Football Falls, 31-24, on Homecoming

Saturday, September 17

Oxford, Ohio

3:30 PM

Miami University

0-3

Western Kentucky University

2-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

WKU

MIAMI

9/17/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

Sept. 17, 2016

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OXFORD, Ohio -- Despite a pair of miraculous touchdown catches and three forced turnovers, the Miami University football team came up short on Homecoming, falling 31-24 to Western Kentucky University on Saturday afternoon at Yager Stadium.

The RedHawks (0-3) outgained the Hilltoppers with 424 yards of total offense and held possession for over 35 minutes. Sophomore quarterback Billy Bahl went 20-of-41 with a career-high 339 yards and two touchdown passes. Sophomore wide receiver James Gardner continued his terrific start to the season with five catches for 136 yards and a touchdown.

The opening quarter proved to be a quiet one, as both teams struggled to complete successful offensive drives, including turnovers on the Hilltoppers' (2-1, 1-0 C-USA) first two possessions. WKU's first outing was interrupted by an interception by Miami sophomore linebacker De'Andre Montgomery with 11:17 remaining in the first quarter. This was followed up by sophomore cornerback Deondre Daniels forcing a fumble that was recovered by sophomore Brad Koenig at the 7:29 mark.

The turnovers continued into the second quarter as senior defensive end Austin Gearing forced a fumble that was picked up by junior cornerback Heath Harding. Miami proceeded to drive down the field, making it to the WKU 33 before sophomore kicker Nick Dowd missed from 50 yards out.

The Hilltoppers finally opened up scoring with an 11-play, 63-yard drive that culminated with freshman running back Quinton Baker punching it in from the 2-yard line to make it 7-0 WKU with 5:23 left in the half.

Following a quick Miami drive, junior wide receiver Nacarius Fant extended WKU's lead with a 48-yard punt return touchdown at the 3:02 mark.

On the ensuing possession, the RedHawks earned their first points of the afternoon with a 30-yard field goal by Dowd with 1:21 remaining. The kick capped off a 6-play, 31-yard drive and made the score 14-3.

After a 79-yard kickoff return by junior wide receiver Kylen Towner, the Hilltoppers were unable to capitalize on their field position as their drive was stopped on the 1-yard line as time expired. The goal line stand by Miami's defense involved three straight run stops in the final minute of the half.

Miami began the second half promisingly, but saw its drive falter when Bahl fumbled on a sack and gave WKU possession at the Miami 14-yard line. The Hilltoppers would capitalize with a 26-yard field goal by sophomore kicker Ryan Nuss at the 9:36 mark of the third quarter.

Following a Miami three-and-out, WKU bolstered its lead to 24-3 with a 53-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Mike White to senior wide receiver Nicholas Norris with 7:37 remaining in the quarter.

The RedHawks responded with an 11-play, 78-yard drive that was finished off with a 9-yard touchdown rush by Bahl at the 2:29 mark.

On its next possession, Miami pulled off the highlight of the game as Gardner hauled in a deflection by a WKU defender for a 70-yard touchdown catch. Gardner crossed the goal line as the quarter clock expired, making it 24-17 WKU heading into the fourth period.

WKU regained command of the game to begin the fourth quarter as White hit senior wide receiver Taywan Taylor for a 36-yard touchdown pass with 13:44 remaining in the game.

In the fourth, Miami's offense compiled a pair of nine play drives, but both stalled out and led to WKU regaining possession.

Both teams would trade punts until Miami scored another touchdown off a tipped pass. Bahl's 41-yard deflected heave on 4th-and-24 was pulled in by junior tight end Sam Martin, bringing the score to 31-24 with 1:17 left in the game.

The resulting RedHawk onside kick attempt was then handled by the Hilltoppers, who kneeled to close out the game.

Miami will now turn its attention toward a matchup against the University of Cincinnati next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Nippert Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPNews as Miami looks to regain the Victory Bell for the first time since 2005.

Notes
- Freshman center Danny Godlevske recorded his first career start on offense. On the defensive side of the ball, sophomore cornerback Deondre Daniels got the first start of his Miami career. Daniels went on to force his first career fumble in the opening quarter.

- Redshirt senior defensive end Austin Gearing forced the first fumble of his career in Saturday's game.
Quarterback Billy Bahl tallied his first career rushing touchdown, running it in from nine yards out late in the third quarter. After throwing for just 38 yards in the first half, the sophomore came alive in the second. Bahl ended up setting career-highs in passing yards (339), long pass (70), pass attempts (41), and pass completions (20) in addition to tying his career-best in passing touchdowns (2). Saturday was his first career 300-yard game.

- Miami's rushing game also showed life in the second half, as redshirt sophomore running back Kenny Young finished with career-highs in rushes (14) and rushing yards (68). He was also one of Bahl's targets in the air, as he bested his career marks in receptions (2) and receiving yards (32). These combined to give him (100) all-purpose yards on the day - another career-high.

- Sophomore wide receiver James Gardner recorded his first game of 100 receiving yards on Saturday. This was highlighted by a 70-yard tipped-pass touchdown reception to end the third quarter. The score was his fourth of the season, which equals the number of receptions he had all of last season. The sophomore's day ended with a new career high in receiving yards (136) and long reception (70).

- Both of Miami's touchdown receptions came on tipped passes. The first came at the end of the third quarter when Bahl's throw deflected off a Western Kentucky defender and was caught off the bounce by Gardner, who ran it in for a 70-yard score. The second came late in the fourth. Bahl scrambled in the pocket before heaving a 41-yard toss to the end zone, where Sam Martin was the one to catch the ricochet off a WKU defender.