Cincinnati 41, Connecticut 0: Gunner Kiel threw for three touchdowns before leaving in the third quarter and the visiting Bearcats played smothering defense en route to their fifth straight victory.

Kiel, who has been bothered by rib injuries for most of the season, threw for 161 yards before leaving with a trainer to the locker room and did not return for Cincinnati (7-3, 5-1 American Athletic), which held the Huskies to nine first-half yards. Rod Moore ran for 108 yards and a touchdown while freshman Mike Boone added 52 yards on the ground and scored the fifth straight game.

Tim Boyle drew a surprise start for UConn in place of Chandler Whitmer but could not spark the Huskies’ AAC-worst offense, finishing with only 70 yards passing. Noel Thomas made five catches for 32 yards and Ron Johnson rushed for 33 yards for UConn (2-8, 1-5), which was outgained 425-129.

Kiel capped off a 14-play march on Cincinnati’s second possession with a 6-yard scoring strike to Nate Cole and the Bearcats doubled their lead early in the second quarter following the Huskies’ third straight three-and-out on Boone’s 3-yard run. Andrew Gantz converted field goals of 32 and 44 yards on the Cincinnati’s next two drives and the Bearcats capped their dominant first half with Kiel’s 2-yard flip to Jake Golic with 36 seconds left.

Cincinnati stretched their margin to 34-0 early in the third quarter when Huskies returner Deshon Foxx mishandled a punt and Kiel fired an 18-yard strike over the middle of the field moments later to Johnny Holton. The Bearcats padded their lead later in the third as Moore gashed the middle of the Huskies’ defense and raced into the end zone untouched from 28 yards out.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Cincinnati, which is tied with UCF for second place and one-half game behind Memphis in the AAC, scored at least 34 points in six straight games in the same season for the first time in school history. … UConn was blanked at home for the first time since 1978 (Navy) while the Bearcats posted a shutout for the second straight season. … Cincinnati ran 34 plays on the Huskies’ side of the first half while UConn did not cross midfield in the opening 30 minutes.