By JEFF WALLNER Associated Press
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jerome Ford rushed for 187 yards and two touchdowns, Desmond Ridder threw three touchdown passes and 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 Saturday.
The Bearcats who are ranked No. 4 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, are in position to become the first non-Power 5 team to qualify.
The final rankings will be announced Sunday.
Head coach Luke Fickell believes the Bearcats have done enough.
“The resounding statement is what we did on that football field,” Fickell said. “Nobody is going to call and ask us what we think. I don’t think these guys can be denied that opportunity. It would be a shame.”
Cincinnati (13-0) which extended the nation’s second-longest home winning streak to 27, scored three touchdowns in fewer than eight minutes to finish off its second straight AAC crown.
The fans rushed the field amid a shower of confetti.