out there no matter what happens."

Sophomore Zach Collaros, who is more of a running quarterback, took over and helped Cincinnati pull away.

The Bearcats are accustomed to juggling quarterbacks. Last season, they won their first Big East title despite using five quarterbacks due to injuries. Starter Dustin Grutza broke his leg, and Pike took over and broke his forearm two games later. Collaros finished the game in which Pike was hurt, and Chazz Anderson -- also a sophomore this season -- started the next two games. Pike returned and started every game the rest of the season with the plate and screws in the forearm.

The Bearcats were able to keep winning because of a solid defense and Kelly's planning. His backup quarterback takes about 40 percent of the snaps in practice each week, leaving him prepared in case there's an injury.

"Knowing that your quarterback is in a spread offense, you'd better get your No. 2 ready because he [Pike] is going to get hit at times and you never know what's going to happen," Kelly said.

Kelly won't scale back his no-huddle offense if he has to switch quarterbacks. He said Anderson and Collaros would evenly split snaps during practice this week. Whoever handles it better would be Pike's replacement if needed.

"Zach has a tendency to improvise a little bit more," Kelly said. "Chazz will stay a lot more to the [play's] progression. But Zach can make some big plays, where Chazz may not lend himself to it."
[/quote]
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4577241

[Farbeyonddriven]

Channel 9 reported as a break earlier and that he'd be out for a few weeks.

[-GoBengals-]

UC football "fans" might be more unrealistic and delusional as OSU fans, which i didnt think was possible...

Dan was gettin some eats and overheard some UC fans stating that the bengals need to fire marvin and get rid of palmer, and get kelly and pike, then they might have a chance...



yeaomotherfuckingkay

[|Elflocko|]

[quote name='GoBengals' date='19 October 2009 - 09:23 PM' timestamp='1256009002' post='818946']
UC football "fans" might be more unrealistic and delusional as OSU fans, which i didnt think was possible...

Dan was gettin some eats and overheard some UC fans stating that the bengals need to fire marvin and get rid of palmer, and get kelly and pike, then they might have a chance...



yeaomotherfuckingkay
[/quote]

[Go Tory Go!]

[quote name='GoBengals' date='20 October 2009 - 12:23 AM' timestamp='1256009002' post='818946']
UC football "fans" might be more unrealistic and delusional as OSU fans, which i didnt think was possible...

Dan was gettin some eats and overheard some UC fans stating that the bengals need to fire marvin and get rid of palmer, and get kelly and pike, then they might have a chance...



yeaomotherfuckingkay
[/quote]

Is this Dan Snyder you're talking about? Because he would find nothing funny about that idea.

[Jeb]

[quote]Not like flipping a coin
Big Red graduate Zach Collaros gets his chance with the Bearcats

By STEPHANIE ELVERD, Sports writer
POSTED: October 19, 2009


STEUBENVILLE - The rest of the nation learned on Thursday what the City of Steubenville has known for years - Zach Collaros can play football.

In front of the 63,976 people at Raymond James Stadium and millions more watching No. 8 Cincinnati play No. 21 South Florida on ESPN, Collaros, who led Steubenville Big Red to back-to-back Division III state championships in 2005 and 2006, came in for the Bearcats' injured quarterback Tony Pike and made a national name for himself.

Collaros finished with 10 rushes for 132 yards and two scores in one half of football. He added 72 yards passing by completing four of seven attempts in Cincinnati's 34-17 win.

Pike sprained his left wrist just before halftime. He started the second half, but was hit on the Bearcats' first play of the third quarter.

It became obvious Pike couldn't play through the pain.

With his team up just 17-10, Cincinnati head coach Brian Kelly looked to his sophomore backup to take over for the Heisman Trophy candidate.

"I didn't know I was going in until the last second. I didn't know if Tony would finish or not," Collaros said. "When I realized I was going in, I was nervous, but it was a good nervous. I just wanted to keep us in the game."

Not only did Collaros step in, he stepped up, quite literally.

After missing a run signal and forcing Cincinnati to burn a timeout, Collaros trotted to the sidelines to face the music and an aggravated Kelly.

With the play set Collaros led the Bearcats back onto the field. He then led them 75-yards to the end zone.

On third-and-11, the shifty Steubenville standout took the snap, followed his lead blocker 5 yards to the Bearcat 30 and then covered the other 70 all on his own. The extra point after put Cincinnati ahead, 24-10.

Later, Collaros threw interception which allowed South Florida to set up a 1-yard TD run and pull within seven points of the Bearcats, but Collaros shook off the mistake.

Unrattled and undoubtedly using the nerves of steel he developed during Big Red's state championship runs, Collaros took the Bearcats on a 70-yard scoring march, which included a 43-yard pass completion. Collaros ran it in from the 3 to regain a two-possession lead.

Collaros and the Bearcats would put together one more scoring drive. That one was capped off by a 29-yard field goal.

"It is obviously disappointing to lose Tony," said Kelly after the game. "Again, Zach Collaros came in and he did what we asked him to, except for one time.

"He tried to do too much and got an interception. That changed the momentum a little bit, but he is a gamer.

"He is a competitive. He is athletic.

"We did what we had to do with Zach in the game. That was obviously to run him and to control the clock and play good defense and get out of here with a win."

All and all, not a bad coming out party for Collaros, who admits that when you're backing up a player like Pike opportunities come few and far between.

"You never want to see your teammate get hurt, especially a guy like Tony Pike. He's one of my best friends at Cincinnati. He's a great player and just a great guy," Collaros said. "Everybody kept telling me to patient and I'd get my chance. I just wish it wouldn't have been by Tony getting hurt."

Collaros returned to Steubenville on Friday, one day after showcasing his talents on the national stage. He received a celebrity's welcome at Big Red's game with Poland Seminary, signing autographs, giving interviews to the local media and participating in the coin toss at the start of the game.

That, Collaros said, was more nerve-racking then facing Kelly after the missed signal.

"Honestly, I was more nervous about that coin toss than I was about anything that happened on Thursday," Collaros said. "I was more nervous doing that coin toss than I was in the game. I didn't want to mess up."

Collaros will likely start Saturday when the Bearcats play Louisville in Cincinnati, but there been no official word from Kelly.

The Bearcats were ranked No. 5 by the BCS when its first standings were released Sunday. Cincinnati also moved up to No. 5 on the AP Top 25 and No. 6 on the USA Today Poll.[/quote]
http://weirtondailytimes.com/page/content.detail/id/529595.html?nav=5013

[ThurmanMunster]

I would take Pike to be Carsons backup. I wouldnt take Pike or Kelly over Carson and Marvin obviously, but in time i think Kelly will be a coach in the NFL (coordinator and he has hinted to wanting to try that in the NFL at some point) and i have a feeling he wouldnt suck.