Nov. 22, 2005
Final Stats | Notes
ATHENS, Ohio (AP) - Josh Betts passed for 297 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another score to lead Miami of Ohio to a 38-7 win over Ohio on Monday night in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Ryne Robinson scored two TDs and Jimmy Murray rushed for 113 yards and a score for the RedHawks (7-4, 5-3 Mid-American Conference), who gained 421 yards while holding the Bobcats (4-7, 3-5) to 185 - only 28 passing.
Frank Solich's first season as Ohio's coach ended with two disastrous performances. His offense was outgained 498 yards to 110 last Tuesday night in a 27-3 loss to Akron. Against Miami, Ohio was forced to punt on 11 consecutive possessions and converted just four of 16 third downs.
Miami has won six straight and 11 of 12 over its chief rival.
The Bobcats took a 7-0 lead on Kalvin McRae's 41-yard run with 7:28 to play in the first quarter. Miami then drove 80 yards in nine plays for a 7-all tie on Murray's 17-yard TD run.
The RedHawks, whose botched punt snaps gave Bowling Green three safeties in a 42-14 loss last Tuesday night, got the go-ahead score after the Bobcats had a special-teams breakdown.
Miami got the ball on the Ohio 1-yard line after Jeff Schroeder blocked Matt Miller's punt and Miller was penalized for kicking the ball out of bounds. The Bobcats kept Miami out of the end zone, but Todd Soderquist kicked a 25-yard field goal for a 10-7 lead.
Robinson returned Ohio's next punt 46 yards for a touchdown to make it 17-7 with 11:05 left in the first half. Betts' 8-yard TD pass to Josh Williams seven minutes later made it 24-7 at the half.
Betts, who completed 22 of 44 attempts with one interception, added a 1-yard touchdown run and a 35-yard TD pass to Robinson in the fourth.
McRae rushed for 72 yards for Ohio. Austen Everson was 4-of-16 for 18 yards and backup Brandon Jones was 1-for-6 for 10 yards.
Depending on what Bowling Green and Akron do this week, Miami could finish in a three-way tie for first in the MAC East. But the RedHawks can't play in the conference championship game because they lose tiebreakers to the Falcons and Zips.
Bowling Green can win the East with a win over Toledo on Tuesday night.
