Bearcats Beat: Stars of the Game from the Bearcats 41-20 win over Baylor Saturday afternoon

CINCINNATI — Over their last two games, the Cincinnati Bearcats have out-scored their opponents 90-37. In the fourth quarter, the Bearcats have out-scored their opponents 35-7.

The Bearcats are putting teams away on offense, defense, and special teams. That’s what great teams do, and the Bearcats have the makings of being just that entering a month of November that features a difficult schedule.

Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby led two fourth quarter touchdown drives to seal a 41-20 win on Homecoming Saturday in Clifton. He was one of four stars that stood out in the Bearcats’ seventh straight win Saturday. Let’s look at Sorsby’s performance and the performances of the other three stars from the game.

Four stars from the Bearcats 41-20 win over Baylor

1. Quarterback, Brendan Sorsby: 13-21, 111 yds, 2 TD; 11 rush, 85 yds, TD
Sorsby didn’t have his most prolific game Saturday, but he was great when he needed to be. In the fourth quarter, after the Bears made it a 27-20 game, Sorsby ran and threw for a touchdown to put the game away.

On the ensuing drive when the Bears cut the Bearcats lead to 27-20, Sorsby converted a 3rd&9 from the Bearcats’ 26-yard line by connecting with Noah Jennings for a 13-yard gain. After Cincinnati running back Tawee Walker converted a 4th&1 with a hard-earned two-yard run, Sorsby saw the Red Sea part two plays later to pave the way for his 23-yard touchdown scamper.

Baylor’s Kole Wilson fumbled the ensuing kickoff, giving the Bearcats the ball back at the Bears’ 17-yard line. Three plays later, on 3rd&1, Sorsby rolled right and connected with wide receiver Isaiah Johnson for an eight-yard touchdown to seal the Bearcats’ 41-20 win.

When he needed to be great and make plays, Sorsby was. Leading two drives to seal the game in the fourth quarter is a sign of a great player.

2. Running Back, Tawee Walker: 19 rush, 84 yds, TD; 3 rec., 18 yds
Walker is a human truck stick. He’s not afraid to violently shove a defender aside or run righ through a defender.

In the fourth quarter, he fought hard for two yards on 4th&1 to keep a game-sealing drive alive for the Bearcats. When Walker gets the ball, good things happen. He’s known for his highlight reel runs through defenders, but he can get those hard-earned yards when the game is hanging in the balance.

3. Running Back, Evan Pryor: 13 rush, 66 yds, TD; 1 rec., 1 yd.
Whereas Walker is the bulldozer at running back, Pryor is the gazelle. He can knife through defenses seemingly effortlessly, and if defensive players don’t get a hand on him then he’s gone.

Pryor averaged 5.1 yards per carry on Saturday, complementing Walker’s hard-nosed running with some blazing runs of his own.

4. Defensive Back, Tre Gola-Collard: 11 TKL
Gola-Collard was everywhere on Saturday, leading the Bearcats in tackles by a wide margin. His 11 tackles were four more than any other Bearcats defensive player on Saturday.

Cincinnati held the high-octane Bears offense to just 266 total yards, and the Bearcats’ defense held Bears’ quarterback Sawyer Robertson to just 137 yards passing. Gola-Collard was the leader of the defense Saturday, on a defense that has a lot of players that have stepped up in games throughout the season.