Virginia Tech Football: Hokies fall to Cincinnati in rainy Military Bowl
By Zach Bigalke
1. Michael Warren II leads Cincinnati offense after Desmond Ridder injury
When Desmond Ridder was forced to leave the game after a hard tackle reaggravated his ankle injury, it put into question whether the Bearcats had a chance to take down Virginia Tech. In came former starting quarterback Hayden Moore, who went 11-of-25 for 120 yards and an interception. Moore also rushed for 64 yards and a touchdown in relief.
It was a mediocre showing from Moore, as he struggled to put together a consistent performance. Thankfully for the Bearcats, the real catalyst that kept Cincinnati in the contest against the Hokies was running back Michael Warren II. The sophomore from Toledo went off for 166 yards on 20 carries, busting in two touchdowns along the way. He also caught a pass for 10 yards as he chipped in as a safety valve out of the backfield.
To take down their Power Five opponent, the Bearcats needed Warren to put the offense on his back and guide them to victory. Warren did just that, picking up the slack from Ridder’s loss to guide Cincinnati to their 11th victory of the season.