The Battle Continues vs Cincinnati

[cophbulls]

THE BATTLE CONTINUES vs. Cincinnati

Oh Lordy, Lordy, there’s a much wringing of them hands in Whoville ain’t there?

Oh, Pa! Could it be? Can it be? Are them dere Bulls back from the dead? After going 2-4 daddy Bull was put to pasture and the season was put in with the pig slop wasn’t it?

Although Bull faithful continued to cling to that last remaining rung of hope, TBC was skeptical. Louisville on the road? UAB on the road? Figured ‘em both to be losses and had that been the case that last rung would have collapsed and sent the Bulls into the abyss of mathematical elimination. But it didn’t happen that way did it??

Sure, Louisville, now the tenth ranked team in the nation, crushed the Bulls into submission. But if you’d listen closely, the ole ball coach did point out that the defense did play better. And lookie here, after allowing 181 points in the first 5 ¾ games, those Bulls have only allowed 37 points in the last 2 ¼ games. That’s an average difference of about 15 points a game.

In that same time span the real offense has come to play, 127 points scored, including a defensive touch, in the 5 ¾ games for an average of 22 ppg. In the last 2 ¼ games, 92 points for an average of 41 ppg, an average difference of 19 points per game.

Sure there will be naysayers. TBC, amongst others, pointed out things like Louisville not laying it on in the third quarter, the weather at UAB grounding the high powered Blazer offense and the mere fact that the Pirates are who they are. But holy cow, combining those point differentials and we see an average swing of 34 ppg. Even if the naysayers are half right that’s still an average of 17ppg differential.

What’s the difference?

Pure and simple, the front line.

Although USF has had a running game all year long the Bulls have been more successful as of late. The last two games the Bulls have rushed the ball 104 times for 594 yards which works out to 5.7 yards per attempt. Compare that with the first six games where the Bulls ran the ball 218 times, not counting sacks, for 1035 yards, again not counting sacks. This works out to 4.7 yards per carry. The difference is a whopping 21% improvement in the running department.

However even more importantly is the following stat, the first six games the Bulls allowed 16 sacks. In the last two nary an opposing gentleman has been able to corral Mr. Julmiste. In fact the last time the Bulls gave up a sack of any relative importance was with 9:56 left in the second quarter in the Louisville game right before Grammatica kicked the field goal to make the score 14-3. I say meaningful sack because Julmiste went down on a fourth down scramble at the end of the Louisville game. But if you want to be technical that still is only one sack in 10 ½ quarters of play. Purty darn good if you ask me.  

All in all, this front line play is also the reason why the defense is playing better. Simply put time of possession. We go back to those first six games; the Bulls had the ball for a total of 168:46 of clock play or approximately 47% of the time. The last two games the Bulls have had the ball 64:48 or approximately 54% of the time. Big difference.

So now here they are, still with their backs against the wall, a loss here kills all bowl hopes but amazingly still with a chance. In they go to Nippert stadium riding a fairly strong wave of momentum looking to beat a team they have to beat in more ways than one.

The Bearcats swagger into their home sporting a 2000yd, 21td senior QB, Mr. Gino Guidugli. Mr. Guidugli hung 350 yards and 5tds on Southern Miss last week; he has thrown a TD in every game except the opener against Ohio St. and has not thrown an INT in 3 games. Impressive.

Guidugli main target is Hannibal Thomas who has 752 yards receiving and 9 td grabs. Impressive.

The Bearcats also have a Hall of there own, Richard has racked up 826 yards and 5 tds. Didn’t do much last week but put up 149 yards on TCU the week before. Impressive.

Cincinnati’s defense holds its own allowing 23.7 ppg vs. the Bulls 29.0 for the season.

TCB Prediction

Both these teams coming in here are playing for the lives, some players will never be in a game of this “magnitude†again as they will be graduating and moving on. The line is a sucker’s bet, 11 ½ points? Come on. TCB will be surprised and somewhat elated/disappointed if the spread of the score is more than a TD. Take the points and run far, far away. TCB logic says Cincinnati but TCB has a heart and it was crushed last year in that must win game against UAB. TCB is looking for a little love. Besides TCB will be freezing his a** off with the rest of the mob due to Cincinnati’s unrelenting visitor press pass regulation. Take the points AND the Bulls.

TCB is 7-1 against the spread and 5-3 straight for the year.

[NAM37]

Great article!

Go Bulls!!

NAM37