Belk Bowl Preview and Result: Cincinnati vs. Duke

Frank Doyle | Updated Dec 19, 2012

NCAA Football: Big 12 Media Day

Belk Bowl: Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Duke Blue Devils

As many Duke supporters are just getting wound up in the middle of basketball season, the football Blue Devils will play their first postseason game in 18 seasons December 27 against the Cincinnati Bearcats. This Blue Devils club has a lot to be proud of. They were 6-6 this season, breaking a stretch of 17 straight losing campaigns for the team. However, this squad needs to get back on track after a tough end to the regular season.

End on a High Note

The Blue Devils started the season 6-2 before slipping as the season wore on. A leaky defence was the main culprit. Duke allowed an average of 49.5 points and 593.3 yards during its current four-game losing streak. Still, at this point, the Blue Devils are just happy to be playing another game. “It’s kind of just one of those things to leave our legacy at Duke football,” senior Conner Vernon told reporters. “Not only the first senior class to go to a bowl game since ’94 but the first senior class to win a bowl game since a long time. That’s definitely the mindset we’re going to have going into it.”

Bearcats Turning Over a New Leaf

The Bearcats introduced Tommy Tuberville as their new head coach on December 8, putting an exclamation mark on a 9-3 regular season. Cincinnati finished in a four-way tie for first place in the Big East but is here at the Belk Bowl while Louisville is headed to the Sugar Bowl. That can’t sit well with Cincinnati. The Bearcats won’t have Tuberville on the sidelines Thursday as defensive line coach Steve Stripling will serve as the interim coach before Tuberville takes over. “I’m not coaching, I’m observing,” Tuberville told reporters. “The thing I want these guys to do is have the best chance to win. These coaches are working hard, and I definitely don’t want to be in the way.”

Prediction

The Blue Devils are a nice story this year, but they’re way out of their league against the Bearcats. Cincinnati is allowing just 11.8 points per game over the last four and the offence has been much better since Brendon Kay took over under center. He has six touchdowns and just two interceptions in the last five games and has been ruled eligible to return to Cincinnati for a sixth season next year. Kay shouldn’t have much trouble moving the chains against Duke’s defence and the Blue Devils may be forced to settle for field goals all day. Final score prediction: Cincinnati 27, Duke 10.

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