(Sports Network) - Zach Collaros sparkled after replacing an
injured Tony Pike by rushing for 132 yards and a pair of touchdowns as eighth-
ranked Cincinnati beat No. 21 South Florida, 34-17, in a Big East battle from
Raymond James Stadium.

Pike completed 12-of-25 passes for 140 yards with two scores, but didn't play
most of the second half due to a sprained left wrist. Collaros finished 4-of-7
passing for 72 yards and was intercepted once for the Bearcats (6-0, 2-0 Big
East), who have their highest ranking ever.

B.J. Daniels connected on 15-of-32 throws for 208 yards with a TD and an
two interceptions for the Bulls (5-1, 1-1), who faltered by allowing 401
yards. That was an uncharacteristic stat for South Florida, considering the
team came into the game as the nation's No. 5 ranked scoring defense (9.4
ppg). Daniels also ran for 74 yards and a touchdown.

Pike departed to the locker room late in the second quarter to get his left
wrist checked out. He fell backward on his non-throwing wrist after being hit
by defensive tackle Aaron Harris.

Last season, Pike broke his left forearm, but he played with a plate and
screws that are still in place. He is expected to miss next Saturday's game
against Louisville and Collaros will fill in.

"We are going to get a specialist to look at it," said Cincinnati head coach
Brian Kelly. "The plate that is in there has shifted. So, we don't know
exactly what that means until he gets seen by a specialist tomorrow. It may
mean surgery. It may not mean surgery. It is really going to be a situation
where we will probably have good information tomorrow. I would say that
definitely, he is going to be out for a little while."

Pike had x-rays, which were negative and he came back to the field to start
the third quarter despite the suffering the injury to the wrist, which was
covered by a padded sleeve.

The first offensive series of the second half for the Bearcats ended in a
missed 41-yard field goal try by Jake Rogers.

Collaros then entered the game under center for Cincinnati on the next
offensive series, and the sophomore rumbled 75 yards for a touchdown on a
quarterback draw to give Cincinnati a 24-10 lead.

"I actually didn't see the signal [the play before], so we had to call
timeout," said Collaros. "We got the plan, and (running back) Jake Ramsey and
the offensive line opened a big hole. Jake Ramsey crushed the linebacker. I
just cut off of his butt, and I guess I split two, and just tried not to get
caught."

Pike later removed the sleeve and was seen on the sidelines with ice on his
arm, but he didn't come back in the game.

The Bulls took advantage of an interception, which led to a Daniels one-yard
QB sneak to the end zone in the final minute of the third quarter.

Collaros continued his impressive play, leading Ben Guidugli with a 43-yard
pass, which was at first ruled a touchdown then overturned. The ball was put
back 15 yards to the 16 when Guidugli was penalized for taking off his helmet.
Cincinnati benefited from a pass interference penalty in the end zone and
Collaros scored on a three-yard QB draw, stretching the ball over the goal
line with 13:14 remaining.

Rogers booted a 29-yard field goal with 6 1/2 minutes left.

"I don't want to bore you with the details, but I have been down this road
before," Kelly said of the QB problem. "We had some things that were prepared
for the worst case scenario. We got it again today in an environment that you
don't want to have to do that. Again, we played good defense. We were solid in
all phases that allowed us to get a really good win against a really good
[team]. That is the best defense that I have seen in a long time."

Rogers kicked a 37-yard field goal just over five minutes into the game, but
the Bulls went ahead 7-3 with 6:14 remaining in the first quarter on Daniels'
28-yard TD pass to Jessie Hester.

Daniels drove USF to the Cincinnati 27, but on fourth down, his pass to
Patrick Richardson fell incomplete.

The game then turned in Cincinnati's favor on the first play of the second
quarter when Aaron Webster cut in front of a receiver, came up with an
interception and rumbled 83 yards to the USF three. On the next play, Pike
found Armon Binns on the right side of the end zone for a 10-7 lead.

"They completed a lot of third down plays, a lot of them," said USF coach Jim
Leavitt. "We couldn't get off the field, and that's credit to them and not to
us. B.J. forced the ball a little bit, but he's a young guy. He's trying and
he worked hard, and I thought they did a good job scheming defensively. We
didn't have the answers, but we are trying a little bit there."

On the ensuing possession, Delbert Alvarado was well off the mark on a 50-yard
field goal try for the Bulls.

The Bearcats widened the margin to 17-7 with 4 1/2 minutes remaining until
halftime thanks to an incredible diving catch in the end zone by Binns. Pike
converted a 3rd-and-17 with a 25-yard pass to D.J. Woods to move the ball to
the Cincinnati 34. Mardy Gilyard caught a 27-yard pass, leading to Pike's
eight-yard connection to Binns in the back of the end zone.

USF's Eric Schwartz kicked a 50-yard field goal on the final play of the half
to get the Bulls within 17-10.

Game Notes

The Bulls play at Pittsburgh next week...Pike has thrown a touchdown pass in
16 straight starts...Cincinnati has won the last four meetings in the
series...Gilyard had five catches for 75 yards...USF had 12 penalties totaling
113 yards.



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