Cincinnati quarterback Hayden Moore (8) rolls out of the pocket and looks to throw during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Tennessee-Martin, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. (Kareem Elgazzar/The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP)
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CINCINNATI (AP) - Hayden Moore threw for 260 yards and two touchdowns, Mike Boone ran for a score and Cincinnati beat UT Martin 28-7 on Thursday night.
Cincinnati scored on a 3-yard pass from Moore to Nate Cole with 19 seconds left in the first half to pull to 7-6. Josh Pasley, who missed a 24-yard field goal earlier, missed the extra point.
"That wasn't the type of game people expected but it was the type of game I expected," Cincinnati coach Tommy Tuberville said. "We got better as the game went on."
Moore, who beat out highly recruited Gunner Kiel for the starting job, said he needs to play better.
"I can't turn the ball over like that," Moore said. "We started out slow. After a few possessions we started playing better. We got a feel for each other."
The Cincinnati defense got stingy, too.
"We expected to play better," said linebacker Eric Wilson. "It was frustrating being down at halftime but we kept our composure."
Kahlil Lewis added a 3-yard TD catch late in the third and a successful two-point conversion made it 14-7. Boone's TD capped an 11-play drive and Tyrell Gilbert intercepted Gunnar Holcombe and returned it 58 yards to cap the scoring.
Tion Green ran for 97 yards for Cincinnati (1-0).
Jaimiee Bowe rushed for 102 yards for UT Martin (0-1). Holcombe threw for 146 yards but was intercepted twice.
Holcombe, a transfer from Marshall, led UT Martin on a 14-play, 75-yard season-opening drive. It ended in a 7-yard TD catch by Caylon Weathers for a 7-0 lead.
"I'm proud of our defense," Tuberville said. "We didn't know what to expect from them. Their receivers gave us big problems. They marched right down the field. It proved to our guys we have to get better. We needed to face adversity. We did that. We needed success after adversity. He had that."
The Skyhawks are 1-21 all-time against FBS teams. The lone win was a 20-17 victory over Memphis on September 1, 2012.
UP NEXT
Cincinnati plays at Purdue on September 10.
UT Martin faces Hawaii on September 10.
Cincinnati wide receiver Devin Gray (21) turns upfield after a catch during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Tennessee-Martin, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. (Kareem Elgazzar/The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP)
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Tennessee-Martin head coach Jason Simpson calls a timeout during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Cincinnati, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. (Kareem Elgazzar/The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP)
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Cincinnati wide receiver Nate Cole (84) scores a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Tennessee-Martin, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. (Kareem Elgazzar/The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP)
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Tennessee-Martin wide receiver Kyle Kerrick (17) leaps to make a catch along the sideline during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Cincinnati, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. (Kareem Elgazzar/The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP)
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Tennessee-Martin wide receiver Kyle Kerrick (17) leaps to make a catch along the sideline during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Cincinnati, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. (Kareem Elgazzar/The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP)
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Cincinnati quarterback Hayden Moore (8), left, and Cincinnati wide receiver Nate Cole (84) celebrate Cole's touchdown reception during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Tennessee-Martin, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. (Kareem Elgazzar/The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP)
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Cincinnati wide receiver Devin Gray (21) catches a ball just outside the end zone during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Tennessee-Martin, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. (Kareem Elgazzar/The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP)
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Cincinnati running back Mike Boone (5) fumbles the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Tennessee-Martin, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. (Kareem Elgazzar/The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP)
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