Cincinnati Stuns No. 8 Texas Tech 37-24: JC French IV Throws Career-High Four TD Passes as Red Raiders Suffer First Loss
Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, hosted a major college football upset on October 24 as the Cincinnati Bearcats beat No. 8 Texas Tech 37-24 behind a career-high four touchdown passes from quarterback JC French IV and a career-high 173 rushing yards from running back Cole Tabb. Texas Tech fell to 6-1 overall (3-1 in the Big 12), its first loss since the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day, and failed to start 7-0 for the first time since 2013. According to Reuters and the Associated Press, it was Cincinnati's biggest win over a ranked opponent in nearly 20 years — since a 30-11 home win over No. 7 Rutgers on November 18, 2006 — and the fourth win over a top-10 team in school history.
The game turned in the final eight minutes of the first half. After Texas Tech took a 6-3 lead on two field goals, French threw three touchdown passes in the second quarter: a 4-yarder to Tabb for the lead, a 5-yarder to Malachi Henry, and, with five seconds left in the half, a 2-yarder to tight end Lyviel Waters, set up by an MJ Cannon interception and a 51-yard run by Tabb on a 75-yard drive that took just 27 seconds. Cincinnati scored 21 points in the quarter to lead 24-6 at halftime.
Texas Tech briefly threatened in the third quarter when Peyton Morgan intercepted a deflected French pass and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown, cutting the margin to 24-15 after a failed two-point try. Cincinnati answered with a nine-play, 80-yard drive capped by French's fourth touchdown pass, a 17-yarder to Larenzo Fenner. Tabb's 58-yard touchdown run with 6:06 remaining made it 37-18 and sealed the win; it was the first rushing touchdown Texas Tech had allowed all season. Cincinnati finished with 252 rushing yards.
French completed 19 of 30 passes for 172 yards, while Tabb carried 16 times for 173 yards and also caught a touchdown pass. Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond went 24 of 37 for 227 yards with an interception and a lost fumble; the Red Raiders leaned on four field goals from Stone Harrington and did not score an offensive touchdown until Quinten Joyner's 3-yard run with 59 seconds left.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：Cincinnati Bearcats 主场 Nippert Stadium 全景（资料图）。摄影 Ben Levin，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Nippert Stadium, home of the Cincinnati Bearcats (file photo). Photo by Ben Levin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
