Back when the University of Cincinnati’s football team was still fighting for a spot in the College Football Playoff, it was a pair of goal-line stands in the final minute against Tulsa that preserved an undefeated record.
Ja’Von Hicks made three tackles in the final three minutes of that game, stopping two long runs and holding a receiver to a one-yard gain at the 5-yard line with a minute left and an eight-point lead. It was a moment that stuck out to Hicks near the end of the season, the defense prevailing with its back against a wall.