CINCINNATI (AP) — Ben Bryant threw two touchdown passes, Ryan Coe threw a fourth-quarter punt return and Cincinnati beat East Carolina 27-25 on Friday night.
Cincinnati led 24-12 at halftime, but a 13-point third quarter gave East Carolina a 25-24 lead heading into the fourth. The Bearcats drove to the ECU 3-yard line on their first possession of the fourth quarter, and Coe’s 21-yard field goal put them ahead 27-25. That score held as East Carolina failed to score over the final nine minutes.
Bryant completed just 14 of 30 attempts, but they accounted for 244 yards — an average of nearly 17.5 yards per carry. Tyler Scott and Tre Tucker both averaged over 20 yards per reception, with Scott catching 7 passes for 140 yards and Tucker 3 for 64. They each scored one touchdown.
Holton Ahlers was 26 of 46 passing for 280 yards with two touchdowns for ECU. Keaton Mitchell rushed for 112 yards and CJ Johnson had 123 receiving yards. Both scored touchdowns.
Cincinnati (8-2, 5-1 American Athletic Conference) trails first-place Tulane by one game in the losing streak. East Carolina fell to 6-4, 3-3.
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