Cole Tabb capped a rally from a 21-point second half deficit with a 53-yard touchdown run with 1:29 left in regulation to lead Cincinnati to a 35-31 win over Miami (Ohio) Saturday afternoon in Cincinnati.
Tabb, a transfer from Stanford, ran right up the middle, for his second touchdown of the day and finished with 78 yards rushing and two touchdowns, while Antwan Peek Jr. forced his second fumble of the day on Miami quarterback David McComb with 43 seconds remaining to seal the comeback win as Miami was driving at the Cincinnati 34.
The 129th installment of the “Victory Bell” game was played at TQL Stadium, the MLS home of FC Cincinnati just two miles from the Cincinnati campus. The rivalry dating to 1888 has not been renewed for next season.
Kansas transfer quarterback David McComb had a career-high 334 yards on 17-of-28 passing for Miami (1-2) while French finished 31-of-43 for 309 yards, two touchdowns passing and a touchdown run for Cincinnati (3-0), which has won its first three games for the first time since 2021.
At 5-foot-5, Scoop Smith, the smallest player in Division I, took the game’s opening kick and returned it 98 yards to give the Red Hawks a 7-0 lead and instant momentum that carried throughout a dominant first half.
Helping McComb in the first half was acrobatic receiver Maleek Huggins, who made a sliding 36-yard touchdown with 22 seconds left in the second quarter to put Miami up, 28-7, at the half. Huggins finished with four catches for 128 yards and a touchdown.
Facing a desperate situation early in the third quarter and trailing 28-7, the Bearcats decided to go for 4th-and-3 from their own 33. Miami sacked French and appeared poised to put the game away.
But Miami lost momentum after a 14-yard carry after the turnover on downs was nullified by a cut-block penalty. Moments later Miami attempted a field goal only to have holder Pierse Stainton release the ball early and Kellan McLaughlin kicked the ball into the offensive line.
