MIAMI FOOTBALL

Miami defeats BGSU; punches title game ticket

Defense, chunk plays pave way to critical win

BOWLING GREEN , OH -- Brett Gabbert missed the 2023 MAC Championship game due to a season-ending injury.  Thanks to a 28-12 RedHawks win over Bowling Green Saturday at Doyt L. Perry Stadium, Gabbert will be back -- sans crutches -- this time.

With Ohio's win over Ball State Friday, the Bobcats also punched their ticket to Detroit. Miami defeated the Bobcats earlier this year, 30-20 in Oxford.

Gabbert, a senior, was intercepted twice in MU's first three possessions Friday. but he battled through the miscues, eventually throwing three TDs to  . . . 

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​. . . three different receivers. Keyon Mozee added a 27-yard rushing touchdown for Miami's final score. 

It was the seventh straight win for MU, which lost four of its first five games. The last loss was at Toledo back on Oct. 5. After the UT setback, Miami head coach Chuck Martin said his team had little -- if any -- room for error. The RedHawks did not lose another game. 

Friday's season finale was considered a showdown. Bowling Green was on its own winning streak, having won its last five. Both teams were 7-1 in MAC play and knew a MAC Championship game berth hung in the balance. 

Miami did not punt in the first half, but it did throw two interceptions and gave up a safety. The first pick (by C.J. Brown) halted MU's second drive but did no real damage. Bowling Green was forced to punt, and the boot went out of bounds after just 14 yards. 

That set the RedHawks up at BGSU's 30. Gabbert then found Cade McDonald down the middle for a TD on the first play. 

Bowling Green's second interception eventually paid dividends. First, it stopped a promising Miami drive that had reached the Falcon six before a 15-yard penalty. When Jordan Oladokun picked off  Gabbert at the 1-yard line, he returned it 40 yards. Although the RedHawk defense forced the Falcons to punt six plays later, John Henderson's punt was downed at the Miami 1-yard line. Two plays later, BGSU stuffed a Miami run for a safety. 

In addition to their earning its first two points, Bowling Green received the ball on a kickoff. With QB Connor Bazelak completing four of five passes along the way, the Falcons moved 49 yards before settling for a 41-yard Zach Long field goal to make it a 7-5 game. 

Bazelak finished the game with 26 completions in 41 attempts, good for 201 yards with one pick. 

Miami had one more multiple-play possession before intermission, and it made the most of it. The RedHawks covered 82 yards in 10 plays, finishing with a 20-yard (deflected) pass TD to Reggie Virgil with 2:40 remaining. Although Virgil got the catch and score, the pass bouncd off caromed off a leaping Javon Tracy's hands along the way. 

Punters were busy (6 punts) in the third period as neither team could generate points. Bowling Green finally broke through early in their fourth stanza as Jaison Patterson capped a 92-yard drive with his 2-yard run.

That pulled the hosts within two (14-12). However, Miami quickly made it a two score game again as Gabbert hit Tracy on a 72-yard TD play at 10:35. 
Keyon Mozee later added one more RedHawk score with a 27-yard scamper around left end. He finished the day with 18 carries for 108 yards, giving him 100 yards or more in six of his last seven games -- all Miami wins. 

Miami's defense forced a punt and stopped Bowling Green twice on downs the rest of the way. 

NOTES:
>> One of the biggest challenges for the Miami defense was limiting the damage by Harold Fannin Jr. The 6-3, 230-pounder is one of the nation's top tight ends and BGSU is very creative in finding ways to get him the ball. MU held Fannin to eight catches and 47 receiving yards. That was the lowest yardage this season except for the Northern Illinois game. He was limited fto four catches and 25 yards in that one. He has also been over 100 yards seven times and has a total of 92 receptions for 1,295 yards with nine receiving TDs. 
>> Another big Falcons weapon has been RB Terion Stewart. He topped the MAC with an average of 89 yards per game. However, MU limited him to nine carries for 34 yards rushing. 
>> Gabbert finished Friday's came with 18 completions among 28 attempts (255 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INT). 
>> Only three RedHawks caught passes, but all three recorded one touchdown and had at least 82 yards receiving. (Tracy - 3 catches 91 yards; Virgil - 6 catches, 82 yards and McDonald (9 catches, 82 yards). 
Friday was McDonalds first game back after missing several games due to injury.  
>> MU out-gained the Falcons 372-261 overall. However, each team recorded 16 first downs. 
>> There were just three total penalties in the game. Miami had two for 20 yards, while the Falcons were flagged once for 10 yards. 
>> Silas Walters, a junior DB out of West Chester, topped MU defenders with 10 tackles (6 solo) and two PD. 
>> Ty Wise picked off a Bowling Green pass. 
>> On a cold and windy day, Bowling Green was creddited with five fumbles. However, it recovered all five. 
>> Depending on when and what direction a punter is kicking, the wind can be a friend or enemy. Alec Bevelhimer averaged 41.0 yards per boot with a long of 52. 
>> Placekicker Dom Dzioban had connected on at least one field goal per game in every game prior to BGSU. He did not have an attempt against the Falcons, but hit all four PATs.