Cincinnati's 67th touchdown breaks Bearcats' single-season TD record in AAC title game

Cincinnati Enquirer

Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) hands off to running back Jerome Ford (24) in the second quarter of the American Athletic Conference Championship football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Houston Cougars at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. The Bearcats led 14-13 at the half.

The Cincinnati Bearcats scored a pair of touchdowns during the first quarter of Saturday's American Athletic Conference title game at Nippert Stadium.

Their first - on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Desmond Ridder to Tyler Scott to complete a five-play, 82-yard scoring drive - gave UC its 66th TD of the season, tying a single-season mark set by the 2009 Bearcats.

Jerome Ford's 79-yard touchdown run later in the quarter was UC's 67th, breaking the record set 12 years ago.

UC, hoping to strengthen its College Football Playoff semifinal hopes by improving to 13-0, led 14-10 after one quarter. The Bearcats scored a trio of third-quarter touchdowns to distance themselves from Houston in a 35-20 win that likely convinced the CFP selection committee to make the Bearcats the first-ever Group of Five team invited to the semifinals.

Oklahoma State's loss Saturday to Baylor in the Big 12 title game appeared to help UC's chances.

Reactions to UC's record-tying and record-breaking scores:

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