The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

SEVERAL wins for Bahamian players in NCAA Division I Football over the weekend moves their programmes one step closer to a possible top 25 ranking poll.

In the most high profile win, Chris Ferguson and the Cincinnati Bearcats rebounded from last week’s heartbreaking loss to knock the Miami Hurricanes from the ranks of the unbeaten.

Cincinnati defeated the Hurricanes 34-23 to move to 3-2 on the season while the ‘Canes fell to 4-1.

Ferguson, the redshirt freshman offensive lineman, took to social media to celebrate the upset win in American Athletic Conference play.

“They said we’ll never beat ‘the U’ with the kind of team we have,” he said.

“Tonight they weren’t expecting a monster to come out of Cincinnati locker room. Dub season, that’s what we do, win.”

The Bearcats are scheduled to travel to face the BYU Cougars in Provo, Utah, on October 16.

Ferguson was initially recruited as a defensive lineman. He came to the Bearcats as a three-star recruit, according to ESPN.com, and has a pair of stars from 247sports.com and Scout.com.

As a defensive lineman in his senior season at Lake Nona High School in Orlando, Florida, he recorded 17 total tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery after just two years of playing organised football.

Also in American Athletic Conference play, Alex Cooper and the Houston Cougars moved to 4-0 on the season.

The senior offensive lineman and starting right tackle was named team captain for every game thus far.

Recently featured on the Cougars’ athletic website, Cooper said the programme is well on its way to national recognition and legitimacy under head coach Tod Herman.

“The bond that we have as teammates is huge for this season and it gives us an unbelievable advantage,” Cooper said. “Our number one goal is to win the conference and to just be nationally relevant. “We want people to look at the University of Houston on TV and say ‘oh, that’s a big time programme’ because I feel like we are.”

The Cougars are slated to host the SMU Mustangs on Thursday.

In the Atlantic Coast Conference, Mavin Saunders and the No. 11 ranked Florida State Seminoles topped the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 24-16.

In their next game they renew their rivalry with the aforementioned Hurricanes on October 10.

Saunders has caught two passes this season for five yards thus far, and remains second on the depth chart at tight end.