CINCINNATI (AP) — Michael Warren II scored three touchdowns and Cincinnati overcame a sluggish start for a 35-13 win over its oldest rival, Miami of Ohio, on Saturday, the Bearcats' 14th straight win over the RedHawks.
The Bearcats are now within one victory of drawing even in the series with Miami (1-2) that started in 1888. The RedHawks lead 59-58-7.
Cincinnati (2-1) suffered a 42-0 loss to Ohio State last week and was scoreless against the RedHawks after the first quarter, falling behind 10-0.
Desmond Ridder threw two touchdown passes in the third quarter, including a 51-yard strike to Thomas Geddis, and Warren sprinted 73 yards for the final score. He had two short touchdown runs in the second quarter. The Bearcats scored on four of five possessions between the 10-second mark in the second quarter through the third quarter.
Ridder was 14 of 30 for 186 yards passing. He threw one interception, the only turnover of the game.
Warren caught five passes for 45 yards and rushed 12 times for 113 yards.
Miami's Tyre Shelton scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 1-yard plunge to give the Redhawks the early lead.
Cincinnati outgained Miami 420-207 in scoring the most points in the series since a 37-33 win in 2015.
Miami's Brett Gabbard completed his first six passes but was sacked four times. He missed on his first six attempts in the second half when Miami only managed a field goal. Gabbard finished 10 of 18 for 143 yards.
OH BROTHER
A pair of brothers were on opposite sidelines: Cincinnati linebacker Kyle Bolden and younger brother, Luke, who started at linebacker for the RedHawks. Their father, Tom, is a celebrated high school coach at Cincinnati's Colerain High. Their cousin Joe Bolden was a standout linebacker at Michigan and his brother Dan is a linebacker at Toledo.
CRADLE OF COACHES
Miami has had several famous coaches in its history. Paul Brown, Woody Hayes, Bo Schembehler and Ara Parseghian coached in Oxford. John Harbaugh of the Baltimore and Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams are former RedHawks.
FOREIGN CONNECTIONS
Two of Cincinnati's starting offensive lineman come from overseas. Lorentz Metz is from Germany where he had just two years of club football experience. Chris Ferguson is from Nassau, Bahamas. He is a sixth-year redshirt who played one year of high school football.
THROWBACK
Cincinnati is celebrating the oldest rivalry west of the Allegheny Mountains by wearing vintage uniforms from the late 1950s and early 60s. This is the oldest nonconference rivalry in the FBS.
The teams met on Dec. 8, 1988 in Oxford, the first college football game in the state of Ohio. They have played each other every year since 1945.
UP NEXT
Miami: The Redhawks will travel to play Ohio State next Saturday. The Redhawks last played the Buckeyes in 2012 in a 56-10 loss.
Cincinnati: The Bearcats will be on the road for a Sept. 28 game at Marshall.
