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Cincinnati's Luck Runs Out As The Miami RedHawks Take Down The Bearcats In OT

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Football

Joe Wilkins Jr.'s eight-yard touchdown catch in overtime and Yahsyn McKee's game-sealing interception gave the Miami University football team a dramatic 31-24 win at Cincinnati Saturday night in the annual Battle for the Victory Bell.

McKee forced overtime by blocking a field goal in the final seconds of the fourth quarter for the RedHawks (2-1).
 
Miami claimed the Bell for the first time since 2005 and won the first overtime game in program history, while handing the Bearcats (2-1) just their second home loss in the past five seasons. Brett Gabbert threw for 237 yards and three touchdowns to lead the RedHawks' offense.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

  • The RedHawks got off to a perfect start, as Gage Larvadain ran past the UC defense and gathered in a 79-yard touchdown pass from Gabbert on the opening play from scrimmage.
  • Cincinnati answered with a six-play, 75-yard drive to even the score at 7-7, capped by a four-yard touchdown run from Corey Kiner.
  • Miami's defense rose to the occasion on the next UC possession, with Silas Walters and Jacquez Warren combining to stuff Kiner for a two-yard loss on fourth-and-goal at the Miami one-yard line.
  • The Bearcats took their first lead of the game on a 28-yard field goal with 1:40 remaining in the opening period.
  • The visitors came right back with a 12-play, 69-yard drive that chewed up more than seven minutes on the clock. After Gabbert scrambled for 26 yards to pick up a 4th-and-5, Miami capitalized three plays later with a 3rd-and-12 scoring pass to Javon Tracy from 17 yards away. That gave the RedHawks a 14-10 lead with 9:22 to play in the half.
  • UC pulled within 14-13 on a 23-yard field goal with 1:52 left before halftime. A Corban Hondru interception gave Miami one final scoring chance in the quarter, but a red zone fumble on the next play ended the threat as the RedHawks settled for a one-point lead at intermission.
  • On Cincinnati's second drive of the second half, the Miami defense once again stiffened in the red zone, forcing an incompletion on 3rd-and-goal from the six-yard line. UC settled for another 23-yard field goal to go on top 16-14 at the 7:23 mark of the third quarter.
  • The RedHawks marched the ball the length of the field on the ensuing possession, keyed by a critical third-down catch from Javon Tracy that got Miami into the red zone. Gabbert scrambled 19 yards on the following snap, and Kevin Davis finished off the drive two plays later with a one-yard run to give Miami a 21-16 advantage.
  • Cincinnati re-took the lead early in the fourth quarter when Emory Jones ran for 17 yards on third down to complete a 75-yard scoring drive. The Bearcats' two-point conversion, a pass to Chamon Metayer, gave UC a 24-21 lead with 13:52 remaining.
  • A pair of defensive pass interference flags drawn by Miami receivers and a 38-yard completion to Miles Marshall down the left sideline highlighted the next RedHawk drive. Graham Nicholson eventually buried a 20-yard field goal to tie the score at 24-24 with 5:10 left.
  • After a successful fake punt, Cincinnati ran the clock down and attempted a potential game-winning field goal with 19 seconds remaining, but McKee blocked the 35-yard kick to send the game to overtime.
  • Miami only needed two plays in overtime to score what proved to be the game-winning points, as Gabbert followed up his 17-yard run with an eight-yard scoring strike to Wilkins. UC got as close as the one-yard line on its possession before a holding penalty backed the Bearcats up. The final snap of the game was a fourth-down play from the two-yard line that ended with McKee's pick.

NOTES

  • Gabbert rushed for a career-high 75 yards on nine carries.
  • Javon Tracy had a career-high three receptions and scored his first touchdown for the Red and White.
  • Corban Hondru recorded his first career interception.
  • Alec Bevelhimer booted a career long 63-yard punt and added a 60-yarder, averaging 52 yards per kick.
  • Matt Salopek had a career-high 18 tackles and topped double-digits in tackles for the 13th time in his career.
  • Warren finished with a career-high 13 tackles, while Brian Ugwu and Ty Wise also each set new career highs with 10 stops apiece.
  • With Miami's win, the all-time series is now deadlocked 60-60-7.
  • This was the first Battle for the Victory Bell to go to overtime since 1997.
  • Miami defeated a Big 12 Conference team for the first time in program history.

UP NEXT:
The RedHawks host Delaware State in the home opener on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 3:30 p.m. at Yager Stadium.