Miami Univ. gets run over by UB in finale

Miami University RedHawks 2009 ... Head Coach: Mike Haywood

2009 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 4-8
2009 Record: 1-11

9/5 Kentucky (Cin.) L: 42-0
9/12 at Boise St L 48-0
9/19 at Western Mich L 48-26
9/26 at Kent St L 29-19
10/3 Cincinnati L 37-13
10/10 at Nwestern L 16-6
10/17 at Ohio L 28-7
10/24 N Illinois L 27-22
10/31 Toledo W 31-24
11/5 at Temple L 34-32
11/12 BGSU L 35-14
11/18 Buffalo L 42-17

2008 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 7-5
2008 Record: 2-10

8/28 Vanderbilt L 34-13
9/6 at Michigan L 16-6
9/13 Char Southern W 38-27
9/20 at Cincinnati L 45-20
9/27 OPEN DATE 10/4 Temple L 28-10
10/11 at No Illinois L 17-13
10/18 at Bo Green W 27-20
10/25 Kent State L 54-21
11/4 at Buffalo L 37-17
11/11 Ball State L 31-16
11/15 OPEN DATE
11/21 at Toledo L 42-14
11/28 Ohio L 41-26

Miami University RedHawks

Nov. 18
Buffalo 42 … at Miami University 17
Brandon Thermilus ran for touchdowns from three and 31 yards away in the second quarter, and he took a pass 29 yards for a score in the fourth as Buffalo had control of the game early on and was never threatened. Miami made it a bit interesting in the second half with a six-yard Dustin Woods touchdown catch and a 36-yard Jamal Rogers scoring grab, but the Bulls ended any dreams of a comeback with a 23-yard Jeffron Gill touchdown run.
Player of the Game: Buffalo RB Brandon Thermilus ran 11 times for 126 yards and two touchdowns, and caught a 29-yard touchdown pass.
Miami: Passing: Zac Dysert, 24-37, 194 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Zac Dysert, 19-27, Receiving: Brayden Coombs, 14-100
Buffalo: Passing: Zach Maynard, 13-18, 136 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Brandon Thermilus, 11-126, 2 TD, Receiving: Terrell Jackson, 6-40
What It All Means: And the season ends with a resounding thud. The team showed good fight late with Zac Dysert throwing well in the second half, and in a nice nod, Daniel Raudabaugh got to close out his rocky career with an 11-of-20, 101-yard, one touchdown performance. Against Buffalo, MU held on to the ball for 39 minutes, but it didn’t matter. The run defense was too porous. In the end, the defensive front never showed up and the offense didn’t show enough consistency to keep up when challenged.

Nov. 12
Bowling Green 35 … at Miami University 14
Tyler Sheehan threw three touchdown passes and Freddie Barnes caught scoring passes from 59 and two yards and ran for a 19-yard score, and the Bowling Green defense forced five turnovers. Miami stayed in the game with two short Zac Dysert touchdown runs for a 14-14 tie at halftime, but it was all Falcons in the second half highlighted by a 20-yard Willie Geter touchdown play. Bowling Green outgained MU 349 yards to 295.
Player of the Game: Bowling Green WR Freddie Barnes caught ten passes for 109 yards and two scores, and he ran three times for 25 yards and a score.
Bowling Green: Passing: Tyler Sheehan, 21-33, 199 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Chris Bullock, 11-82, 1 TD, Receiving: Freddie Barnes, 10-109, 2 TD
Miami University: Passing: Zac Dysert, 29-48, 259 yds, 3 INT
Rushing: Andre Bratton, 4-31, Receiving: Jamal Rogers, 8-81
What It All Means: Bowling Green might not be that pretty and it might be struggling to
What It All Means: Miami stayed alive early on two long scoring drives and decent play from Zac Dysert, and then the mistakes started flowing and the game was over. The running game was non-existent and Dysert couldn’t pick up the slack. The defense wasn’t awful, Anthony Kokal made 13 tackles and a tackle for loss, while Jerrell Wedge had a big game with 13 stops, a sack, and 2.5 tackles for loss, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the mediocre offense. The miserable season is closed out at home on Wednesday against Buffalo.

Oct. 3
at Temple 34 … Miami University 32
Brandon McManus nailed an 18-yard field goal with three seconds to play to give Temple the win and keep the team’s MAC title hopes alive. The Owls needed the score to overcome a total collapse. Up 31-13 going into the fourth quarter helped by three Bernard Pierce touchdown runs, Temple couldn’t stop the RedHawks in the fourth as Zac Dysert threw two touchdown passes and Thomas Merriweather ran for a two-yard score to take a 32-31 lead, but the two-point conversion attempt failed. That would prove costly as the Owls marched in the final minutes to set up McManus for his score. Dysert threw for 426 yards and three scores.
Player of the Game: Temple RB Bernard Pierce ran 40 times for 178 yards and three scores.
Miami University: Passing: Zac Dysert, 31-51, 426 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Thomas Merriweather, 5-27, 1 TD, Receiving: Armand Robinson, 10-118, 2 TD
Temple: Passing: Chester Stewart, 6-11, 143 yds
Rushing: Bernard Pierce, 40-178, 3 TD, Receiving: Michael Campbell, 2-44
What It All Means: The rest of the year doesn’t really matter. Miami isn’t going to a bowl game, so the goal the rest of the way is to improve and get better for 2010. This game, even in a loss, did that with Zac Dysert playing extremely well in comeback mode bombing for 426 yards on the tremendous Temple pass defense. While the defense struggled way too much early, it was fantastic when it had to be in the fourth quarter … and then came the final drive. Whatever. Dysert was magnificent and there’s hope for the future. 

Oct. 31
at Miami University 31 … Toledo 24
Miami snapped a 13-game losing streak has Zac Dysert ran for scores from three and 23 yards out and threw a ten-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Cruse. The Redhawks held a 24-7 first half lead, helped by a 20-yard interception return for a score from Wes Williams and a 55-yard bomb of a field goal by Trevor Cook, but Toledo came back with a 14-yard Eric Page touchdown catch. Dysert’s second touchdown run put it away, but Page made it interesting with a 15-yard scoring run with 31 seconds to play.
Player of the Game: Miami University QB Zac Dysert completed 31-of-41 passes for 344 yards and a score and ran 13 times for 60 yards and two touchdowns.
Toledo: Passing: Alex Pettee, 6-8, 97 yds
Rushing: Adonis Thomas, 13-107, Receiving: Stephen Williams, 9-137
Miami University: Passing: Zac Dysert, 13-60, 2 TD
Rushing: Zac Dysert, 13-60, 2 TD, Receiving: Jamal Rogers, 7-67 
What It All Means: It’s just one win, but for a Miami team that had been close and had been improving, this shows that there really is hope for the future. Zac Dysert is now firmly established as the player to build the team around, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. The defense did a great job against Toledo, but not it has to take things to another level to have a shot against Bernard Pierce and Temple next week. The lines weren’t bad, but they need to be better.

Oct. 24
Northern Illinois 27 … at Miami University 22
Northern Illinois got Chad Spann touchdown runs from 40 and 42 yards out, and a Perez Ashford 44-yard punt return for a score, to get up on Miami and stay there. The defense came up with eight sacks, but MU QB Zac Dysert kept pressing finishing with 348 yards and three touchdowns with two going to Armand Robinson. However, the second one came with no time left on the clock. Miami was held to -11 yards rushing.
Player of the Game: Northern Illinois RB Chad Spann ran 21 times for 156 yards and two touchdowns
Miami: Passing: Zac Dysert, 27-37, 348 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Roman Lawson, 9-26, Receiving: Armand Robinson, 7-123, 2 TD
Northern Illinois: Passing: DeMarcus Grady, 6-10, 60 yds
Rushing: Chad Spann, 21-156, 2 TD, Receiving: Martel Moore, 3-17 
What It All Means: Zac Dysert bombed away to keep the Redhawks in the game, and with the five-point loss to a decent NIU team, they’re getting close to finally breaking through and getting a win. This was one of the team’s best performances, but the run defense continues to struggle and might get hammered on by Toledo. With three of the final four games at home, the chances will be there to get a few victories and get a little momentum for 2010.

Oct. 17
at Ohio 28 … Miami University 7
Miami scored first on a one-yard Zac Dysert run in the first five minutes, and then it was all Ohio as Theo Scott hit Terrence McCrae on two second quarter touchdown passes and Donte Harden scored twice from one yard out. Miami managed just 52 rushing yards and turned it over four times.
Player of the Game: Ohio RB Donte Harden ran 15 times for 121 yards and two touchdowns, and he caught two passes for 20 yards
Miami: Passing: Zac Dysert, 19-30, 166 yds, 2 INT
Rushing: Thomas Merriweather, 17-40, Receiving: Andrew Cruse, 5-48
Ohio: Passing: Theo Scott, 15-28, 163 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Donte Harden, 15-121, 2 TD, Receiving: LaVon Brazill, 6-74
What It All Means: Miami has to be perfect to have any chance of winning, and it wasn’t against Ohio. The lack of a running game continues to be a problem, while the four turnovers were a killer. With the nation’s worst scoring offense, averaging just 10.14 points per game, and with a defense that doesn’t force enough mistakes, the awful season continues to spiral downward. Four of the last five games are at home, but MU will be the underdog in all of them. 

Oct. 10
at Northwestern 16 … Miami University 6
Northwestern’s defense came up with seven sacks to help out the sputtering offense that got just 319 yards with Mike Kafka running for two short scores. The Wildcats forced four turnovers and only allowed a 23-yard Andrew Cruse touchdown catch in the fourth, but MU would never threaten. Stefan Demos started out the scoring for NU with a 46-yard field goal.
Player of the Game: Northwestern S Brian Peters made eight tackles with an interception and a fumble recovery to set up a score.
Miami University: Passing: Zac Dysert, 17-36, 176 yds, 1 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: Zac Dysert, 22-63, Receiving: Brayden Coombs, 4-62
Northwestern: Passing: Mike Kafka, 15-31, 191 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Mike Kafka, 15-53, 2 TD, Receiving: Zeke Markshausen, 5-68 
What It All Means: The defense came up with its strongest effort of the season, but the offense simply can’t manufacture points. Zac Dysert did his best to do everything by himself, but with the offensive line getting manhandled by the Northwestern defensive front, there was little room to move and no time to do much of anything. Things won’t get much better with a trip to Ohio up next, and to have a chance, the nation’s worst scoring offense will have to take some more chances. MU has tried, though, and that’s why it’s last in the nation in turnover margin.

Oct. 3
Cincinnati 37 … at Miami University 13
In windy conditions, Cincinnati didn’t play its best game, but it came through when it needed to getting three short touchdown runs from Jacob Ramsey and a 23-yard Marshawn Gilyard touchdown grab to stay ahead all game long. The Bearcats were up 20-0, but MU came back with a one-yard Thomas Merriweather touchdown run and a 19-yard Andre Bratton catch. A misfire into the end zone led to a UC pick to keep MU from making things truly interesting.
Player of the Game: Cincinnati RB Jacob Ramsey ran 12 times for 103 yards and three scores
Cincinnati: Passing: Tony Pike, 23-42, 270 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Jacob Ramsey, 12-103, 3 TD, Receiving: Mardy Gilyard, 6-75, 1 TD
Miami: Passing: Zac Dysert, 33-47, 286 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Andre Bratton, 12-30, Receiving: Andre Bratton, 11-90, 1 TD 
What It All Means: Miami is showing signs of life. Yes, the program is on a ten-game losing streak, and yes, the start of this year was ugly, but the offense is starting to produce through the air and if it wasn’t for a slip and an interception, there would’ve been a good shot at scaring Cincinnati late. It might get tougher for the RedHawks with trips to Northwestern and Ohio up next, but it’s all about getting better week after week to be ready for next year. At the moment, the next real shot at a win might not come until the Toledo game on Halloween.

Sept. 26
at Kent State 29 … Miami University 19
Kent State took advantage of a mistake-prone Miami with three Freddy Cortez field goals, a 56-yard Jameson Konz touchdown catch, and a 92-yard Anthony Bowman kickoff return for a score to overcome a rough day from the defense. MU gained 552 yards of total offense but turned it over five times. Even with all the problems, MU was within a touchdown late helped by a one-yard Thomas Merriweather run and a nine-yard Jamal Rogers touchdown catch, but the third Cortez field goal put it away.
Player of the Game: Kent State RB Jacquise Terry ran 15 times for 103 yards
Miami: Passing: Zac Dysert, 31-53, 337 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Zac Dysert, 17-107, Receiving: Armand Robinson, 9-115
Kent State: Passing: Spencer Keith, 2-3, 55 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Jacquise Terry, 15-103, Receiving: Jameson Konz, 2-74, 1 TD
What It All Means: This is a horrendously coached team at the moment. MU not only turned the ball over five times, but it committed 11 penalties, gave up a kickoff return for a score, and suffered a blocked punt. On the plus side, the woeful offense finally got moving with 552 yards and a huge day from QB Zac Dysert, and that’s a start. But losing at Kent State is not acceptable for a team that came into the season hoping for a big turnaround. There’s no hope any time soon for a win as the RedHawks will be big underdogs until the November 5th game at Temple. 

Sept. 19
at Western Michigan 48 … Miami University 26
Western Michigan jumped out to a 35-0 lead on three of Tim Hiller’s four touchdown passes, with two to Juan Nunez, and Jamail Berry returned a fumble for a score in the easy win. Brandon West ran for a score and caught a pass for a seven-yard third quarter touchdown on the way to a 48-6 lead. Miami, who didn’t score in its first two games, got its first points of the year on a 14-yard Eugene Harris touchdown catch, and he scored again in the third from 42 yards out.
Player of the Game: Western Michigan QB Tim Hiller completed 17-of-29 passes for 185 yards and four scores.
Western Michigan: Passing: Tim Hiller, 17-29, 185 yds, 4 TD
Rushing: Brandon West, 18-91, 1 TD, Receiving: Juan Nunez, 6-79, 2 TD
Miami University: Passing: Daniel Raudabaugh, 25-42, 288 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Roman Lawson, 7-43, 1 TD, Receiving: Armand Robinson, 9-95
What It All Means: The disaster continues. The RedHawks were down 135-0 this year before finally getting on the board, and by that point the game against Western Michigan was over. The running game is a nightmare and the defense isn’t coming up with any stops as the RedHawks finished the weekend 119th in college football in scoring and 119th in scoring defense. With a banged up Kent State up next, followed up by a date with Cincinnati, next week might be the one chance to be competitive for a while. 

Sept. 12
at Boise State 48 ... Miami University 0
An Austin Pettis blocked punt set up a 25-yard Kellen Moore touchdown pass to Titus Young, and the rout was on. The Broncos went through the motions with Moore throwing four scoring passes, including a 54-yarder to Young in the third quarter, while Doug Martin ran for two fourth quarter touchdowns. Miami was never in the game gaining just 194 yards with four turnovers.
Player of the Game: Boise State QB Kellen Moore completed 16-of-26 passes for 307 yards and four touchdowns.
Miami University: Passing: Daniel Raudabaugh, 21-35, 155 yds, 2 INT
Rushing: Thomas Merriweather, 18-20, Receiving: Chris Givens, 7-61
Boise State: Passing: Kellen Moore, 16-26, 307yds, 4 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: D.J. Harper, 13-89, 1 TD, Receiving: Titus Young, 6-114, 2 TD
What It All Means: You can't win if you can't score. That's two straight games to open up the Mike Haywood era without a point. Being outscored 90-0 by Kentucky and Boise State, the Redhawks have to find a spot from someone with Western Michigan and its solid offense coming up next. Step one is to run the ball. Getting behind early has killed the running game, but Thomas Merriweather is a nice back who needs the ball.

Sept. 5
Kentucky 42 … Miami University 0
In the first game of the Mike Haywood era at MU, Kentucky won in a blowout with 21 second quarter points making it a blowout, and a Trevard Lindley interception return for a touchdown in the third making it a laugher. Mike Hartline threw two first half scoring passes, including a 27-yarder to Randall Cobb, who also ran for an 11-yard score. Derrick Lock and Moncell Allen each added short scoring runs. MU missed its only scoring chance on a field goal that went wide.
Player of the Game: Kentucky WR Randall Cobb caught seven passes for 96 yards and a score and he ran one time for an 11 yard score.
Miami: Passing: Daniel Raudabaugh, 13-34, 126 yds 2 INT
Rushing: Andre Bratton, 7-37, Receiving: Jamal Rogers, 6-56
Kentucky: Passing: Mike Hartline, 18-27, 222 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Derrick Lock, 8-61, 1 TD, Receiving: Randall Cobb, 7-96, 1 TD
What It All Means: A new era, same production. The Mike Haywood era didn’t exactly get off to a roaring start as the offense did many of the same poor things it did last season, with QB Daniel Raudabaugh struggling mightily with his accuracy to get the attack moving. In a blowout, the ground game never got a chance to find something that worked. Somewhere, the team has to quickly find one thing it does well; Kentucky was able to do whatever it wanted.