Miami University
Temple University
Miami Clinches Share of MAC East Title
11/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 23, 2010
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery 
OXFORD, Ohio--Senior Thomas Merriweather raced 96 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown which tied the second-longest run in Miami history, highlighting a 23-3 win against Temple on Tuesday evening at Yager Stadium. The win secured the RedHawks a share of the Mid-American Conference East Division title.
Miami (8-4; 7-1 MAC) is bowl eligible for the first time since 2005 and will await the results of the Ohio-Kent State game on Friday to determine whether the RedHawks will contend for the MAC Championship. An Ohio loss would send Miami to the MAC Championship game in Detroit to face Northern Illinois for the conference title.
As a team, the RedHawks amassed a season-high 253 yards rushing, led by Merriweather's career-high 182 rushing yards on 22 carries. The Miami offense complied 408 yards of total offense on the night.
Defensively, Miami hammered out seven sacks for a loss of 37 yard, intercepted two passes--both by Evan Harris--for 45 yards, and recovered two fumbles. Harris lead the RedHawks with nine tackles, including five solo stops. Will Diaz and Jason Semmes notched two sacks apiece.
Temple (8-4; 5-3 MAC) opened the scoring with a 23-yard field goal by Brandon McManus with 5:09 remaining in the first quarter to give the Owls a 3-0 lead, but Miami scored 23 unanswered points to roll to the regular-season finale win.
On the next drive after the Temple score, Miami took the ball 74 yards in six plays over a 3:24 span, capping the drive with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Austin Boucher to Nick Harwell. The extra point attempt failed and Miami took a 6-3 lead with 2:18 left in the first quarter.
Miami struck again just before the end of the half. Harris intercepted a Temple pass with 1:51 remaining to set up the RedHawk score. Armand Robinson caught an eight-yard touchdown pass from Boucher with 1:39 remaining in the second quarter, and Trevor Cook's extra point was good, giving the RedHawks a 13-3 lead going into the locker room.
Late in the third quarter, Miami extended its lead off a Cook 21-yard field goal with 2:44 to play in the quarter, giving the RedHawks a 16-3 advantage.
Temple pinned Miami at its own one-yardline. After a Boucher rush to put Miami on its four-yardline, Merriweather blasted up the middle and scrambled 96 yards for the RedHawk touchdown. Not only did Merriweather's run tie the second-longest rush in Miami history but also tied the longest run by a Miami player in Yager Stadium. Cook's extra point pushed the RedHawk lead to 23-2 with 9:08 remaining.
Harris came up with another interception with 4:58, and Miami was able to hold onto the ball for the next 4:49 to help secure the win.
