ANN ARBOR, Mich. - After a terrible start, it appeared that Mike Boone and his Cincinnati Bearcats might indeed shock the world here Saturday afternoon. Instead, No. 8 Michigan gradually did its Michigan thing and drilled UC 36-14.
The Bearcats trailed 14-0 midway through the first quarter, when it appeared the 34-point Las Vegas point spread would prove accurate. UC fought its way back amid the screaming maelstrom of 111,384 (mostly Michigan) fans and the Bearcats found themselves trailing just 17-14 early in the third quarter.
Then, crash.
A Michigan touchdown pass, a dropped UC pass on a deep ball inside the 10-yard line, a Keystone Cops-like safety on a punt attempt, and then a Michigan interception return for a TD finished off the Bearcats in rather quick order.