WEST POINT, N.Y. - After a furious comeback that saw the RedHawks erase a 14-point deficit with under five minutes to play, the Miami University football team eventually came up just short in a 31-30 double-overtime thriller against Army West Point.
The RedHawks slip to 3-5 on the season following the defeat, while Army improves to 5-2.
Quarterback
Gus Ragland racked up 329 passing yards with four passing touchdowns while adding 56 yards on the ground.
Jack Sorenson led the receiving corps with 75 yards, and
Kenny Young and
Jalen Walker each added 71 yards. Defensively,
Brad Koenig led the way with a career-high 23 total tackles.
The Black Knights would get on the board first in the first quarter. Following a RedHawks punt on their opening drive, Army went on a 54-yard drive and punched in the game's first touchdown. Miami would get the ball well into Black Knight territory on their next drive, but came up empty after a Ragland scramble on fourth down came up just short. The first quarter would then come to an end with the score still 7-0.
Army added to their lead early in the second quarter with another touchdown drive. However, this time the RedHawks would answer back. Following a long kickoff return by
Maurice Thomas that got the ball out near midfield, Miami would need just four plays to find the endzone. Ragland would find a wide-open
Kenny Young for a 34-yard touchdown reception.
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The Black Knights would look poised to score again just before halftime, but the Miami defense would come up with a huge stop. Facing a first and goal situation from the five, the RedHawks would get four straight stops to keep Army out of the end zone, including denying a fourth down try from inside the one. This would send the teams into the locker rooms with the score 14-7 Army.
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Feeding off the momentum of the goal line stand to end the half, the Miami defense would come right back with a quick three and out on Army's first drive of the second half. However, the RedHawks wouldn't be able to capitalize and would punt themselves. The teams would again trade punts until Army found the end zone again on its next drive just as the third quarter came to an end, making it 21-7.
The RedHawks would string together a promising drive to start the fourth quarter, moving the ball inside the Army 30. However, needing touchdowns and facing a fourth down, the Miami offense would come up short and turn the ball back over to the Black Knights. After a quick three and out forced by the defense the offense would get another shot. This time they would converted, going 68 yards in just 1:54, Miami closed the gap as Ragland floated one to
Dominique Robinson in the corner of the end zone to make it 21-14.
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The 'Hawks went for an onside kick, but the Black Knights recovered. However, the defense made another stand and gave Miami the ball back with 3:28 left and a chance to tie. The RedHawks worked the ball down to the Army five-yard line, but three straight incompletions made it fourth and goal with just seconds left. In the must-score situation, tight end
Nate Becker came up clutch, slipping past the defense and hauling in the Ragland pass to send the game to overtime.
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Miami would start with the ball in overtime, and
Samuel Sloman would connect on a 33-yard field goal to make it 24-21, RedHawks. After a fired up Miami defense pushed Army back on three straight plays, it would answer with a field goal of its own to send it to double overtime.
In double OT, the Black Knights would start with the ball and find the end zone on a seven-yard Woolfolk rush. On Miami's possession, needing a touchdown to stay alive, the 'Hawks found themselves having to convert a fourth-and-15. Just as they did at the end of regulation, the RedHawks came up clutch: Ragland found
Luke Mayock in the end zone to make it 31-30, pending the point after.Â
The RedHawks would choose to go for two and the win. In a wild final play, Miami's attempt would fall short, sealing the 31-30 win for Army.
The Red and White outgained the Black Knights on the day, 406-347 and had 23 first downs to Army's 20. Miami held Army to just 12 yards in the fourth quarter while putting up 215 on offense.
Miami, sitting 3-1 in Mid-American Conference play, returns to the field Tuesday, Oct. 30 for an important Mid-American Conference tilt at Buffalo, which sits an unblemished 4-0 in the MAC.
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