Miami (Ohio) snaps five-game skid against Ohio, wins 30-28

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Miami RB lays out for pylon on 16-yard TD

Miami Ohio running back Kenny Young cuts to the edge, bursts up the sideline and is cracked as he extends to the pylon, completing a 16-yard touchdown run.


OXFORD, Ohio -- Alonzo Smith ran for a pair of first-half touchdowns, and a safety in the second half helped Miami (Ohio) hold on for a 30-28 victory over Ohio on Wednesday night to keep its bowl eligibility alive.

Miami (4-6, 4-2 Mid-American Conference) beat Ohio (6-4, 4-2) for the first time since 2012 to snap a five-game skid in the Battle of the Bricks.

Smith finished with 94 yards on 20 carries. Gus Ragland was 20-of-32 passing for 199 yards with a touchdown for the RedHawks. Kenny Young had a 16-yard scoring run.

A.J. Ouellette had 168 yards rushing on 15 carries to lead Ohio. Nathan Rourke threw for 163 yards and two touchdowns.

Rourke connected with Papi White on a nine-yard scoring throw, and Dylan Conner returned a blocked punt 28 yards for a touchdown to cut Ohio's 28-7 halftime deficit to 28-21 with 9:14 remaining.

Kyle Kramer's 47-yard punt with 4:40 to play pinned Ohio at the 1-yard line. Doug Costin sacked Rourke in the end zone three plays later to make it 30-21. Rourke then led a seven-play, 80-yard drive capped by an 18-yard TD pass to Andrew Meyer with 2:24 to play.

The Bobcats got the ball back with 30 seconds remaining and Rourke drove the Bobcats to their 45-yard line, but his Hail Mary attempt went out of bounds to end it.