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No. 17 Cincinnati wants to avoid another scare vs UConn
UConn (2-7, 0-5 AAC) at No. 17 Cincinnati (7-1, 4-0), Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EST (CBS).
Line: Cincinnati by 35.
Series record: Cincinnati leads 12-3.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
The Bearcats survived another close call against an overmatched team last week, rallying from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat East Carolina 46-43 and remain the only unbeaten team in American Athletic play. They need to beat the lowly Huskies to retain the inside track in the league race.
KEY MATCHUP
Jack Zergiotis vs. Cincinnati's secondary: The true freshman quarterback is facing a defense tied for second nationally with 20 takeaways, including 12 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries. Zergiotis had three turnovers during a loss to Navy. Cincinnati has 10 interceptions and five fumble recoveries in the last four games.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
UConn: Kevin Mensah has four games with 100 yards rushing this season, including each of the last two. He has run for 803 yards and nine touchdowns.
Cincinnati: Freshman cornerback Ahmad Gardner had a 62-yard interception return for a touchdown against ECU, his second this season.
FACTS & FIGURES
Cincinnati has won the last two in the series, including 49-7 in East Hartford last season. The Bearcats have won all eight games against UConn at Nippert Stadium. Overall, the Bearcats have won 11 in a row at home since November 2017. ... UConn has lost 16 straight conference games. The Huskies have dropped 23 of their last 24 games against FBS teams. ... UConn ranks last in the league in points and total offense. The Huskies' defense has given up the most points and the second-most yards in the AAC. ... Mensah ranks fourth in the AAC with 89.2 yards rushing per game. ... Cincinnati's ranking is its highest since 2009, when it got as high as No. 4 during a perfect regular season. ... Michael Warren II ran for a season-high 141 yards and three touchdowns against ECU. Quarterback Desmond Ridder added a career-high 121 yards rushing.
