Tom Groeschen

tgroeschen@enquirer.com

Tommy Tuberville stopped calling them the Bad News Bears several weeks ago. And now, Tuberville's surging University of Cincinnati football team has won a share of the American Athletic Conference championship.

UC beat Houston 38-31 to claim a three-way piece of the AAC title Saturday, before 24,606 fans on a cold, gray afternoon at Paul Brown Stadium.

UC (9-3, 7-1 AAC) finished the regular season with the Bearcats' fifth league championship in seven seasons. The most recent title share for UC was in 2012 in the former Big East football conference.

It was the Bearcats' seventh straight win following a 2-3 start, in which Tuberville compared UC's porous defense to the Bad News Bears. The movie Bears baseball team, much like the 2014 Bearcats, also struggled before hitting their stride.

"After we lost our third game, the seniors came in and slammed their hand on the table and said that's it, no more," Tuberville said. "I think they got everybody's attention, including mine. It's just fun to see success when you've had adversity."

Memphis and UCF already had claimed shares of the AAC title, having finished with 7-1 league records. In the case of ties, the league declares co-champions. There is no head-to-head tiebreaker.

UC sources say the Bearcats seem likely to accept a bid to either the Bitcoin Bowl (Dec. 26 in St. Petersburg, Florida) or Military Bowl (Dec. 27 in Annapolis, Maryland). UC will learn its bowl destination Sunday.

"It means a lot," UC senior linebacker Nick Temple said of the AAC title. "The year started off rough, and we didn't know as a defense what identity we had. We finally got together midway through the season. I'm proud of those guys."

Temple had 12 tackles and a sack Saturday, and will join fellow seniors for a fourth consecutive bowl game.

"I had never lost that many games in a row, and I told them I was tired of it," Temple said of the early-season losing streak. "We finally picked it up."

Freshman running back Mike Boone rushed for 85 yards and scored three touchdowns Saturday. Boone and senior Rod Moore (75 yards rushing) have excelled since replacing Hosey Williams and Tion Green, who were lost to season-ending injuries.

"I give all the credit to the O-line," Boone said of his blockers. "They're the ones opening the holes."

UC sophomore quarterback Gunner Kiel completed 15-of-24 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns, but Kiel departed early in the third quarter with leg cramps.

Kiel's two TD passes gave him 30 for the season, one shy of the UC record 31 by Ben Mauk in 2007.

Senior QB Munchie Legaux relieved Kiel and was 10-for-14 passing for 158 yards. UC held a 21-10 lead when Kiel exited.

"I'm proud of Munchie coming in, taking over," Tuberville said. "Gunner just cramped up at halftime, couldn't go after the first play. (Legaux) came in and did a marvelous job."

It is the first time Tuberville has won a conference title since 2004, when his Auburn team won the Southeastern Conference championship.

Houston (7-5, 5-3 AAC) did hold a 594-500 edge in total yards. Cougars sophomore QB Greg Ward Jr. threw for 360 yards and two touchdowns, and he also rushed for 84 yards and a TD. Running back Kenneth Farrow rushed for 138 yards and a TD.

"I told our men a loss is a loss, but I'm proud of the way we battled," Houston coach Tony Levine said. "We have a very talented team and I'm proud of our guys. The vast majority of them are returning."

It was another cold weather game for UC, with the temperature 39 degrees at kickoff.

UC led 21-10 when Kiel left. The Bearcats were able to build their lead to 28-10 on a 2-yard TD run by Boone with 9:45 left in the third quarter.

Houston cut the UC lead to 28-17 on a 40-yard TD run by quarterback Greg Ward Jr. with 5:43 left in the third quarter.

The Bearcats made it 35-17 on a 6-yard TD run by Boone with 15 seconds left in the third quarter.

Houston answered with an 89-yard TD pass from Ward to a wide-open receiver Markeith Ambles down the middle. That trimmed UC's lead to 35-24 with 14:47 left.

UC went ahead 38-24 when Andrew Gantz made a 40-yard field goal with 8:04 left.

Houston whittled UC's lead to 38-31 on a 26-yard TD pass from Ward to wideout Demarcus Ayers with 5:27 remaining.

Houston drove to the UC 11-yard line on the Cougars' final drive, but three consecutive incomplete passes sealed things for the Bearcats.

"Never a doubt," a smiling Tuberville said. "We had that one all the way. We just tried to keep everybody tuned in that didn't come to the game, they were watching on TV. What a fun game."