Quarterback Desmond Ritter ran for three touchdowns and threw for another on Thursday as No. 21 Cincinnati cruised to a 38-6 victory over Boston College in the weather-delayed Birmingham Bowl in Alabama.

Ritter ran for 105 yards on 21 carries while completing 14 of 24 passes for 95 yards.

The Bearcats (11-3) also received 105 yards on 21 rushes from Michael Warren, finishing the game with 343 yards on 60 attempts and controlling the ball for 41:29.

The Eagles (6-7) managed only 164 yards and eight first downs while playing without top rusher AJ Dillon, who skipped the game and will declare for the NFL Draft. Their only score came when Brandon Sebastian returned a blocked field goal and ran 58 yards for a touchdown with 4:56 left in the third quarter.

By then, Cincinnati held a comfortable 24-6 lead.

Ridder and Montgomery tacked on the game's last scores in the fourth quarter. Ridder rushed for a 13-yard touchdown with 13:06 left in the fourth quarter, capping a 65-yard drive that burned nearly seven minutes of clock. Ryan Montgomery scored from 1 yard out with 39 seconds left in the game.

The early story was a storm that moved through Birmingham and forced a 90-minute lightning delay with 7:55 remaining in the first quarter. When play resumed, the Bearcats' offense found traction and Boston College never threatened.

Ridder finished a 79-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown run at the 1:26 mark of the first quarter to break the scoring seal.

Sam Crosa's 32-yard field goal with 8:20 left in the second quarter made it a 10-0 game.

Ridder upped the lead to 17-0 after a 14-yard scoring run, which came one play after Ethan Tucky's strip-sack of quarterback Dennis Grosel resulted in a Cincinnti fumble recovery.

Cincinnati put the game on ice with an impressive 75-yard drive to start the second half. Ridder connected with Malick Mbodj on an 8-yard touchdown pass with 9:02 left for an insurmountable 24-0 advantage.

Grosel completed 8 of 17 passes for 87 yards in a losing cause.

--Field Level Media