UC defeated #20-ranked Pitt last Saturday taking sole control of 1st place in the Big East conference - and we were there! It was freakin' freezing Saturday night, but losing my toes was worth it to see the athletic dept. assistants scramble to pick up all the oranges thrown onto the field after every big UC play. It was worth it to see Tony Pike master the Pitt defense with an almost perfect performance. It was worth it to see the student section rush the field before the game actually ended - not once, but twice. (Once, before the last play of the game, and once during the last play of the game.)
When I was a student at UC, going to the football game was an afterthought, something fun to watch if nothing else was going on that Saturday night. You would nod to the ushers who were supposed to check your student ID as you strolled in.
How impossibly surreal was the scene at The Nip Saturday night? The place was decked out in red-clad fans, as if someone had opened a vein in the South end zone. Traffic was backed up on Taft Road a few minutes before kickoff.
Kelly is the subject of rumors sending him to Tennessee. Local sports agent Richard Katz suggests eight or nine Bearcats will go in the NFL Draft next spring.
These are the Bearcats?
Bearcats enter the field amidst the band.
Bearcats before an imminent touchdown.
This guy was dressed up as an orange (bowl)!
Athletic dept. staff race to clear the field of oranges.
UC called for a Ring of Red for the game.
Fans rush the field. Maybe a bit early.