Miami University
Bowling Green
Football Holds Off Bowling Green, Wins 24-21
11/3/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov 3, 2001
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (AP) - Ben Roethlisberger passed for 305 yards and two touchdowns as Miami beat Bowling Green 24-21 on Saturday.
Roethlisberger, who completed 15-of-25 passes with one interception, hit Korey Kirkpatrick on a 46-yard touchdown pass and Michael Larkin on an 81-yard scoring play.
Steve Little rushed for 99 yards on 22 carries for the RedHawks (7-2, 4-0 Mid-American Conference), adding a 14-yard scoring run midway through the third period that gave Miami a 21-7 lead.
Bowling Green (5-3, 3-2) came right back on a 61-yard punt return for a touchdown by Robert Redd with 7:45 remaining.
After Miami's Jared Parseghian kicked a 28-yard field goal with 1:52 left to make it 24-14, the Falcons came right back with a six-play, 64-yard drive capped by Kurt Gerling's 35-yard touchdown pass from Andy Sahm with 31 seconds left.
Miami retained possession after the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock.
Sahm completed 13-of-25 passes for 173 yards with one interception.
Neither team was able to gain yards on the ground, with the Falcons limited to 127 yards on 39 rushing attempts and the RedHawks picking up 109 on 38.
Miami vs. Bowling Green
Saturday, November 3, 2001
Doyt Perry Stadium - Bowling Green, Ohio
Miami Notes
* Miami improved to 7-2 overall and 6-0 in the Mid-American Conference. Miami's 6-0 league start is the best since 1975, while the seven consecutive wins are the most since 1998.
* Roethlisberger extended his streak of throwing at least one touchdown pass to each of his nine career starts, throwing a 46-yard strike to Korey Kirkpatrick, who is the ninth different Miami player to catch a touchdown pass this season, in the first quarter. The pass capped a 99-yard scoring drive.
* Roethlisberger's 81-yard touchdown pass to Michael Larkin in the second quarter is the RedHawks' longest pass play of the season, passing his 70-yard strike to Eddie Tillitz on the last play of the Akron game. It is tied for the ninth-longest pass play in school history.
* With a 12-yard completion to Jason Branch in the third quarter, Roethlisberger broke the Mid-American Conference's freshman passing record of Western Michigan's Tim Lester, who threw for 2,189 yards in 1996.
* Roethlisberger enjoyed his third 300-yard game in his last four starts, throwing for 305 yards. In the last four weeks he is averaging 310.3 passing yards per game and has thrown for 12 touchdowns.
* Sophomore wide receiver Korey Kirkpatrick's scored his first career touchdown, pulling in a 46-yard reception in the first quarter. The reception doubled his season receiving total of 44 yards coming into the game. He is the ninth different RedHawk to catch a touchdown pass this season.
* Running back Steve Little narrowly missed becoming the third different back this season to run for 100-yards for Miami, rolling to 99 yards and a touchdown.
* Head Coach Terry Hoeppner earned his 20th win as Miami head coach, reaching the plateau in 29 games, which is faster than such former Miami coaching standouts as Bo Schembechler (32) and Randy Walker (43) took to reach 20.
* Miami improved to 34-22-3 in night games, ending a two-game skid under the lights dating back to a Sept. 30 loss at Akron of last year. The RedHawks also won their fourth consecutive MAC road contest, dating back to last season.
* Sophomore linebacker Phil Smith made his first career interception late in the fourth quarter to protect a 21-14 Miami lead and set up a Jared Parseghian field goal, which proved to be the difference in the game.
