ALEC PIERCE

Desmond Ridder and the breakthrough Cincinnati Bearcats have stalled on the big stage against top-ranked Alabama.

Jerome Ford rushed for 187 yards and two touchdowns and Desmond Ridder threw three touchdown passes as No. 3 Cincinnati broke open a close game in the third quarter and rolled past No. 16 Houston 35-20 in the American Athletic Conference championship game.

Desmond Ridder threw two touchdown passes and No. 4 Cincinnati completed a perfect regular season by beating East Carolina 35-13.

Desmond Ridder threw three touchdown passes, ran for another score and even caught a TD pass to help No. 3 Cincinnati roll past SMU 48-14 on Saturday.

Jerome Ford rushed for a career-high 189 yards and four touchdowns to help No. 3 Cincinnati roll past UCF 56-21.

Desmond Ridder threw for 259 yards and three touchdowns and No. 5 Cincinnati routed Temple 52-3 on Friday night for its 23rd straight home victory.

Desmond Ridder threw two touchdown passes and ran for score late in the fourth quarter as No. 7 Cincinnati capitalized on its big opportunity and beat No. 9 Notre Dame 24-13 in a game the Bearcats hope can be the centerpiece of College Football Playoff resume.

No. 8 Cincinnati took one small step toward playoff contention by rallying to beat Indiana.

Jerome Ford rushed for 113 yards and three touchdowns and Desmond Ridder passed for 243 yards and two TDs to lead No. 7 Cincinnati past Murray State 42-7.

Cincinnati quarterback Ben Bryant (6)makes the catch against Georgia during the second half of the Peach Bowl NCAA college football game, Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, in Atlanta. 6 Cincinnati its only loss of the season with a dramatic 24-21 victory in the Peach Bowl on Friday. Georgia trailed 21-10 in the fourth quarter, but its defense clamped down on Desmond Ridder and Cincinnati and JT Daniels helped rally the Bulldogs with his arm. Podlesny’s third field goal was his longest of the season and gave Georgia a 22-21 lead. Zamir White's 9-yard TD run trimmed Cincinnati's lead to 21-16, but Daniels' pass on the 2-point attempt was incomplete.

Cincinnati wide receiver Michael Young Jr. holds the ball up as he scores a touchdown during the first half of the team's NCAA college football game against East Carolina, Friday, Nov. 13, 2020, in Cincinnati. 7 Cincinnati rout East Carolina 55-17 on Friday night. In Cincinnati's three-point victory over East Carolina last year, the Pirates scored 43 points and piled up 638 yards. Ridder's 16-yard scramble on third-and-12 set up Jerome Ford's 24-yard touchdown run, and Tre Tucker's 45-yard touchdown reception highlighted a 28-point second quarter. BIG PICTURE:East Carolina: Linebackers Bruce Bevins and Dre Terry were ejected for targeting within about five minutes in the second quarter.