Miami Shuts Down BGSU 28-12 to Earn Trip to Detroit

Friday, November 29

Bowling Green, Ohio

12 p.m.

Miami University

Bowling Green

Miami Shuts Down BGSU 28-12 to Earn Trip to Detroit

11/29/2024 3:10:00 PM | Football

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BOWLING GREEN, Ohio– The Miami University football team earned a return trip to the MAC Championship Game with a 28-12 win at Bowling Green Friday afternoon. Brett Gabbert threw for 255 yards and three touchdowns for the RedHawks (8-4, 7-1 MAC), who won their seventh game in a row and will play in their third conference title game since 2019. The Falcons fall to 7-5, 6-2 MAC.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Miami took advantage of a 13-yard BGSU punt to take a first-quarter lead. Immediately after the RedHawks took over at the Bowling Green 30-yard line, Gabbert threw a touchdown to Cade McDonald down the seam to put the visitors up 7-0 with 6:44 left in the first quarter.
Bowling Green trimmed the lead with a safety and a field goal, but the Red and White stretched the margin to 14-5 on a touchdown pass to Reggie Virgil with 2:40 remaining in the half. Virgil had three receptions on the eight-play, 82-yard scoring drive, including a 20-yard catch that initially deflected off the hands of Javon Tracy to a wide-open Virgil behind the defense for a score.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, but Bowling Green pulled within 14-12 early in the fourth on a two-yard Jaison Patterson run with 11:35 to play. Miami only needed two plays to restore its nine-point cushion, however, as Gabbert found Tracy on a deep crossing route from 72 yards out to put the Red and White ahead 21-12 at the 10:35 mark.
The RedHawks' defense forced a turnover on downs with 2:28 left at the BGSU 29-yard line, and Keyon Mozee dashed 27 yards for a touchdown two plays later to give Miami its largest lead of the day at 28-12 with 1:52 on the clock.

NOTES

Miami's seven-game win streak is its longest since 2003-04.
Mozee rushed for 108 yards on 18 carries, producing his seventh 100-yard game of the year.
Mozee became the 23rd player in program history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season, giving Miami back-to-back 1,000 yard rushers for the first time since 2002-2003.
With a touchdown catch in the second quarter, Virgil extended his touchdown streak to seven straight games.
Tracy's 72-yard reception was the longest of his career, surpassing a 41-yard grab earlier this year against Central Michigan.
Miami had three touchdown drives of less than a minute.
Gabbert started the 50th game of his career.
Matt Salopek became the first player in program history with four 100-tackle seasons.
The Miami defense forced eight punts, recorded two fourth-down stops, collected four sacks and added one interception by Ty Wise.
McDonald returned after missing the past two games to make a game-high nine catches for 82 yards.

UP NEXT:
Miami will play Ohio for the MAC Championship on Saturday, Dec. 7 at Ford Field in Detroit. The game kicks off at noon on ESPN, and tickets are available here.