It’s unclear how many "style points" the University of Cincinnati football team will need in order to receive serious consideration for the College Football Playoff.
But the Bearcats stacked up a bunch Friday night.
Cincinnati's defense continued its dominance, forcing three interceptions and collecting four sacks, and Desmond Ridder accounted for four touchdowns as the No. 7 Bearcats (both Associated Press and Coaches polls) defeated ECU 55-17 on senior night at Nippert Stadium.
"To these seniors, we don't have enough time to really honor them and say thank you to them like we should," Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell said. "Because what they have done and what they have been through and what they have grown into is unbelievably amazing. I'm so happy and proud to have been a part of it. We are here because of those guys."
UC honored 18 seniors in front of a limited crowd comprised of family members, UC spirit squads (cheer, dance, band and mascot) and other UC student-athletes in what could be the Bearcats' final game at Nippert this season.
But probably not.
The American Athletic Conference championship game will be played Dec. 19 at the home stadium of the team with the highest winning percentage in conference play.
Cincinnati (7-0, 5-0 AAC) currently sits atop the conference standings with three regular-season games to play, all on the road
"We're going to see what we're really made of," Fickell said. "That's from health, that's from mental, that's from physical, that's from the emotional side of things. It's going to be quite a stretch, with the bull's-eye on our back and a lot of things we want to be able to do. But we gotta focus in, be hungry and be humble with what we're doing and find a way to continue to grow."
Tulsa (3-1, 3-0 AAC) also is undefeated in conference play. The two squads will square off Dec. 4 at Tulsa's H.A. Chapman Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. on ESPN.
Next up: UC will take on UCF at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 21. The game will be on either ABC or ESPN.
What we learned from Friday's win:
You can't score on the 'Blackcats'
Defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman's group held its sixth straight opponent to 17 points or fewer. Friday marked the first time since the season opener against Austin Peay where the 'Blackcats' allowed more than one touchdown.
"We weren't really upset," senior safety James Wiggins said. "It was just miscommunications. ... We just have to be better than this. We can't let a team run the ball down our throat like that and score."
That's the standard.
The unit entered Friday night ranked fifth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 11.7 points per game. ECU's 17 points were too many.
The defense still held another opponent under 300 total yards of offense. Only two of UC's seven opponents this season have eclipsed that mark.
Wiggins collected his first interception since his 2018 second-team All-AAC season. The senior missed all of 2019 after suffering a torn ACL two days before the season opener.
He was also sidelined for much of the last game with a shoulder injury.
"It was great," Wiggins said of the interception with 4:36 to play in the second quarter. "I was like, 'Finally, an opportunity for me to get a pick. Now, all right, I got me one. Next play, let's get another one.' I was trying to get three, really."
Wiggins didn't get three, but the defense did.
Fellow senior Jarell White had a sack and intercepted a pass and returned it 26 yards for a score, and Coby Bryant snagged his third pick of the season.
Ethan Tucky, Ty Van Fossen and Malik Vann each had a sack to cap another suffocating day at the office for the Cincinnati defense.
Desmond Ridder's offense is officially a problem
As great as the defense has been, Ridder has been that good and then some.
The junior quarterback threw three touchdown passes (one to Michael Young Jr., one to Tre Tucker and another to Jayshon Jackson) and ran for another.
Ridder now has accounted for 17 scores in the last four games.
Ridder also threw for a season-high 327 yards, as UC's offense outgained ECU, 653-298.
"I think I'm having a great rhythm with all the guys," said Ridder, who completed passes to nine different players. "It was really just the preparation throughout this week. Film work and watching the defense, knowing where to go with the ball versus different looks."
The offense averaged 9.9 yards per play, nearly a first down every snap.
Elijah Ponder suffered knee injury
The senior defensive end exited the game late in the first quarter with a left knee injury and did not return. He watched the rest of the game on crutches from the sideline.
The 6-foot-3, 275-pound Ponder has been one of the bright spots of the season for Cincinnati. His pressure up front has been a big reason for the defense's dominance.
Pro Football Focus graded Ponder and fellow UC defensive end Myjai Sanders as the best edge defenders in college football.
Though the defense is deep, it will be a big blow to the unit's momentum if the 2019 first-team All-AAC performer is out for an extended period of time.
College Football Playoff
The Beacat mascot stood in the stands and held up a sign that read, "We want in."
Cincinnati has done all it can up to this point to receive consideration for one of the four spots in the College Football Playoff.
With three regular-season games and a probable spot in the AAC championship game left, UC remains the highest-ranked non-Power Five team in the FBS.
All the Bearcats can do is keep winning and hope chaos ensues in front of them.
UC dropped a spot in both the AP and coaches polls last week. All of Cincinnati fans' eyes will be on the latest polls Sunday.
The first College Football Playoff rankings are scheduled to be released on Nov. 24.