Oct. 10, 2009

PHOTO GALLERY

Final Stats |  Notes

EVANSTON, Ill. - Despite limiting a Northwestern offense to half its season average for points, the Miami University football team was unable to get its offense rolling and fell to the Wildcats, 16-6, Saturday afternoon at chilly Ryan Field. The loss snapped the RedHawks' five-game winning streak against Northwestern (4-2, 1-1 Big Ten) in Evanston, but Miami (0-6, 0-2 Mid-American Conference) still leads the all-time series, 6-3.

The Wildcats narrowly outgained the 'Hawks 319 yards to 302, despite Miami having the ball for an extra four and a half minutes. Miami also earned 20 first downs to NU's 17, but was just 4-for-16 on third down. The RedHawks did convert two of three fourth downs, however, and stopped the Wildcats on their only fourth-down attempt.

Miami redshirt freshman quarterback Zac Dysert (Ada, Ohio) was just 17-for-36 passing for 176 yards with three interceptions and a touchdown, while also leading Miami in rushing with 63 yards on 22 carries. Senior wideout Brayden Coombs (Cincinnati, Ohio) tied a career high with four catches for a career-best 62 yards, while redshirt freshman receiver Andy Cruse (Cincinnati, Ohio) had a career day with three catches for 56 yards and touchdown, all of which were the first of his young RedHawk career. Northwestern quarterback Mike Kafka finished 15-for-31 for 191 yards with an interception, but led NU in rushing as well with 53 yards on 15 carries and had two rushing scores.

Defensively, Miami was led by junior linebacker DeAndre Gilmore (St. Louis, Mo.), who made a career-best 12 tackles and had a game-high three pass break-ups. Redshirt sophomore safety Anthony Kokal (Warren, Ohio) tallied 10 stops and made his first-career interception, while junior safety Jordan Gafford (Columbus, Ohio) had eight solo stops and redshirt sophomore linebacker Jerrell Wedge (Upper Marlboro, Md.) had a career-best seven solo tackles. The 16 points allowed were the fewest the RedHawks have allowed this year.

The Wildcats struck first with a 46-yard field goal from Stefan Demos on the opening drive of the game. Northwestern then made it 10-0 with five ticks left in the first quarter when Kafka capped a 12-play, 73-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown scramble, sneaking just inside the front pylon.

Early in the second quarter, freshman defensive lineman Austin Brown (Woodbridge, Va.) blocked a Northwestern field goal from 40 yards out to keep the deficit at 10. The Wildcats looked to add to their lead late in the second quarter, but Gafford broke up a pass on fourth and one in Miami territory to end the threat.

The 'Hawks looked poised to score towards the end of the opening half after driving 58 yards, their longest drive of the half, to the Northwestern 11-yard line, but Dysert was tackled in bounds and time expired (the RedHawks had no timeouts) sending Miami into the locker room down 10-0.

The Wildcats out-gained the RedHawks 173-113 over the first 30 minutes but gained just one more first down (10-9). Kafka tossed for 116 yards on 10-of-19 passing with 55 of those yards going to Zeke Markshausen on four catches. For Miami, Dysert threw for 62 yards and rushed for 25 more. The 'Hawks converted just three (out of 10) third downs, while NU was 3-of-8 on third down.

After the Wildcats picked off Dysert on Miami's opening drive of the second half, Kokal stopped Northwestern from adding to its advantage when he nabbed his first-career interception on the ensuing NU drive at Miami's 1-yard line.

The Wildcats made it 16-0 midway through the third quarter when Kafka snuck it across the goal line from one yard out but a mishandled snap resulted in a failed PAT. The score was set up when a Dysert fumble was returned 27 yards to the Miami 27-yard line and Kafka connected with a diving Jacob Schmidt for a 25-yard reception to the Miami 2-yard line.

The 'Hawks made a late attempt at a comeback when Dysert connected with Cruse for a 23-yard touchdown, the first of Cruse's career, to cap a five-play, 62-yard drive, Miami's longest of the game. The two-point conversion pass was broken up, however, making it a 16-6 contest. The ensuing onside kick was then recovered by Northwestern to secure the victory.

The RedHawks return to MAC action next week when they head to Athens, Ohio, Saturday, Oct. 17, for the 86th "Battle of the Bricks" with the Ohio Bobcats. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. ET at Peden Stadium.

--MURedHawks.com--

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