UC loses opener to Fresno State

Fresno, California - FRESNO, Calif. (AP) -- A big-play passing offense that can carry
a team even when the running game struggles. A defensive front that
can contain the spread and pressure the quarterback.
Fresno State opened this season with some key elements that were
missing too often a year ago.
Ryan Colburn matched his career high with four touchdown passes
and Logan Harrell had four of Fresno State's eight sacks to help
the Bulldogs snap Cincinnati's 18-game regular-season winning
streak with a 28-14 victory Saturday night.
"It was a big-play offense tonight instead of the typical
grind-it-out," Fresno State coach Pat Hill said. "It was
completely different that how I anticipated this game would be."
Colburn connected with Robbie Rouse, Jamel Hamler, Devon Wylie
and Rashad Evans to help the Bulldogs overcome an early 14-0
deficit and hand Butch Jones a loss in his first game as
Cincinnati's coach.
Jones took over the two-time defending Big East champions after
Brian Kelly left for Notre Dame. He kept the spread offense that
was so successful under Kelly and revamped a defense that struggled
late last season.
For one quarter it looked as if the results would be the same as
they usually were during Kelly's reign. But the Bearcats eventually
wilted in the 94-degree heat against an inspired opponent.
"I don't look at first game, second game," Jones said. "It's
just very disappointing. We expect to win and we have some very
high standards and expectations and we didn't meet those standards
and expectations today. But we'll get those things corrected."
The Bulldogs recorded their 16th win since the start of the 2000
season against teams from conferences that automatically qualify
for the Bowl Championship Series.
Hill felt as if his team should have beaten the Bearcats on the
road last year when star running back Ryan Mathews helped them keep
the ball for nearly 44 minutes of a 28-20 loss.
This time, the Bulldogs attacked through the air and it paid
off. Colburn completed 18 of 24 passes for 247 yards and one
interception. He matched the four TD passes he threw in a loss at
Wisconsin last season.
"This year we have a lot of confidence in our passing attack,
not only in myself but in the way we're able to protect and the
guys we have on the perimeter," Colburn said. "It's an
all-inclusive thing. It's not just me throwing the ball."
Held to one first down on their first seven drives, the Bulldogs
scored touchdowns on their next three, taking a 21-14 lead early in
the third quarter on Colburn's 28-yard pass to Wylie. The touchdown
came one play after they converted a fourth-and-2 with a short pass
to Tapa Taumoepeau.
The turnaround was just as stark on the other side of the ball.
The Bearcats were held to 24 yards in the final 41:44 after taking
a 14-0 lead on Zach Collaros' touchdown run.
Cincinnati's Jacob Rogers missed wide right on a 48-yard
field-goal attempt late in the third quarter. Colburn then hit
Rashad Evans on a 59-yard pass on the first play of the fourth
quarter to make it 28-14.
The Bulldogs sacked Collaros on three successive plays on the
following drive as the Bearcats' offense struggled to find a
rhythm. Collaros completed 24 of 41 passes for 219 yards, throwing
for one touchdown and running for another.
"We're going to bounce back from this, but give credit to
Fresno," Collaros said. "They played really well. We've just got
to clean up a few mistakes."
The Bearcats were held to 15 yards rushing in their first
regular-season loss since a 40-16 defeat at Connecticut on Oct. 25,
2008.
Cincinnati lost 64 yards on sacks as Fresno State's offseason
work against the spread paid off.
"Once we started getting pressure off their offensive line it
started taking confidence out of the quarterback," Harrell said.
"They just started falling apart. We were just getting pressure
all night."
The Bearcats got off to the early lead, getting a 23-yard TD
pass from Collaros to D.J. Woods following an interception by Pat
Lambert. Collaros' 5-yard run early in the second quarter made it
14-0. At that point, Cincinnati had outgained Fresno State 195-8.