The scenario:  League leading Cincinnati was losing to West Virginia– and ultimately lost to them. The Big East title hung like low fruit, for the Cards to pluck in front of the Senior Day,  sell-out crowd. The sun shone brightly on this perfect autumn day for football.

Until…the script did not play out–again–for a disheartened home crowd for the third time this season.

What can one say?  Apparently the young psyches of these Cards just can’t handle great success well…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Preaching from the coaching staff about avoiding a letdown similar to what occurred after the UK win started almost immediately after the WVU celebration had died down some.  But apparently the Cards were still partying in their minds all week long, because from the get go, the team looked flat and distracted.

In fact the coacges, by all accounts, saw this coming in practices and tried re-starting practices twice during the week–and then again in warm-ups just before game time!

Maybe some of the coaches were infected too. Even the offensive play calling was uninspired, bordering on quite predictable, particularly on first down.  Hey–we passed on first down a few times the last few games, why the hell stop now , coaches ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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And when it was obvious we couldn’t run the ball–which it was ALL first half– why not have opened up the air game sooner, like near the beginning of the second half, instead of when it neared panic time. Yes, in the post game presser, Coach Strong was pointed in emphasizing the receivers did not run crisp routes, forcing Teddy Bridgewater to scramble more than normal.  But, when you simply can’t run the ball, you must throw it.

True enough, disappointingly this was a total  team breakdown –even the usually stellar D gave up more than 200 yards rushing, only the second time during Charlie Strong’s reign here.  And this allowed Pitt to control the game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Still, the silver lining is that there is still some madcap football left to play in a still wide open Big East.  Plenty of room left for a jumble of things to happen.

And the gold lining is that we will most probably will be Bowl-ing this year.  Which absolutely no one would have predicted just four games ago.

This team seems to play better on the road anyway, so on to Connecticut !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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(BTW-  Sam Hunter took pics for Hell in the Hall,  and here is the link to his full set of over 200 pics of the game http://www.flickr.com/photos/fpos/sets/72157628113128494/detail/   )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Forget just Bowl-ing.  We’re fighting for the Big East title and BCS bowl spot!

Streaking Louisville racked up it’s third straight win and  it’s first victory over WVU  in Morgantown since 1990, propelling it to 3-1 in a tight conference race.

Just weeks the Cards were 2-2 and wondering where their next “w” would come from.

Now, the rapidly improving Teddy Bridgewater and the Card O line are opening up possibilities no one would have dreamed of….

And now ….Pitt at home.  Bring ‘em on !

Might we dare dream of Bowl-ing ?

Teddy Bridgewater abused the 116th ranked pass defense in the country–for a 44 yd completion  on the second play of the game even ! — and then with  two aerial TD strikes in the first quarter to lead the Cards to a 27-10 decimating of the ACC-bound Orange .

And that alone–even without Vic Anderson glorious 61 yd  TD run to put it away at the beginning of the final quarter—was enough for victory given the clampdown again by Charlie Strong’s  17th ranked defense (in total points allowed per game.)

Chants of “Big East, Big East”  boomed out of the Crunch Zone after Vic’s run.

Bridgewater’s scoring passes were  to DeVante Parker just two  minutes into the game and to Josh Chichester at the end of the first quarter.

This was the second week in a row that the Cards’ D held a Big East offense averaging over 30 pts/game to well under their average.

What made the game even more of an eye-opener:   The Cardinals held the Orange  to a season-low  total yards in a game, just a week after after Syracuse pounded then # 11 West Virginia 49-23.

Speaking of new Big XII member WVU….we will be paying them a visit in Morgantown next weekend.  Given the schools’  Big XII struggle  this week, this game now has a special spice to it.

I believe Bowl-ing –and the Big East title –is wide open and ready for the taking.

Of course, I’m drinking while I’m writing this.

But, hey!  Let’s just see…..