Charlotte, NC

Senior quarterback Brendon Kay fired four touchdown passes, including a bowl-record 83-yard go-ahead score, as Cincinnati recovered from a 16-point deficit in the first quarter to beat Duke, 48-34, and bag the Belk Bowl Thursday at Bank of America Stadium.

Kay completed 17 of 25 passes for 332 yards and his fourth touchdown pass to senior tight end Travis Kelce put the Bearcats ahead with 44 seconds left en route to their fifth straight 10-win season.

Linebacker Nick Temple intercepted Sean Renfree's pass and returned it for a 55-yard yard touchdown with 14 seconds left to seal the win.

Kay also rushed for 76 yards on 10 carries while running back George Winn rushed for 130 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown for the Bearcats.

Kelce led the receiving corps with 123 yards on five catches and wide receiver Anthony McClung tallied 110 yards on three catches and a score. Ralph Abernathy and Chris Moore were the recipient of Key's two other touchdown passes.

Renfree finished 37 for 49 for Belk Bowl-record 358 yards and a touchdown but had two crucial interceptions that dashed the Blue Devils' hopes of clinching their first bowl victory since 1961.

Sophomore quarterback Brandon Connette threw for a touchdown and added a rushing score while cornerback Tony Foster recovered a blocked punt in the endzone for a score for the Blue Devils, who finished the season with a 6-7 record.

Conner Vernon led the Blue Devils' receiving corps with 119 yards on 10 catches and a touchdown and tight end David Reeves caught a two-yard touchdown pass from Connette.

The Blue Devils stormed to a 16-0 lead in the first period before the Bearcats scored 27 unanswered points, sparked by a 45-yard field goal from Tony Milano, to take a 27-16 lead in the third period.

Renfree and Connette then threw back-to-back touchdown heaves to put the Blue Devils ahead, 31-27.

Kay threw a scoring strike to Moore but Ross Martin buried a 52-yard field goal to tie the game at 34.

Then, Kay delivered the go-ahead touchdown pass to Kelce and Temple's 55-yard touchdown interception return drove the final nail in the Blue Devils' coffin.

 

Duke committed four turnovers including two in the red zone as the Blue Devils fell in heartbreaking fashion 48-34 to Cincinnati in the Belk Bowl. In the loss, Duke racked up 560 yards of total offense.

Belk Bowl: Cincinnati vs Duke Highlights 2012

 

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