David Bailey (photo by Butch Dill/AP)

New football coach Jeff Hafley watched the 2019-20 Eagles get, as interim coach Rich Gunnell termed it, their “butts kicked” by #21 Cincinnati yesterday in the Birmingham (Ala.) Bowl. Final score 38-6. Hafley likely realized he had a lot of work ahead.

Scoring only on the return of a blocked field goal attempt when already down 24-0, BC gained 164 yards total offense, lowest total of the season. The Bearcats meanwhile amassed 459 yards, including 343 yards rushing. In attempting to gain a first down on 11 third-down opportunities, BC was unsuccessful each time.

The game featured a weird sense of deja vu. Last season, BC’s bowl game against Boise State was canceled because of lightning. Yesterday, the start of the game was delayed for 30 minutes because of lightning and then suspended for the same reason after only seven minutes and five seconds of play. The suspension lasted 90 minutes and, to the later dismay of some, the game resumed.

Star BC running back AJ Dillon had announced previously he was preparing for the NFL draft and did not play in the game. 

The Eagles ran 47 plays in the game, compared to 91 for Cincinnati, and possessed the ball for 18 minutes, 31 seconds, less than half the 41:29 possession time for the Bearcats. Running back David Bailey ran eight times for 28 yards, while freshman running back Pat Garwo, playing in his third game of the season, gained 24 yards on four carries. Two Bearcats, including quarterback Desmond Ridder, each gained 105 yards on 21 carries.

BC quarterback Dennis Grosel was 8-17 for 87 yards.

The Eagles finished the season 6-7. While there may be an ACC opponent on the schedule to open the 2020 season, scheduled for September are Holy Cross (September 5), Ohio University (September 12), at Kansas (September 19), and Purdue (September 26).