Cincinnati trailed Miami (OH) 28-7 at halftime, then outscored the RedHawks 28-3 in the second half to win the Victory Bell, 35-31. Cole Tabb’s 53-yard touchdown run with 1:29 left put the Bearcats ahead for good.
First Quarter: Miami Strikes Fast
The Bearcats were behind before their offense ran a snap. Stephen Rusnak’s opening kickoff traveled 63 yards, and Miami’s Scoop Smith returned it 98 yards for a touchdown just 14 seconds into the game. Kellan McLaughlin’s extra point made it 7-0.
Miami added to the lead quickly. The RedHawks needed only four plays and 2:02 to go 67 yards, with Lazaro Rogers finishing the drive on a 12-yard touchdown run with 10:53 left in the quarter. It was 14-0, and Cincinnati’s offense hadn’t yet gotten on the board.
The Bearcats answered with a 10-play, 75-yard drive that took 4:46. Tabb powered in from a yard out with 6:07 left in the quarter, and Rusnak’s extra point cut it to 14-7.
Second Quarter: The Hole Gets Deeper
Then the scoreboard went quiet. Neither team scored again until the 5:52 mark of the second quarter, a stretch of more than 15 minutes of game clock. When Miami finally broke through, it did so with a 10-play, 91-yard drive that took 6:20. David McComb capped it by keeping the ball himself for a 6-yard touchdown run, and the lead grew to 21-7.
Cincinnati had a chance to trim it before the break and couldn’t. Facing 4th-and-15 at the Miami 34 with 1:55 left, Rusnak’s 52-yard field goal attempt was no good. It was his only field goal try of the day, and a make would have made it 21-10.
Miami made Cincinnati pay. The RedHawks needed just six plays and 65 yards over 1:34 to score again, and McComb found Maleek Huggins for a 36-yard touchdown with 21 seconds left.
Halftime: Bearcats Down 28-7
The three offensive touchdown drives Miami put together before the break covered 223 yards on 20 plays. Add Smith’s kickoff return, and the RedHawks had scored four touchdowns in 30 minutes. Cincinnati’s offense had one scoring drive to show for the half.
Third Quarter: Bearcats Fight Back
The comeback started with the opening drive of the second half. JC French IV punched in a 1-yard touchdown to finish an 8-play, 80-yard drive, cutting the deficit to 28-14 with 7:27 left in the quarter.
French then found Tabb from 8 yards out to make it 28-21 with 2:44 to go in the period, capping a 7-play, 31-yard drive. Cincinnati’s defense held Miami scoreless in the quarter, and the game was suddenly a one-possession contest.
Fourth Quarter: Tabb Seals the Bell
Miami stopped the bleeding early in the fourth. McLaughlin’s 19-yard field goal, capping an 8-play, 74-yard drive that ate 3:53, pushed the RedHawks’ lead back to 31-21 with 13:51 left.
Cincinnati responded with a 9-play, 73-yard drive that took 4:30 and ended with a 6-yard French touchdown pass to JV Gibson. That made it 31-28 with 6:20 remaining.
Then, with 1:29 left, Tabb broke free for a 53-yard touchdown run to cap a 7-play, 85-yard drive and put the Bearcats ahead 35-31. Cincinnati held on to keep the Victory Bell.
By the Numbers
Cincinnati finished with 446 total yards to Miami’s 410 and held the ball for 33:26 to Miami’s 26:34. The Bearcats ran for 137 yards at 4.2 yards per carry carry, while Miami managed 76 at 2.7.
Cincinnati also went 3-for-4 on fourth down and committed fewer penalties (4 for 40 yards, against 7 for 57 for Miami) and turnovers (1 to 2).
Bearcats Standouts
French was 31-of-43 for 309 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, and added a rushing score. Tabb had just six carries but ran for 78 yards, and his two rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown gave him three on the day.
Gibson caught seven passes for 68 yards and a score, and Isaiah Johnson led the team with eight receptions.
On defense, Antwan Peek Jr. led the Bearcats with nine tackles. Jonathan Thompson had a sack and two tackles for loss, and Josh Hough added a sack, 1.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup.
RedHawks Standouts
Miami’s passing game was explosive all afternoon. McComb threw for 334 yards at 11.9 yards per attempt, and Huggins caught four passes for 128 yards and a touchdown. Smith’s kick return touchdown was part of a two-return, 111-yard day.
Blayne Myrick paced the RedHawks defense with 11 tackles and Grant Lyons added two sacks, but McLaughlin was 1-for-3 on field goals, and Miami couldn’t hold the lead.
What’s Next
The win moves Cincinnati to 3-0, and 3-0 at home. Miami falls to 1-2.
The Bearcats stay home next Saturday, September 26, when they host the Kansas State Wildcats at 7:00 p.m. for another Nippert at Night showdown.
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