UAB Edges Miami 24-20 in Bahamas

Friday, December 16

Nassau, Bahamas

11:30 a.m.

Miami University

6-7 , 4-4

Alabama at Birmingham

7-6 , 4-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Miami (OH)

UAB

12/16/2022 3:02:00 PM | Football

Box Score

NASSAU, Bahamas — The Miami University football team rallied from 10-0 and 17-13 deficits to take second-half leads, but UAB scored with 1:33 left to edge the RedHawks 24-20 in the HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl on Friday. Miami drove the ball down the field once more on its final possession but came up two yards short of a dramatic victory on the last play of the game.

Aveon Smith threw for 162 yards and two touchdowns and added 50 rushing yards for the RedHawks (6-7). Trea Shopshire had 183 receiving yards to lead the Blazers (7-6).

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Blazers found the end zone first, taking a 7-0 lead on their opening drive after a 10-yard touchdown catch by Shropshire. UAB added on a 42-yard field goal later in the period to go on top 10-0.
Miami got on the board in the final minute of the first half. After a 25-yard punt return from Jalen Walker, the RedHawks capitalized with an 11-play, 65-yard scoring drive. Smith converted a pair of fourth downs on the ground before finishing the possession with a 33-yard scoring strike to Mac Hippenhammer. The extra point was blocked, leaving the Blazers with a 10-6 lead at intermission.
The RedHawks went on top 13-10 in the third quarter. Ambe' Caldwell recovered a muffed punt at the UAB 4-yard line, and Kevin Davis rushed for a touchdown on the next play to give Miami its first lead with 5:44 remaining in the quarter.
UAB answered back with a 14-play, 75-yard drive to re-take the lead. Jermaine Brown Jr. picked up the final three yards on the ground to put UAB up 17-13.
Miami promptly responded by marching the ball 75 yards down the field in 12 plays for the go-ahead score. Facing a 3rd-and-8 play at the UAB 10, Smith tossed a 10-yard touchdown pass to running back Kenny Tracy to give the Red and White a 20-17 lead with 6:52 to play.
The Blazers went ahead 24-20 with 1:33 left on a 12-yard scoring run by Brown Jr., capping a five-play, 70-yard drive.
Smith moved the chains on 4th-and-5 and 4th-and-4 plays to keep Miami's last-chance drive alive, with the RedHawks earning one final snap from the UAB 15-yard line in the last second of the game. Smith completed a pass to Walker over the middle, but he was tackled two yards short of the end zone as time expired.

NOTES

Tracy's touchdown was his first of the season.
Rowan Zolman made his first career interception.
Nolan Johnson recorded his first career sack.
Matthew Salopek collected his first forced fumble and first fumble recovery of the season.
Salopek made a season-high 15 tackles, including 10 solo tackles.
Miami is now 8-6 all-time in bowl games.