Miami Ohio University Athletics
Steve Little Leads RedHawks Past Buffalo, 17-16
11/18/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
AMHERST, N.Y. (AP) (Nov. 18) -- Steve Little ran for a career-high 222 yards and scored two touchdowns as Miami University beat Buffalo 17-16 on Saturday (Nov. 18).
Little had scoring runs of 9 and 4 yards, and Andy Brumbergs hit a field goal as the RedHawks did all their scoring in the first half.
Scott Keller missed a 21-yard field-goal attempt with 7:29 left that could have given the Bulls the lead. Keller also missed an extra point in the second quarter.
The win extends Miami's streak of consecutive winning seasons to seven. The last losing season for the RedHawks (6-5) came in 1993 when they went 4-7 under current Northwestern coach Randy Walker.
Buffalo (2-9) announced on Oct. 30 - with three games still remaining - that it would not renew Craig Cirbus' contract at the end of the season. The Bulls won their first game after the announcement - a 20-17 overtime victory over Kent State - before losing 49-14 at Akron last weekend.
In his six seasons as head coach, Cirbus had a 19-47 record. Since becoming a Division I-A squad last season, the Bulls went 2-20, including a 2-12 record in the Mid-American Conference.
With Miami ahead 17-13 at halftime, it began to snow and the second half became a sloppy affair. At one point in the third quarter, there were turnovers on three consecutive plays _ a fumble by Miami, an interception by Buffalo, followed by an interception by Miami.
The Bulls did manage to close within a point in the third courtesy of a 20-yard field goal by Keller.
Joe Freedy threw for 119 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions for Buffalo. Freedy also ran for a score. He also became the fourth quarterback in Buffalo history to throw for 2,000 yards in a season, as he finished with 2,060 yards. Mike Bath threw for 104 yards, but also tossed four interceptions for the RedHawks.
Marquis Dwarte led the Bulls with 156 yards on the ground.
Winning one for its coach may have been on Buffalo's mind, as the Bulls' defense gave the team an emotional lift early.
A 75-yard kickoff return and an interception - both by Miami's cornerback DeMarrio Jones - had the RedHawks starting their first two drives from Buffalo's 22 and 8, respectively. The Buffalo defense allowed only Brumberg's 21-yard field goal in the two drives to prevent Miami from blowing the game open.
