Plummer Sparks Cincy To Victory Qb Becomes A Triple Threat; John L. Smith Sent Out A Loser

Chad Plummer was the best three players on the field at the inaugural Humanitarian Bowl.

Plummer had 62 yards passing and 53 yards rushing in Cincinnati’s 35-19 victory Monday over Utah State. He also caught his first four passes of the season for a team-high 64 yards.

“He was too much for us,” said Utah State coach John L. Smith. “Plummer is a very talented kid, and we couldn’t keep track of him.”

Cincinnati coach Rick Minter had said earlier in the week he planned to use both Plummer and freshman Deontey Kenner at quarterback. But no one expected Plummer - the game’s MVP - to turn the game into a personal triathlon.

Plummer was quick to credit an offensive line that knocked the Aggies flat for most of the afternoon.

“I couldn’t have done any of that without the guys up front,” Plummer said. “We controlled the line of scrimmage, and that carried us to victory.”

It was more than just winning a bowl game - even though Cincinnati hadn’t accomplished that in near a half-century.

“We shoved their guys around,” Minter said. “We took a major step as a team today.”

Cincinnati had a 28-0 lead midway through the third quarter before the Aggies scored three touchdowns in less than 10 minutes to cut the deficit to 16 points early in the fourth.

But the Bearcats’ defense made two stands in the fourth quarter, and celebrated a postseason victory for the first time since the 1949 Glass Bowl in Toledo, Ohio. The Bearcats (8-4) hadn’t been to a bowl since 1950, the longest absence in Division I football.

Kenner, the other half of what Minter called “our two-headed quarterback,” threw for 124 yards. Five players rushed for more than 20 yards apiece for the versatile Bearcats.

Cincinnati moved the ball easily and efficiently, gaining 411 yards on the afternoon and controlling the ball for more than 42 minutes.

“Our defense plays its best ball sitting down,” Minter said. “If they don’t have to be out there, they’re pretty good.”

The Bearcats looked unstoppable early on, racking up 147 yards of offense in the first quarter. Cornelius Bonner caught two 14-yard touchdown passes in the first 16 minutes, and Cincinnati led 21-0 at halftime.

The Aggies got going late in the third period with two touchdown drives that covered a composite 160 yards in just 10 plays. Brent Passey then returned a blocked Cincinnati punt for a touchdown with 13:02 remaining. That cut the lead to 35-19.

But Cincinnati’s defense stepped up, and Bearcats linebacker Brad Jackson’s second interception of the day, with 2:01 to play, assured the victory.

The Aggies turned the ball over four times. Matt Sauk threw three interceptions, including one on the Cincinnati 19 in the second quarter.

The senior quarterback had his worst game of the season statistically. He completed just 12 of 30 passes for 253 yards, 75 of them when Steve Smith caught a short pass and outran the Bearcats defense late in the third quarter.

While Minter was relishing his program’s leap into respectability, Smith was taking off his Aggies sweater for the last time. He has already accepted the head coaching position at Louisville, a Conference USA rival of Cincinnati.

“This loss leaves a bitter taste in my mouth,” said Smith, who has been at Utah State since leaving the University of Idaho. “I think we’ll have to get this rivalry (between Cincinnati and Louisville) going real quick.”

Bearcats 35, Aggies 19 Cincinnati 7 14 14 0 35 Utah St. 0 0 13 6 19 First quarter

CinBonner 16 pass from Plummer (Judge kick), 4:03.

Second quarter Cin-Bonner 14 pass from Kenner (Judge kick), 14:12.

Cin-L.Smith 1 run (Judge kick), 8:30.

Third quarter Cin-Plummer 15 run (Judge kick), 8:39.

USU-S.Smith 75 pass from Sauk (Bohn kick), 7:31.

Cin-O.Smith 7 run (Judge kick), 2:28.

USU-Blue 3 run (kick failed), 0:29.

Fourth quarter USU-Passey 10 blocked punt return (pass failed), 14:18 A-16,131.

Cin USU First downs 23 15 Rushes-yards 65-225 20-63 Passing 186 253 Comp-Att-Int 15-25-0 12-30-3 Return Yards 129 26 Punts-Avg. 5-36.8 6-32.3 Fumbles-Lost 2-1 1-1 Penalties-Yards 7-84 3-13 Time of Possession 42:17 17:43 Individual statistics RUSHING-Cincinnati, O.Smith 15-78, Plummer 15-53, Cooper 17-47, L.Smith 7-32, Royal 9-24, Ison 1-1, Johnson 1-(minus 10). Utah St., Brown 12-56, S.Smith 2-11, Blue 2-6, Sauk 4-(minus 10).

PASSING-Cincinnati, Kenner 10-16-0-124, Plummer 5-9-0-62. Utah St., Sauk 12-30-3-253.

RECEIVING-Cincinnati, Bonner 4-48, Collins-Blake 4-36, Plummer 4-64, Monroe 2-26, Royal 1-12. Utah St., S.Smith 4-136, Jenkins 4-80, Brown 3-29, Damuni 1-8.