MORGANTOWN Cincinnati escapes as WVU FG try fails

Last year, the Bearcats lost to West Virginia when their field goal try failed.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) -- This time, a missed 49-yard field goal helped Cincinnati.
West Virginia's Brad Cooper was wide right on the long attempt with two minutes remaining in the game, preserving Cincinnati's 15-13 win over the Mountaineers on Saturday.
"I've been there before," said Bearcats coach Rick Minter.
Last year, Cincinnati's Jonathan Ruffin hit the left upright from 49 yards out as time expired, and West Virginia won 35-32 on the road.
Sophomore Chet Ervin, Cincinnati's punter last year, has taken over field goal duties. Ervin made first-half field goals of 44 and 43 yards and closed the scoring with a 37-yard connection late in the third quarter.
"Chet is a champion. He's a one-play warrior," Minter said. "This kid was totally unproven on the college level."
The offenses struggled and combined for 14 fumbles on a rain-slickened field. West Virginia had five turnovers after none in its first two games.
"We were trying to figure out how to dry our hands, get the snap, catch the ball, whatever," said Cincinnati's Gino Guidugli, who fumbled three times, losing two.
West Virginia's Rasheed Marshall, who also had three fumbles but lost none, said the referees didn't help.
"I don't think they were doing a very good job of keeping the balls dry," he said.
Behind Guidugli, Cincinnati (2-0) beat West Virginia (1-2) for the first time in 13 tries.
It was Guidugli's ninth career comeback win.
"We've been in so many close games. You never know what's going to happen," Guidugli said. "We always prepare for the worst and hope for the best."
His 3-yard TD pass to Cedric Dawley in the second quarter was the 40th of his career, breaking the school record of 39 set by Danny McCoin from 1984-87.
Marshall threw for two scores but otherwise couldn't move West Virginia. Cincinnati held an opponent to under 250 total yards for the second straight game.
"The offense didn't execute and never got in a rhythm," said West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez.