The first American football game at TQL Stadium had all the signs of turning into a Miami (OH) showcase. Instead, Cincinnati turned it into a comeback built on grit, takeaways and one explosive finish, rallying from 21 points down at halftime to beat the RedHawks 35-31 on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026.
That win kept the Victory Bell in Clifton and pushed the Bearcats to 3-0.
Miami came flying out of the gate and made the early tone impossible to ignore. First-year wide receiver Scoop Smith took the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, then second-year running back Lazaro Rogers added a 12-yard scoring run to put the RedHawks up 14-0 in less than five minutes.
Cincinnati answered with a 10-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a one-yard touchdown run from third-year running back Cole Tabb, but Miami kept control. First-year quarterback David McComb led a 10-play, 91-yard march in the second quarter and finished it himself on a six-yard rushing touchdown to stretch the lead to 21-7.
The Bearcats had a chance to chip away late in the half, but sixth-year kicker Stephen Rusnak missed wide on a 52-yard attempt. Miami made them pay right away.
McComb hit fourth-year receiver Maleek Huggins for a 36-yard touchdown, and the RedHawks took a 28-7 lead into halftime. Cincinnati had not trailed at the break in either of its first two games.
Whatever was said in the locker room worked.
Miami opened the second half with a missed 36-yard field goal, and Cincinnati started to find its footing. Fifth-year quarterback JC French IV connected with fourth-year receiver Larenzo Fenner for a 38-yard gain down the sideline, then French punched in a one-yard quarterback sneak to make it 28-14.
The defense then delivered the game’s first huge swing. Cornerback Kenny Worthy picked off McComb at the Miami 31, setting up another short field. French capitalized by finding Tabb for an eight-yard touchdown, trimming the deficit to 28-21 late in the third quarter.
Miami kept coming back with chances to separate again, but Cincinnati’s defense refused to crack. The RedHawks had two fumbles inside the 10-yard line and recovered both, then opened the fourth quarter at the Cincinnati 5. The Bearcats held them to an 18-yard field goal, leaving the score at 31-21 with 13:51 to play.
Even after that, Miami briefly looked like it might regain control when Grant Lyons strip-sacked French and set the RedHawks up at the Cincinnati 41. But Cincinnati’s defense answered again. Josh Hough brought McComb down for a 12-yard sack, and Miami’s 45-yard field goal try drifted wide right.
That miss opened the door for the finish. French hit fifth-year receiver JV Gibson for a six-yard touchdown with 6:20 left, pulling Cincinnati within 31-28. It was the third straight game in which French and Gibson connected for a score.
After Miami moved back into Bearcats territory and punted with 3:46 remaining, Cincinnati put together the drive that flipped the game. French kept it alive with a fourth-down completion to third-year tight end Gavin Grover, then Tabb broke through for a 53-yard touchdown run with 1:29 left to put Cincinnati ahead for the first time all afternoon.
Miami had one last shot, but the Bearcats defense finished the job. Veteran corner Antwan Peek Jr. strip-sacked McComb with 36 seconds remaining, and fifth-year edge Drew Logan recovered the fumble to seal it.
Cincinnati finished with a 28-3 edge in the second half. Tabb ran for 78 yards and two touchdowns, French passed for 309 yards and two scores while adding a rushing touchdown, and Peek paced the defense with nine tackles and two forced fumbles.
The rally was Cincinnati’s biggest since it came back from a 21-0 deficit against Ohio University in 2018.
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