Saturday, December 3, 2011 12:00 PM (ET)

Recap: Cincinnati 35, Connecticut 27

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Dec 3, 2011

Cincinnati scored two defensive touchdowns and the No. 25 Bearcats clinched a share of the Big East title with a 35-27 win over visiting Connecticut on Saturday.

Cincinnati, West Virginia and Louisville finish in a three-way tie for the conference championship. It's likely the Mountaineers will be the league's BCS representative when the bowl matchups are announced Sunday. West Virginia is the only Big East team ranked in this week's BCS standings, which will be used to determine the league's representative.

Cincinnati (9-3, 5-2 Big East) has been rumored as a possibility to play in the Liberty, Pinstripe or BBVA Compass Bank Bowl.

The loss means Connecticut (5-7, 3-4 Big East) won't go to a bowl game for the first time in five seasons.

The Bearcats built a 35-12 lead in the third quarter behind the two defensive scores and three touchdown passes by quarterback Munchie Legaux. The Huskies, who got four field goals by Dave Teggart, rallied behind two scoring passes from Johnny McEntee, who also threw for a two-point conversion.

McEntee's 25-yard scoring pass to Ryan Griffin with 5:46 to play cut the lead to eight, but Cincinnati ran out the clock and punted on the game's final play.

Cincinnati's defense began the scoring less than five minutes into the game. Walter Stewart took the ball out of McEntee's hands while sacking the Huskies quarterback in the end zone for a touchdown. McEntee's quarter got worse when safety Drew Frey intercepted a pass and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown.

Legaux threw two scoring passes to Anthony McClung for 13 and 31 yards. He also hit Alex Chisum with a 22-yard TD pass.

Teggart's hit field goals from 35, 46, 53 and 43 yards.

McEntee threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Mark Hinkley and then hit Corey Manning for a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter.
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