Cincinnati Bearcats' 45-44 win against Pitt in 2009 among ESPN's 150 greatest CFB games

Dave Clark | Cincinnati Enquirer

ESPN ranked its top 150 college football games of all time, and the Cincinnati Bearcats' 45-44 win against Pittsburgh on Dec. 5, 2009 - in which UC rallied from a 21-point deficit to take the lead on a memorable touchdown pass by Tony Pike to Armon Binns with just 33 seconds left - ranks No. 127.

A panel of 150 media members, athletic administrators and former players and coaches selected the games from 202 finalists identified by ESPN Stats & Information.

From ESPN on the UC-Pitt game from almost 10 years ago:

Cincinnati WR/KR Mardy Gilyard exploded for 374 all-purpose yards and 2 TDs as the Bearcats rallied from down 21. Cincinnati grabbed its first lead with 33 seconds left on Tony Pike's 29-yard TD pass to Armon Binns. A mishandled snap by Pitt after the Panthers scored with 1:36 left proved to be the difference.

UC celebrated the famous Pike-to-Binns connection by giving away a dual bobblehead to 2019 UC football season-ticket holders.

The 2009 Bearcats were inducted Oct. 18 into the UC James P. Kelly Athletics Hall Of Fame. Led by head coach Brian Kelly, that team lost to Florida in the Sugar Bowl after a 12-0 regular season.

LOVE UC? [ Subscribe now for unlimited access to Cincinnati.com ]