Sunday, November 14, 1999
Ohio 40, Miami 28
Bobcats outscore RedHawks 21-0 in 3rd quarter
The Cincinnati Enquirer
ATHENS, Ohio — Travis Prentice tied Ricky Williams' year-old I-A record for career rushing touchdowns (72) but was overshadowed by Ohio's Chad Brinker, who rushed for 167 yards and two touchdowns in the Bobcats' 40-28 victory Saturday.
“We showed up today and laid a big egg,” a disappointed Miami first-year head coach Terry Hoeppner said. “We were outcoached and outplayed.”
The RedHawks had to look to individuals for any silver lining. Prentice scored his 72nd rushing touchdown in the first quarter to tie the record Williams set last season at Texas. The TD gave him 34 games with at least one rushing score, breaking Williams' record of 33.
Miami (6-4, 5-2 Mid-American Conference) took a 7-6 lead on Prentice's 1-yard run with one second remaining in the first quarter, but Ohio (5-5, 5-2) held the MAC's career rushing leader to 69 yards on 25 carries.
Brinker scored on runs of 1 and 74 yards, the latter giving the Bobcats a 26-14 lead with 2:40 to go in the third quarter.
Dontrell Jackson's 30-yard TD pass to Raynald Ray put the Bobcats ahead 33-14, and Joe Sherrill (Anderson High) added the second of his 1-yard runs with 4:24 remaining in the fourth for a 40-21 lead.
His first TD run gave Ohio the lead for good, 20-14 with 7:01 remaining in the third.
Miami's Mike Bath completed 17-of-35 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns, including passes of 4 and 8 yards to Trevor Gaylor, who had nine catches for 148 yards.
Gaylor set the Miami record for career receptions (122) — breaking the mark of Jay Hall (Walnut Hills) and tied the school career mark of Jeremy Patterson (CAPE) for touchdown catches (18).
Ohio's biggest play may have come just before the half.
Kevin Kerr (St. Xavier) kicked a 55-yard field goal at the end of the first half to get Ohio within 14-12.
The Bobcats and their triple option controlled the ball in the second half, scoring 21 unanswered points in the third quarter to all-but clinch the victory over their hated rival.
“They executed their offense and their defense, and they made the big play when they had to and stopped us when they had to,” Hoeppner said. “We didn't look very good.
“They played with more confidence and had us on the ropes by crowding the line of scrimmage.”
This is the first time since 1993 that Miami has lost to both archrivals — Cincinnati and Ohio — in the same season.
Hoeppner, in his 14th year at Miami, said early-season losses to Marshall and West Virginia hurt just as much. “I don't care who I lose to,” Hoeppner said. “It's still a loss.”
Ohio is now tied with Miami for second place behind undefeated East Division champion Marshall in the MAC.
All slim bowl hopes were extinguished here Saturday and dampened a season of great individual exploits by Prentice, Gaylor and senior linebacker Dustin Cohen.
“We had an opportunity to finish with two wins and maybe ...,” Hoeppner's voice trailed off. MU finishes at home Saturday against Buffalo.
Miami ....... 7 7 0 14—28
Ohio ....... 6 6 21 7—40
First Quarter
OU—Brinker 1 run (kick failed), 7:12
MIA—Prentice 1 run (Brumbergs kick), :01
Second Quarter
OU—FG Kerr 33, 9:14
MIA—Gaylor 4 pass from Bath (Brumbergs kick), 1:52
OU—FG Kerr 55, :00
Third Quarter
OU—Sherrill 1 run (Jackson run), 7:01
OU—Brinker 74 run (run failed), 2:40
OU—Ray 30 pass from Jackson (Kerr kick), :55
Fourth Quarter
MIA—Gaylor 8 pass from Bath (Brumbergs kick), 10:53
OU—Sherrill 1 run (Kerr kick), 4:24
MIA—Buxton 11 pass from Bath (Brumbergs kick), 3:02
A—20,852.
Mia Ohio
First downs ....... 18 25
Rushes-yards ....... 34-52 73-345
Passing ....... 248 131
Comp-Att-Int ....... 17-35-2 8-16-1
Return Yards ....... 116 132
Punts-Avg. ....... 6-43.8 3-39.7
Fumbles-Lost ....... 0-0 3-1
Penalties-Yards ....... 3-35 2-22
Time of Possession ....... 23:37 36:23
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Miami, Prentice 25-69, Smith 2-9, Bath 7-(minus 26). Ohio, Brinker 22-167, Sherrill 20-73, Jackson 13-45, Ray 6-30, Brooks 3-13, Jordan 5-9, Fondale 2-2, Patterson 1-6.
PASSING—Miami, Bath 17-35-2-248. Ohio, Jackson 5-8-0-112, Jordan 3-7-1-19, Brinker 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING—Miami, Gaylor 9-148, Buxton 6-72, Sexton 1-26, Henry 1-2. Ohio, Dwyer 3-59, Ray 3-46, Brinker 1-17, Sherrill 1-9.
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