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Football

Football Moves Into Top-25 Following Win At USF // gobearcats.com

The University of Cincinnati football team is ranked No. 23 in this week's USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 24 in the Associated Press poll following the Bearcats' thrilling 37-34 road win at USF Saturday.

Whit Babcock News

Whit Babcock Talks Priorities and People // Paul Dehner

In his first interview with GoBearcats.com this morning, he outlined his three starting points in taking over the program. "I think we've got to hire and retain quality people and coaches," Babcock said. "We've got to build and renovate facilities to recruit them in and train them in. That is something we can't stand pat on is facilities. Thirdly, you need the financial resources and this is the most important one to provide scholarship assistance and academic assistance and graduate your kids and get them started in life there."

In my view those are the right priorities, but fundraising has to come first at UC.

Other Bearcat News

UC Swim/Dive Splits Meet With Xavier // gobearcats.com

The University of Cincinnati swimming and diving team recorded split results against Xavier University Friday in the 2011 Crosstown Splashdown at Keating Aquatics Center. The UC women's team defeated XU 183-105, while the Cincinnati men fell to Xavier 167-96. "Our women won tonight with a great effort," said Monty Hopkins, UC swimming and diving head coach. "They did a good job. They were racing. They were swimming smart. They kept after the meet all the way through. I'm really pleased with their overall effort and their cohesion as a team. I'm very pleased with where we are at this time of the season because they have worked hard."

Bearcats End Season With 1-0 Loss To UofL // gobearcats.com

In its final match of the 2011 season, the University of Cincinnati women’s soccer team fell to University of Louisville 1-0 Saturday evening at Gettler Stadium. The only goal of the match occurred in the 59th minute when senior defender Kaitie McDonald sent a cross-field serve to sophomore forward Christine Exeter, who took the pass on a breakaway and shot the ball from 15 yards out past UC freshman forward Kristina Utley (Castro Valley, Calif./Castro Valley).

Bearcats Fall at Syracuse // gobearcats.com

The University of Cincinnati men's soccer team dropped a 4-2 road decision at Syracuse on Saturday evening at the SU Soccer Stadium. Cincinnati (5-10-1, 1-6-0 BIG EAST) dropped its second straight BIG EAST contest and Syracuse (3-10-1, 1-5-1) won its first conference game in two seasons.

It has not been a good year for the men's soccer team, but this team is very young and this years struggles should reap rewards going forward.

Bearcats Eighth After Round One at Pat Bradley Invitational // gobearcats.com
Andrea Malek is tied for 10th and the University of Cincinnati women's golf team is in eighth place after the first round at the 34th annual FIU/Pat Bradley Invitational.

Bearcats Take Down Mountaineers // gobearcats.com

The University of Cincinnati volleyball team defeated the West Virginia Mountaineers in straight sets Sunday afternoon (25-19, 25-20, 25-20). The win keeps the longest current home winning streak alive with 45 wins in a row at Fifth Third Arena. The Bearcats were led on the afternoon by junior Jordanne Scott (Indianapolis, Ind. /Lawrence North). She recorded 15 kills and a .323 hitting percentage, along with 4 blocks.

Around The Big East

Big East bowl projections: Week 8 // Big East Blog // ESPN

BCS, Discover Orange Bowl: Cincinnati vs. ACC. The Bearcats are in control of the league race as the only 2-0 team. Does that mean they are going to run the table and win out? I think there is going to be a slip up somewhere, but I also think every team in the league will have at least one conference loss. Cincinnati does get West Virginia at home, but also has three road games left, including at Syracuse on Nov. 26.

What we learned in the Big East: Week 8 // Big East Blog // ESPN

1. Cincinnati in control. Raise your hand if you thought the Bearcats would be the team in control of the Big East race after three conference games. Everybody outside of Cincinnati surely has their hands in their laps. All the talk going into Saturday focused on West Virginia and its super high-flying offense. But following a stunning weekend that featured losses by the Mountaineers and Rutgers, it is Cincinnati on top of the league at 2-0. The Bearcats are off this week before traveling to Pitt. Three of their final five games are on the road, so it is not going to be easy to run the table and clinch a BCS berth. But a tough 37-34 road win over South Florida surely gives Cincinnati confidence that is can overcome whatever tests come their way on the road.

My hand is certainly not raised.

Conference Expansion

West Virginia is the Top Big XII Expansion Target // Big East Coast Bias
West Virginia is the top Big 12 expansion target. All reports are that UC is in the mix, just at the end of the line after some combination of WVU, Louisville, and BYU. The combination depends largely on who you talk to.

Nationally Recognized

BCS Realpolitik: A three-team race, and a short hop to chaos // Dr. Saturday

The human polls are coming around to the Cowboys, too, but Oklahoma State nearly sweeps the machines for the second week in a row, taking the top spot in five of six computer polls after dispatching Missouri.

Oklahoma States defense is abhorrent, but the computers like that apparently.

Superlatives: Stanford spreads the wealth in un-Lucky bloodbath // Dr. Saturday

GEOMETRY • Keith Nichol, Michigan State. Not only did Nichol solve one of the toughest angles in sports on a last-second, Hail Mary tip against Wisconsin: He also got the angle on instant replay after dragging linebacker Mike Taylor just far enough over the plane — for just long enough — to convince officials to overturn their original call on the field and award the Spartans the winning touchdown in a 37-31 thriller.

The craziest finish to a football game in my lifetime

Reading This Will Make You Smarter/Angry

Kidnapped at Birth // New York
crazy, crazy story