CINCINNATI – Jerome Ford rushed for 187 yards and two touchdowns, and Desmond Ridder threw three touchdown passes as Cincinnati broke open a close matchup in the third quarter and rolled past Houston 35-20 in the American Athletic Conference championship game Saturday.
The Bearcats (13-0), No. 4 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, are in position to become the first program from a Group of Five conference to qualify for the four-team event, and coach Luke Fickell believes they have done enough.
“The resounding statement is what we did on that football field,” said Fickell, whose team won at Notre Dame to hand the Fighting Irish their only loss this season. “Nobody is going to call and ask us what we think. I don’t think these guys can be denied that opportunity. It would be a shame.”
Cincinnati, which extended the nation’s second-longest home winning streak to 27 games, scored three touchdowns in fewer than eight minutes to finish off its second straight AAC crown, having beaten the University of Central Florida last season. The fans rushed the field amid a shower of confetti.
“I don’t really remember last year, but this year I wanted to get out there and celebrate with the fans,” Ridder said. “It’s a blessing to have never lost a game I’ve played at Nippert. We have such a great atmosphere here.”