HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — Desmond Ridder threw a season-high four touchdown passes and Cincinnati rolled to a 52-14 victory over Marshall on Saturday.
The Bearcats (3-1) were dominant throughout their final nonconference tuneup before the start of American Athletic Conference play.
Marshall (2-2) was limited to 256 yards of offense, with half of that coming in the fourth quarter.
Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell said it was “probably the complete game we’ve been looking for. We’ve been in a little bit of a rut. We were 2-1, but it just didn’t feel the same, the energy. And then after tonight you walk in that locker room, there’s a different energy.”
Ridder had TD tosses of 13 yards to Rashad Medaris and 17 yards to Alec Pierce in the first quarter, and 13 yards to tight end Josiah Deguara in the second quarter.
Just before halftime, Ridder fumbled when he was hit by Marshall linebacker Tavante Beckett while attempting a pass. Deguara picked up the loose ball at the Marshall 2 and ran it in for a 28-0 halftime lead.
Ridder, a sophomore, added a 4-yard TD pass to tight end Bruno Labelle in the third quarter. Ridder completed 18 of 22 passes for 221 yards before being replaced by freshman Ben Bryant midway through the third.
Cincinnati led 45-0 entering the fourth quarter.
“We didn’t execute and we didn’t make enough plays,” said Marshall sophomore quarterback Isaiah Green. “This football team doesn’t give up. We’ve got to move on.”
THE TAKEAWAY
Cincinnati: Ridder, whose four TD tosses matched his total from the previous three games, looked at ease in the pocket and it helped that his receivers often were wide open. It marked the first game this season that Ridder did not throw an interception. He also rushed nine times for 48 yards. Pierce had season highs of six catches for 108 yards.
Marshall: The Thundering Herd had averaged 32 points over its first three games but didn’t put up much of a fight Saturday. Green missed several of his targets and Marshall struggled to run the ball until after the outcome was already decided. Green finished 11 of 29 for 131 yards.
AVOIDING A SHUTOUT
Backup running back Sheldon Evans’ 13-yard TD run and Willie Johnson’s 40-yard run on a reverse, both in the fourth quarter, enabled Marshall to avoid its first shutout loss at home since 1984 and its first overall shutout loss since 2000.
BRYANT’S FIRST
Bryant’s first career completion was a 56-yard pass to Tre Tucker to the Marshall 1 late in the third quarter. Tavion Thomas scored on a 1-yard run on the next play.
TOUGH IN HUNTINGTON
Cincinnati and Marshall are about 150 miles apart. The Bearcats won in blowout fashion for the second straight time in Huntington. In 2008, Cincinnati won the last meeting at Marshall 33-10.
UP NEXT
Cincinnati: Hosts No. 22 UCF in its league opener next Friday.
Marshall: Travels to Middle Tennessee in its Conference USA opener next Saturday.
Marshall stats
Cincinnati 14 14 17 7 = 52
Marshall 0 0 0 14 = 14
First Quarter
CIN—Medaris 13 pass from Ridder (Crosa kick), 12:40
CIN—Pierce 17 pass from Ridder (Crosa kick), 2:53
Second Quarter
CIN—Deguara 13 pass from Ridder (Crosa kick), 8:45
CIN— (Crosa kick)
Third Quarter
CIN—Labelle 4 pass from Ridder (Crosa kick), 8:46
CIN—FG Crosa 32, 1:39
CIN—T.Thomas 1 run (Crosa kick), :03
Fourth Quarter
MSH—Evans 13 run (Rohrwasser kick), 12:35
MSH—W.Johnson 40 run (Rohrwasser kick), 10:40
CIN—Kopaygorodsky 1 run (Crosa kick), 1:20
———
CIN MSH
First downs 30 13
Rushes-yards 51-230 29-125
Passing 295 131
Comp-Att-Int 21-26-0 11-30-0
Return Yards 46 109
Punts-Avg. 3-48.66 8-39.37
Fumbles-Lost 2-1 0-0
Penalties-Yards 9-75 7-65
Time of Possession 37:08 22:52
———
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Cincinnati, T.Thomas 11-70, Ridder 9-48, Warren 13-42, Doaks 6-32, Kopaygorodsky 5-19, B.Bryant 3-11, Montgomery 3-5, Deguara 0-2, Medaris 1-1. Marshall, Knox 16-49, Evans 7-42, W.Johnson 1-40, Green 5-(minus 6).
PASSING—Cincinnati, Ridder 18-22-0-221, B.Bryant 3-4-0-74. Marshall, Green 11-29-0-131, (Team) 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING—Cincinnati, Pierce 6-108, Deguara 3-42, Medaris 2-28, Labelle 2-9, T.Tucker 1-56, Mbodj 1-12, B.Smith 1-11, Wright 1-7, Geddis 1-6, L.Taylor 1-6, J.Jackson 1-5, Warren 1-5. Marshall, Knox 4-50, Gammage 2-28, Levias 2-20, Gaines 2-10, W.Johnson 1-23.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.