Top 10 Plays of the 2023 Miami Football Regular Season
12/1/2023 9:11:00 AM | Football
In honor of Miami Football's first 10-win regular season since 2003, MiamiRedHawks.com looks back at the top 10 plays from the year…so far.
10. FIFTY-TWO VS. THE FALCONS
Graham Nicholson buried the longest field goal of his Miami career on October 7 against Bowling Green, drilling a 52-yard kick late in the third quarter to extend the RedHawks' lead. Nicholson's field goal was the sixth-longest in program history and one of his 23 successful kicks in 23 attempts this year. The Lou Groza Award finalist and MAC Special Teams Player of the Year would go on to add a 30-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring as Miami shut out the visiting Falcons 27-0.
9. SENSATIONAL START
Before some of the fans in attendance had even found their seats at Nippert Stadium, Brett Gabbert and Gage Larvadain gave Miami an early lead at Cincinnati on September 16 in the annual Battle for the Victory Bell. Larvadain ran right past the Bearcats' defense and Gabbert found him in stride for a 79-yard touchdown pass on the opening play from scrimmage to spark Miami in an eventual overtime victory.
8. KOBE KILLS THE KICK
Kobe Hilton blocked Ball State's go-ahead field goal try with 1:04 to play as Miami held on for a 17-15 win at Ball State on November 25. Although BSU's kicker had made all three of his attempts so far that afternoon, Hilton's heroics gave the RedHawks their sixth road win of the season and helped Miami claim a 10-win season for the first time since 2010.
7. RUNNING PAST RIVALS
Rashad Amos raced 66 yards to set up Miami's go-ahead score in the second quarter at Ohio on October 28 as the RedHawks seized control of the MAC East. Amos took a handoff at his own 26-yard line, eluded a would-be tackler in the backfield, and ran through another Bobcat at the OU 20 to add another dozen yards to his total before finally getting dragged down. Amos' run was the longest by any RedHawk this season and part of Miami's 30 unanswered points that afternoon in Athens to put the game out of reach.
6. TRIO OF TURNOVERS
Matt Salopek helped force not one, not two but three turnovers in Miami's shutout of Akron on November 8. Salopek, the MAC Defensive Player of the Year, collected his first career interception in the opening quarter and added key tackles on a pair of fourth-down stops after halftime in the RedHawks' 19-0 win. Holding the Zips to zip on the scoreboard gave the Red and White multiple shutouts in the same season for the first time since 1998.
5. WINNER FOR WILKINS
Joe Wilkins Jr.'s eight-yard catch on the second play of overtime at Cincinnati proved to be the winning points in the RedHawks' thrilling 31-24 victory. Split out to the left side of the formation, Wilkins adjusted to the ball in mid-air to beat the one-on-one coverage and pull in the go-ahead touchdown pass from Gabbert. Wilkins' memorable play helped give Miami its first overtime win in program history.
4. LONG ONE FOR LARVADAIN
Larvadain hauled in eight catches for 273 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-28 victory at UMass on September 8, but it was touchdown number two that everyone will remember. Backed up near their own goal line late in the first quarter, the RedHawks struck for a 99-yard score on a deep throw from Gabbert to Larvadain. The longest pass play in Miami history came in perhaps the longest game in Miami history, a nine-hour marathon that included multiple weather delays.
3. CHAMPIONSHIP-CLINCHING CHASEDOWN
With Miami needing a victory over Buffalo on November 15 to seal a trip to Detroit for the MAC Championship Game, Michael Dowell's remarkable defensive effort thwarted the Bulls' comeback hopes. Dowell chased down Marlyn Johnson from behind on an apparent 80-yard touchdown pass with less than three minutes to play, catching him just before the goal line and forcing a fumble through the end zone. The ensuing touchback gave the RedHawks the ball back, preserving the 23-10 win and clinching the MAC East title.
2. MAGNIFICENT MILES
Miles Marshall made one of the best catches of the season in the second quarter at Western Michigan on October 14. Marshall fought off contact from WMU's Anthony Romphf, twisted in mid-air, and somehow pulled in a Gabbert pass with his left hand while falling to the ground. The highlight-reel 20-yard reception moved the RedHawks to the WMU four-yard line, setting up a Gabbert touchdown to restore Miami's double-digit lead in an eventual 34-21 triumph.
1. BLOCK THE BEARCATS, BRING BACK THE BELL
With 19 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the score tied 24-24, Cincinnati lined up for a game-winning 35-yard field goal…but Miami had other ideas. Yahsyn McKee came flying around the right side of the Bearcats' line to get his hand on the kick attempt and send the 127th Battle of the Victory Bell to overtime. The RedHawks would go on to prevail 31-24, with McKee making the game-sealing interception on the final play, to capture the Bell for the first time since 2005.
Miami Football takes on Toledo Saturday, Dec. 2 in the MAC Championship Game in Detroit. Kickoff at Ford Field is set for noon. For more information about how you can support the RedHawks this weekend, check out our MAC Championship Central page. The 2023 Miami Football postseason is sponsored by Left Field Tavern and Crown Charters.
10. FIFTY-TWO VS. THE FALCONS
Graham Nicholson buried the longest field goal of his Miami career on October 7 against Bowling Green, drilling a 52-yard kick late in the third quarter to extend the RedHawks' lead. Nicholson's field goal was the sixth-longest in program history and one of his 23 successful kicks in 23 attempts this year. The Lou Groza Award finalist and MAC Special Teams Player of the Year would go on to add a 30-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring as Miami shut out the visiting Falcons 27-0.
9. SENSATIONAL START
Before some of the fans in attendance had even found their seats at Nippert Stadium, Brett Gabbert and Gage Larvadain gave Miami an early lead at Cincinnati on September 16 in the annual Battle for the Victory Bell. Larvadain ran right past the Bearcats' defense and Gabbert found him in stride for a 79-yard touchdown pass on the opening play from scrimmage to spark Miami in an eventual overtime victory.
8. KOBE KILLS THE KICK
Kobe Hilton blocked Ball State's go-ahead field goal try with 1:04 to play as Miami held on for a 17-15 win at Ball State on November 25. Although BSU's kicker had made all three of his attempts so far that afternoon, Hilton's heroics gave the RedHawks their sixth road win of the season and helped Miami claim a 10-win season for the first time since 2010.
7. RUNNING PAST RIVALS
Rashad Amos raced 66 yards to set up Miami's go-ahead score in the second quarter at Ohio on October 28 as the RedHawks seized control of the MAC East. Amos took a handoff at his own 26-yard line, eluded a would-be tackler in the backfield, and ran through another Bobcat at the OU 20 to add another dozen yards to his total before finally getting dragged down. Amos' run was the longest by any RedHawk this season and part of Miami's 30 unanswered points that afternoon in Athens to put the game out of reach.
6. TRIO OF TURNOVERS
Matt Salopek helped force not one, not two but three turnovers in Miami's shutout of Akron on November 8. Salopek, the MAC Defensive Player of the Year, collected his first career interception in the opening quarter and added key tackles on a pair of fourth-down stops after halftime in the RedHawks' 19-0 win. Holding the Zips to zip on the scoreboard gave the Red and White multiple shutouts in the same season for the first time since 1998.
5. WINNER FOR WILKINS
Joe Wilkins Jr.'s eight-yard catch on the second play of overtime at Cincinnati proved to be the winning points in the RedHawks' thrilling 31-24 victory. Split out to the left side of the formation, Wilkins adjusted to the ball in mid-air to beat the one-on-one coverage and pull in the go-ahead touchdown pass from Gabbert. Wilkins' memorable play helped give Miami its first overtime win in program history.
4. LONG ONE FOR LARVADAIN
Larvadain hauled in eight catches for 273 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-28 victory at UMass on September 8, but it was touchdown number two that everyone will remember. Backed up near their own goal line late in the first quarter, the RedHawks struck for a 99-yard score on a deep throw from Gabbert to Larvadain. The longest pass play in Miami history came in perhaps the longest game in Miami history, a nine-hour marathon that included multiple weather delays.
3. CHAMPIONSHIP-CLINCHING CHASEDOWN
With Miami needing a victory over Buffalo on November 15 to seal a trip to Detroit for the MAC Championship Game, Michael Dowell's remarkable defensive effort thwarted the Bulls' comeback hopes. Dowell chased down Marlyn Johnson from behind on an apparent 80-yard touchdown pass with less than three minutes to play, catching him just before the goal line and forcing a fumble through the end zone. The ensuing touchback gave the RedHawks the ball back, preserving the 23-10 win and clinching the MAC East title.
2. MAGNIFICENT MILES
Miles Marshall made one of the best catches of the season in the second quarter at Western Michigan on October 14. Marshall fought off contact from WMU's Anthony Romphf, twisted in mid-air, and somehow pulled in a Gabbert pass with his left hand while falling to the ground. The highlight-reel 20-yard reception moved the RedHawks to the WMU four-yard line, setting up a Gabbert touchdown to restore Miami's double-digit lead in an eventual 34-21 triumph.
1. BLOCK THE BEARCATS, BRING BACK THE BELL
With 19 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the score tied 24-24, Cincinnati lined up for a game-winning 35-yard field goal…but Miami had other ideas. Yahsyn McKee came flying around the right side of the Bearcats' line to get his hand on the kick attempt and send the 127th Battle of the Victory Bell to overtime. The RedHawks would go on to prevail 31-24, with McKee making the game-sealing interception on the final play, to capture the Bell for the first time since 2005.
Miami Football takes on Toledo Saturday, Dec. 2 in the MAC Championship Game in Detroit. Kickoff at Ford Field is set for noon. For more information about how you can support the RedHawks this weekend, check out our MAC Championship Central page. The 2023 Miami Football postseason is sponsored by Left Field Tavern and Crown Charters.
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