MIAMI FOOTBALL

Senior-led RedHawks finish in win column

Game MVP Davis ignites second half scoring surge

By MIKE SMITH
TUSCON, AZ -- Senior running back Kevin Davis led a second-half RedHawks breakaway as Miami scored 34 points after intermission to defeat Colorado State 43-17 Saturday in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium. 

A crowd of just over 40,000 watched the two offenses sputter over the first two quarters. Neither team scored a touchdown and MU took a 9-6 lead to the locker room thanks to three field goals (34, 26, and 24) by Dom Dzioban. Those followed Jordan Noye's 21-yard field goal to cap CSU's 13-play, 72-yard opening drive. 

It would be the . . . 

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. . . Rams only lead. Miami's defense ended the next four CSU drives with two fumble recoveries, an interception and a turnover on downs. The Rams punted just once before intermission but had just three points on the board. MU, meanwhile, was unable to capitalize with a touchdown in the first 30 minutes.

That quickly changed in the third quarter. Miami received the opening kickoff and went 75 yards in six plays. Davis, who took over at running back after Keyon Mozee was injured late in the first half, put the RedHawks up 16-3 with a four-yard run.

Colorado State was just two plays into its next drive when Miami's defense created another turnover. Linebacker Matt Salopek's hit and ball strip of a completion to Vince Brown II was recovered by Silas Walters. 

JACK COLDIRON

Gabbert's 22-yard pass to TD Jack Coldiron was the big play of MU-s 47-yard drive. Gabbert covered the last 10 yards himself, scrambling up a wide-open middle of the field for the TD. A two-point conversion try failed, leaving MU in front 22-3. 

Colorado State, which out-gained MU 462-402 overall, picked up 72 of that number on the following drive. However, the RedHawk defense stiffened again, stopping CSU on fourth and goal at the four. 

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Kevin Davis scored on a 97-yard run and had 245 all-purpose yards. (MVSmith/MRO file)

Once again, Miami capitalized -- this time covering 97 yards in one play as Davis burst through the middle and and up the right sideline. With the PAT, Miami led 29-3.

There were still over three minutes to play when CSU decided to try another fourth down conversion on its next drive. This time, it was fourth-and-two from the Rams 44. However, after starting with a run into the middle, the ball was flipped back to quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi. He completed the flea-flicker by hitting a wide-open Stephon Daily deep down the middle for a TD. That made it 29-10.

Davis, who totaled a career-high 245 all-purpose yards on the way to game MVP honors. nearly scored again on the following kickoff. His 81-yard return set up Miami at the Rams 15. However, after two false start penalties and a short run, MU fumbled.

Colorado took over but fared similarly. Four plays into its drive, Miami linebacker Ty Wise intercepted a Rams pass and returned it 54 yards to the Colorado State five. Jordan Brunson, a 6-0 233-pound running back, came into the game and pounded his way into the end zone on three short runs. 

The PAT kick gave Miami a commanding 36-10 advantage. Taking advantage of a RedHawk fumble Colorado State added one more touchdown on Peter Montini's one-yard run at 9:02. MU's final score was a 12-yard Brunson run with 2:16 to play. 

The victory was MU's first bowl win since 2021 and largest margin of victory (26 points) in program history. 

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Brett Gabbert wrapped up a distinguished Miami career with a bowl game win. (MVsmith/MRO file)

NOTES:
>> After rushing for 47 yards in the first half, MU finished with 217 on the ground. All five TDs came on runs and the RedHawks averaged 6.4 ypc.
>> Davis logged nine carries for 148 yards with two TDs and caught two passes totaling 16 yards. Brunson churned out 23 yards and two scores among his 11 carries. 
>> Brett Gabbert was just 7-of-18 for 83 passing yards before intermission. He ended the day connecting on 13-of-25 for 184 yards with no TDs and no interceptions. He did run for one score. 
>> Both teams were without their top two receivers. Cade McDonald led Miami in catches (3 for 25 yards), while Cam Perry recorded two catches for a team-high 57 receiving yards. Tight end Jack Coldiron notched two catches totaling 36 yards. 
>> Colorado State averaged 4.7 ypc and totaled 141 yards on the ground. Justin Marshall led the  way with nine carries for 84 yards. Avery Morrow added another 18 trips for 50 yards. 
>> The two teams combined for six turnovers -- four by the Rams. 
>> A big question coming into the game was how well MU's young secondary (minus Raion Strader) -- would hold up. The Rams completed 23-of-45 passes (51%) but scored just one touchdown through the air. That came on a trick play that worked to perfection. 
>> Miami had two interceptions -- both by linebackers (Ty Wise and Adam Trick). 
>> MU's kicking game came through with a solid day. Dzioban hit all three field goal tries and four extra points. Punter Alec Bevelhimer averaged 44.3 yards per boot and put two inside the 20. 
>> Wise and Salopek led MU with nine tackles each. Wise and Walter had fumble recoveries. 
>> Each team registered seven penalties. MU lost 45 yards, while the Rams were assessed 50 yards. 
>> Miami scored on seven-of-eight red zone trips. CSU went two-of-four.

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