Dysert ties school record with five TD passes

RedHawks roll past Bulls 41-13 on homecoming

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By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 2:32 AM Sunday, October 30, 2011

OXFORD — At last the Miami RedHawks lived up to the preseason hype. On Saturday, the defending champions of the Mid-American Conference played like it.

Junior quarterback Zac Dysert tied a Miami single-game record with five touchdown passes as the RedHawks roughed up the Buffalo Bulls 41-13 at Yager Stadium.

“We had some doubts at times as a team, but this shows us how good we can be,” Dysert said.

“A good team win,” Miami coach Don Treadwell said. “We had a good week of practice, and our kids brought a little extra juice and you could see the momentum building a little earlier this week.”

That momentum carried right into the first quarter when Dysert connected with true freshman Dawan Scott on a 71-yard touchdown pass on the RedHawks’ second play after the opening kickoff.

“If you can score on the second play of the game, at home, that is a way to set the tone and I give Miami credit,” Buffalo coach Jeff Quinn said. “I don’t care what their record is. They’re still the defending MAC champs. We didn’t come down here with the same intensity and that same tone-setting mentality.”

“That’s really coming out the gate,” Treadwell agreed. “Accolades go around the block, but they start up front. It not for the guys up front making a difference, then you don’t have those big plays.”

Dysert also threw two to touchdown passes to Chris Givens and one each to Andy Cruse and Justin Semmes.

It was Miami’s third victory in the last four games and the RedHawks’ first truly impressive win of the season.

The 41 points were the most scored by the RedHawks in four years (they beat Bowling Green 47-14 on Oct. 13, 2007), and the Miami defense shut down the Bulls and their red-hot quarterback, Chazz Anderson, over the final three quarters.

Buffalo (2-7, 1-4 MAC) had amassed 572 total yards in last week’s 31-30 loss to Northern Illinois showed no early signs of slowing down on Saturday. The Bulls scored two first-quarter touchdowns on a 60-yard pass from Anderson to Alex Neutz and a 1-yard run by Anderson.

After that, nothing. The Bulls were held to no points and 194 total yards over the second, third and fourth quarters as the RedHawks scored 27 unanswered points to raise their record to 3-5 overall, 2-2 in the MAC.

“They got two big plays on us,” Miami senior defensive end C.J. Marck said of the Bulls, whose second touchdown was set up by a 34-yard pass from Anderson to Neutz. “All we did was shake those plays off and play the way we can play.

“That’s what we needed to do, fly around to the ball,” said Marck, who had two tackles for loss. “That’s how we played last year.”

Other defensive leaders included Dayonne Nunley, who had an interception and a tackle for loss; Anthony Kokal, eight tackles and a fumble recovery; Jason Semmes, 2.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble.

“It was a fun day,” Nunley said, “a lot better than last week.”

Miami had fallen behind Toledo 21-0 in the first quarter and lost 49-28.

“We started fast today and have harped about finishing strong,” Nunley said, “and that’s what we did today.”

“It was an incredible feeling. We really played together as a team for the first time on offense, defense and special teams,” said senior tailback Tyrone Jones, who rushed for 58 yards and his first college touchdown, a 1-yard plunge in the third quarter.

Dysert completed his first 11 passes and finished the day with 313 yards through the air.

He also moved into second place ahead of Josh Betts on Miami’s all-time passing yards list with 7,166, becoming the 21st quarterback in the MAC to reach the 7,000 mark.

College football Miami 41, Buffalo 13

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