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Unbeaten Cincinnati Holds Off Rutgers

The Associated Press

Published: October 7, 2007

Updated: 10/07/2007 12:33 am

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Ben Mauk's passing and opportunistic defense. It's been an unbeatable combination for No. 20 Cincinnati.

Mauk threw two of his three touchdowns in a 19-second span late in the third quarter and Cincinnati forced four turnovers, including a game-saving interception by linebacker Ryan Manalac with 1:19 to play as the Bearcats defeated No. 21 Rutgers 28-23 on Saturday night.

Mauk threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Dominick Goodman in the first half and found Marcus Barnett on a 2-yard toss and Marshwan Gilyard on a 27-yard pass in the lightning quick third-quarter spree that helped Cincinnati (6-0, 1-0) send Rutgers (3-2, 0-1) to its second straight loss.

The Scarlet Knights had a chance to pull the game out in the final minutes as they drove from their own 20 to the Cincinnati 17. On a second-and-3, Manalac stepped in front of a Mike Teel pass to Tim Brown and sealed the win with an interception.

'When we needed a big one and we got it,' Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly said.

W. VIRGINIA 55, SYRACUSE 14: Fullback Owen Schmitt scored his first two touchdowns of the season, defensive tackle Keilen Dykes returned an interception 19 yards for another score, and No. 13 West Virginia beat host Syracuse.

It was the 100th victory for West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez and helped put last week's 21-13 loss at South Florida behind him.

The Mountaineers (5-1, 1-1), who committed six turnovers in a loss that probably cost them any chance at the national championship, converted two deflected passes into touchdowns in the first half to build a commanding 31-7 lead against the Orange (1-5, 1-1).

West Virginia quarterback Pat White, who sustained a thigh bruise against USF and sat out the second half, suffered what appeared to be a shoulder injury midway through the third quarter against Syracuse and never returned. Before he was relieved for the second straight week by Jarrett Brown, White was 12 of 15 for 148 yards and one TD and had 14 carries for a team-high 89 yards and another TD.

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