Final Stats

AMHERST, Mass. -- A brilliant defensive performance helped end a long road losing streak as Miami University's football team defeated the University of Massachusetts Minutemen, 20-13, in their season finale Saturday afternoon at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. The RedHawks (3-9, 2-6 MAC) had not won a road game since defeating Akron, 56-49, on Sept. 29, 2012, losing 22 straight contests away from Oxford.

This was the final meeting between the RedHawks and Minutemen (2-9, 1-6 MAC) as members of the Mid-American Conference, and the second consecutive victory for Miami in the series.

Miami's defense held a strong UMass offense to only 250 total yards on the day, led by senior defensive lineman Bryson Albright, who posted two sacks, seven tackles and the game-clinching interception with 4:46 remaining in the contest. Redshirt junior lineman JT Jones had two sacks, while redshirt freshman defensive back Brad Koenig racked up eight tackles.

On the offensive side, freshman quarterback Billy Bahl overcame a slow start to finish 12-of-23 passing with 160 yards and a touchdown pass. Redshirt freshman running back Alonzo Smith had another strong performance with 109 yards on 26 carries. Redshirt junior receiver Rokeem Williams led with 79 yards, while redshirt freshman Chris Hudson pulled in the go-ahead 14-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

In the first half, Miami's offense found difficulty finding its rhythm, only mustering 41 yards and four first downs. Redshirt senior punter Christian Koch's 269 yards in the half helped a tough RedHawks defense limit the Minutemen's scoring chances. On their second drive of the game, UMass was unable to convert in a goal-line situation, settling for a 19-yard field goal by freshman kicker Mike Caggiano at the 7:17 mark of the first quarter.

The Minutemen extended their lead to 6-0 with 7:36 remaining in the second quarter when redshirt sophomore kicker Logan Laurent knocked in a field goal from 45 yards away. On the ensuing possession, Miami finally got on the board with a 48-yard field goal by senior kicker Kaleb Patterson with 3:22 remaining, capping off an 11-play, 44-yard drive. Following unsuccessful possessions by both teams, UMass entered the locker room with a 6-3 advantage.

The RedHawks came out quickly in the second half, driving 83 yards on eight plays for an 18-yard Smith touchdown run that put them ahead 10-6 with 10:53 remaining in the third. Later in the quarter, UMass took advantage of a Miami fumble deep in its territory as freshman back Marquis Young ran for a 28-yard touchdown, putting his team up 13-10 at the 1:38 mark. A long RedHawk drive was capped off with a Patterson field goal from 28 yards out, tying the game at 13 with 11:05 remaining.

Following a strong Miami stand, Bahl found Williams on the drive for gains of 14 and 18 yards respectively, culminating in Hudson's touchdown catch that put them ahead, 20-13, with 7:32 left. UMass took over for a 10-play, 66-yard drive that put it deep in Miami's territory. But on 4th-and-3 at the RedHawk 17, pressure from the defensive front forced senior quarterback Blake Frohnapfel's interception to Albright. Although the RedHawks were unable to completely run out the clock, a 47-yard punt by Koch positioned the Minutemen deep in their end. As time expired, UMass' lateral play attempt failed and Miami clinched a noteworthy victory.