Bearcats make case for playoff

Ridder passes for two touchdowns and runs for one as Cincinnati tries to prove it belongs.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The last pass of the day by Desmond Ridder was a celebratory heave way up into stands toward the Cincinnati fans who came to Notre Dame to see their Bearcats make a statement.

Cincinnati wanted to use the first top-10, regular-season matchup in program history as a chance to show it belongs among the nation’s best before heading into its American Athletic Conference schedule. Mission accomplished. Ridder threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score late in the fourth quarter as No. 7 Cincinnati capitalized on its big opportunity and beat No. 9 Notre Dame 24-13 on Saturday in a game the Bearcats hope can be the centerpiece of a College Football Playoff resume.

“We didn’t just beat a top-10 team, we beat a top-five program,” Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell said.

No team from outside the Power Five conferences has reached the playoff in its seven seasons. Never even came close.

To break that barrier, the Bearcats almost certainly need to go undefeated and this trip to Notre Dame (4-1) looked like the toughest test on their schedule. Not to mention the biggest stage they’ll appear on this season.

“It’s still midseason so we got a lot of games left to play, but it obviously is a big win against a top-10 team,” Ridder said. “Hopefully, we keep this going.”

The Bearcats were not quite dominant, but they were plenty good enough in their first trip to South Bend since 1900 to snap Notre Dame’s 26-game home winning streak.

“I don’t think we let the stage get too big for us,” Ridder said.

When told by coaches how loud the crowd can be at Notre Stadium this week, Ridder quipped that it wouldn’t be for long.

The senior delivered, going 19 for 32 for 297 yards. He hooked up with Alec Pierce six times for 144 yards, and was at his best after Notre Dame cut the lead to 1713 with 8:20 left in the fourth quarter.

Ridder went three for three, with a bullet down the middle for 36 yards to Leonard Taylor, on the ensuing drive. He capped it off with a six-yard touchdown run around the left end that made it 24-13 with 5:08 left.

“That’s the Desmond Ridder factor,” Fickell said.

Cincinnati took advantage of three turnovers by Notre Dame in the first half to jump out to a 17-0 lead. The miscues by the Irish were killers.

Ridder and the Bearcats put together their best first-half drive late in the second quarter, going 80 yards for a touchdown. Ridder was three for four, each completion for more than 20 yards, including the 27-yard touchdown to Tre Tucker that beat safety Kyle Hamilton.