Ohio Football Falls to Miami

Game Recap: Football | 10/28/2023 8:06:00 PM | Ashley Beach

FOLLOW OHIO FOOTBALL: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

ATHENS, Ohio— The Ohio football team fell to Miami 30-16 in the first Saturday Battle of the Bricks since 2016. It was Ohio’s first loss to Miami since 2019. 

“Like I said two weeks ago after the Northern Illinois game, with with failure comes opportunity to get better. That’s what we’re gonna do. I mean, you fail every day. Everybody fails every day in life, and you’re not a failure until you start blaming others and making excuses and we’re not going to do that,” Ohio head coach Tim Albin said. “This solely falls on me. I told her guys in the locker room that we use the word love and you know when it’s going good, but we’re gonna tell you the truth, and we’re gonna hold you accountable.”

Ohio’s defense was strong in the first half. Graduate student defensive end Kwame Sutton (Gaffney, S.C.) collected his second sack of the season in Miami’s first drive. Ohio nabbed five tackles for loss overall in that half and kept Miami to 56 net yards. However, Rashad Amos sprinted for 66-yards with less than three minutes left in the half to double Miami’s rushing yards on one play. 

Miami used its legs more than Ohio did on Saturday. It racked up over triple Ohio’s rushing yards — 188 yards — because Ohio did not pick up a gain of more than 12 yards on foot. Ohio averaged 1.9 yards per rush and ended Saturday with 50 total rushing yards

“They came in and made more plays than we did had a great plan with where they are at quarterback with Brett (Gabbert) not making the trip,” Albin said. “Their ability to to keep the ball in the second half and get a running game going (too). I thought their running back was probably the best we’ve seen all year.”

The Bobcats scored their first touchdown on a 1-yard rush by redshirt sophomore running back Sieh Bangura during their first drive. The Bobcats did not hit the endzone again until the fourth quarter. They collected their second touchdown by way of a 1-yard reception from redshirt fifth year Tyler Walton (St. Louis, Mo.). 

However, by the time the Bobcats scored again, it was too late. The RedHawks had already built a strong lead off of three field goals and some change. 

“They were doing some good scheme things as far as you know, trying to make sure our skill players and impact players were not able to make plays,” graduate student linebacker Bryce Houston (Lewis Center, Ohio) said. “At the same time, it just comes down to tackling and being assignment being on your alignment and stuff like that. We just didn’t talk a lot.”

Neither team was strong on third down and the first successful conversion happened in the fourth quarter when Miami’s Aveon Smith rushed for a gain of nine yards. Miami went on to end the quarter 3-for-5 on third down conversions, while Ohio ended 3-for-4.

Ohio held Miami to 103 passing yards, the least of its opponents this season, and the least Miami’s thrown thus far. Ohio had the most total offense, although, Miami averaged more yards per completion than Ohio, 14.7 to 12.5.

Graduate student wide receiver Sam Wiglusz (Brecksville, Ohio) and junior wide receiver Miles Cross (Bowie, Md.) led the Bobcats with 79 receiving yards each. 

Ohio has a little time off to regroup before it takes on Buffalo in its first midweek game of the season. It will travel to Buffalo on Nov. 7 for a 7 or 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff on a channel yet to be determined. 

#OUohyeah