Cincinnati came into the 2019 season as a trendy pick to supplant UCF in the American Athletic Conference, and they opened the season with a takedown of UCLA. As they headed to Columbus for an in-state showdown against Ohio State, they hoped to at least play things close and make another statement toward a New Year’s Six bid.
Instead, Ohio State crushed the Bearcats in all phases of the game to send them back to Cincinnati reeling from a 42-0 shutout. Desmond Ridder was held to 166 yards and an interception on 13-of-20 passing, while the running game averaged only 3.1 yards per carry. Cincinnati managed to move the chains for first downs only 13 times all day at the Horseshoe.
The Buckeyes stole the show at home, as Justin Fields went off for 224 yards and two touchdowns through the air on 20-of-25 passing while adding 42 yards and two rushing touchdowns on nine carries. J.K. Dobbins added two more rushing scores as he led the team with 141 yards on 17 carries.
Ohio State is going to remain firmly planted in the top five of the next AP Top 25 release, and they can further consolidate their position next week on a road trip to Bloomington to face Indiana in their Big Ten opener.