CINCINNATI — The University of Cincinnati moved to No. 2 in the latest Associated Press college football poll, the highest ranking in program history.
Cincinnati is 6-0 for the second-straight season, defeating the University of Central Florida 56-21 at home Saturday. Jerome Ford finished with four rushing touchdowns, while quarterback Desmond Ridder passed for 140 yards and a touchdown to extend the second-longest home winning streak in the nation to 24 games. The game marked the first time in school history the Bearcats scored 50 or more points in consecutive games.
UC's jump in the rankings was also thanks in part to Iowa's 24-7 loss to Purdue Saturday. The Hawkeyes fell to No. 11 in Sunday's poll, while Purdue entered the Top 25 for the first time in more than a decade. The Bearcats remain behind unanimous No. 1 Georgia, while Oklahoma, Alabama and Ohio State fill out the top five.
Cincinnati's No. 2 ranking is the first time a team from outside the Power Five conferences has been ranked that high since 2010, when TCU finished second as a member of the Mountain West and Boise State spent three weeks at No. 2 while a member of the Western Athletic Conference.
The Bearcats play at Navy and Tulane in the next two weeks before hosting Tulsa for homecoming Nov. 6. UC will play one more regular-season home game, against SMU, Nov. 20.
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