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| Instant Analysis: Ohio - Miami (Ohio)
Story URL: http://cfn.scout.com/2/816457.html | |
| Matt Zemek CollegeFootballNews.com | Nov 28, 2008 |
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For a game that offered 67 total points, the weird yet undeniable difference-maker in Ohio’s win over Miami came from the defensive side of the ball. The Bobcats found themselves in a dogfight throughout the first three quarters of this season finale for both ballclubs, but coach Frank Solich’s squad turned the tide in this tilt with a determined defense that kept the homestanding Hawks from gaining momentum. Three separate times in the first three stanzas, Miami cracked Ohio’s red zone, only to settle for field goals. Miami moved the ball with appreciable consistency, but couldn’t solve Ohio in key situations throughout the afternoon. The Red Hawks scored a touchdown early in the third quarter, but that score came as the result of a blocked punt and a 60-yard runback by UM’s Chris Givens. When Miami had the ball deep in Ohio territory, the Bobcats buckled down to keep the scoreboard slanted in their favor. When leading 3-0, 17-6, and 24-16, Ohio managed to withstand a sustained Miami march and hold the home team to field goals. Still holding a small lead of 24-19 late in the third quarter, the Bobcats—clearly encouraged by their repeated displays of resilience under pressure—relaxed and reloaded, as they ripped off a 17-0 run that put the game to bed. Ohio quarterback Boo Jackson—who completed 15-of-20 passes on a very efficient afternoon—led two scoring marches to give his team a 34-19 lead, before OU running back Chris Garrett raced 79 yards to paydirt to put the icing on the cake in the game’s final minutes. In a somewhat cruel development, Miami’s offense would score its first touchdown of the day with 26 seconds left in regulation, a reminder of the previous red-zone failures that doomed the Hawks to defeat. Ohio’s defense unquestionably made the biggest plays of this battle, but the supreme star of this contest was clearly Garrett, who used his long, late dash to accumulate 222 yards on the afternoon. Garrett’s eye-popping production was just part of Ohio’s overall total of 326 rushing yards. Lost in the shadow of OU’s red-zone resourcefulness was the fact that Solich’s offense cranked out 516 total yards in what was a complete team effort. On both sides of the ball, the Bobcats—who suffered several agonizing losses in their season—closed out their 2008 campaign in style. After finding success elusive for most of the year, Ohio found the balance and brawn that, if sustained, will offer cause for optimism in 2009. Copyright © Scout.com and CollegeFootballNews.com | |