Box Score OXFORD, Ohio – A 21-point second quarter and a second-half safety allowed the Miami football team to prevail 30-28 in a Battle of the Bricks showdown with Ohio on Wednesday.
Wednesday night's victory is the RedHawks' (4-6, 4-2 Mid-American) first win over the Bobcats (6-4, 4-2 MAC) since 2012, snapping a five-game skid in the series.
The Bobcats scored six plays into the game with a ground attack that went 74 yards. A 58-yard carry by AJ Ouellette on and early 3rd-and-1 set OU up with 1st-and-goal at the seven and a three-yard touchdown rush by Maleek Irons made it 7-0 Ohio three plays later.
Miami followed suit with a scoring drive of its own after an Ohio personal foul allowed it to scrimmage from its own 42.
Gus Ragland hit
Andrew Homer for a 33-yard gain down the right sideline to get things started in the red zone and later converted a 3rd-and-11 with a 17-yard toss to
Luke Mayock, which set up a three-yard touchdown rush by
Alonzo Smith to tie things up with 8:16 to go in the first.
Both defenses settled down on the next few possessions, with the RedHawks forcing a couple of Bobcat punts, the second stop was punctuated by a
Pasquale Calcagno sack.
Taking over late in the first quarter, Miami embarked on a 12-play, 71-yard scoring drive. Ragland found
Jack Sorenson for 18-yards on 2nd-and-15 to get to the Ohio 16. Two plays later,
Kenny Young scampered the rest of the way down the sideline for 16 yards to stake the Red & White to a 14-7 lead with 11:12 left in the half.
Miami's defense went through a quick possession, forcing an Ohio three-and-out before moving down the field again. After recovering from a first down sack,
Jaylon Bester ripped off a 30-yard rush to move Miami into plus territory. Ragland then found
Luke Mayock from 12 yards out three plays later to up the lead to 21-7.
The Red & White's defense once again put the offense in favorable position on the ensuing possession as
Brad Koenig stripped the ball from Isiah Cox and
Myles Reid recovered the fumble and run it to the Ohio 48. Ragland then hit
Nate Becker for 19 yards and
Kenny Young took a pass 21 yards to get inside the 10. Two plays later, Smith punched in his second touchdown of the day from eight yards out to stake the RedHawks to a 28-7 lead at the half.
Both teams traded punts to start the second half, though Ohio's pinned Miami into the shadow of their goal line at the three. MU dug out of that hole thanks to a pair of first-down pickups by both Young and Smith that eventually moved it to the OU 41. The drive stalled, however, after a penalty and two-plays later a Ragland pass was intercepted by Jared Dorsa, setting the Bobcats up at the RedHawks' 46. Ohio converted a fourth down and eventually Nathan Rourke found Papi White for a nine-yard touchdown pass to pull it within 28-14 with 2:32 left.
Ohio forced a Miami three and out and began driving the field with the help of some big gains on the ground from Oulette, who took consecutive carries 46 and 11 yards to end the third quarter to put OU at the MU 14. The RedHawks locked it up from there, forcing a 29-yard field goal attempt that Louie Zervos pulled left to keep them up two scores with 14:03 to play.
An Ohio blocked punt trimmed the lead to 28-21 after Dorsa got to the attempt after a low snap slowed the play. Dylan Conner scooped the block and returned it 28 yards for a score, making it 28-21 with 9:14 left.
Miami utilized a good return by Bester with a personal foul on Ohio to start near midfield. While the offense went three-and-out,
Kyle Kramer booted a perfect punt 47 yards out of bounds at the Ohio one-yard line to pin it near the goal line. While OU moved the ball to the its five for breathing room,
Doug Costin got home for a sack, knocking Rourke out of the end zone for a safety and a 30-21 lead with 7:12 to go.
The Bobcats pulled within two points after forcing a three-and-out and driving 80 yards and making it 30-28 with 2:24 to go after Rourke found Andrew Meyer for an 18-yard score. OU got the ball back again with 30 seconds left and advanced the ball to its 45, but a Hail Mary attempt fell incomplete to give the RedHawks the rivalry win.
Ohio finished the game with a slight lead in total offense (364-357), led mainly by 201 yards rushing (168 from Oullette). Smith led Miami with 94 yards rushing while Young put up 104 yards from scrimmage (67 receiving, 37 rushing). Ragland finished 20-for-32 with 199 yards through the air with Young hauling in a game-high seven passes.
Miami heads to Northern Illinois on Nov. 14. Opening kick is at either 7 or 8 p.m.
