CINCINNATI, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Quarterback Craig Krenzel scrambled six yards for a touchdown with 3:44 remaining Saturday and safety Will Allen intercepted a pass in the end zone in the final minute as the sixth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes held on for a 23-19 triumph over Cincinnati.
With star running back Maurice Clarett recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery, Ross carried 24 times for 130 yards. But the Bearcats (1-2) had a 19-17 lead and were driving midway through the fourth quarter.
Quarterback Gino Guidugli was sacked and fumbled, however, with defensive tackle David Thompson recovering at the Cincinnati 47 with just over eight minutes to play.
Krenzel led the Buckeyes (4-0) to the go-ahead score, capping the 10-play drive by spinning away from two defenders and lunging across the goal line.
Guidugli, a sophomore, appeared set to engineer the fifth fourth-quarter comeback of his brief career. He marched the Bearcats from their own 20-yard line to the Ohio State 15 in the final minute before throwing three incompletions in the end zone.
On fourth down, Guidugli's pass was tipped and picked off by Allen, sealing the Buckeyes' 11th win in 13 games in the series.
The crowd of 66,319 at Paul Brown Stadium was the largest to watch a college football game in Cincinnati.
