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Stumbleuponmiami 38, Charleston southern 27
RedHawks rally behind big plays
Two long passes, two big interceptions and a punt-return for a touchdown give RedHawks a 38-27 win.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
OXFORD — The Miami University football team got the two things Saturday, Sept. 13, that it wanted most.
Big plays and a victory.
The RedHawks had big plays from all directions — a punt return for a touchdown, two key interception returns and some long pass completions — which enabled them to overcome a 10-point deficit late in the third quarter as Miami beat the Charleston Southern Buccaneers 38-27 at Yager Stadium.
Tribble Reese, a senior transfer quarterback from Clemson, threw four touchdown passes for the Buccaneers (0-3), but it wasn't enough to match a 28-point outburst by Miami in the second half.
"It wasn't a pretty win, but we got a win, which we needed," said Miami head coach Shane Montgomery, whose RedHawks (1-2) had lost their first two games and then trailed 13-0 early in the second quarter against a team from the Football Championship Series (formerly Division I-AA).
"Coach Montgomery said all spring and summer we've got to make plays," said Miami quarterback Daniel Raudabaugh, who completed 19-of-30 passes for 305 yards, a touchdown and an interception. "We've got the players to do it, and they showed what they've got."
Miami began its comeback from the 13-0 deficit when Daniel Raudabaugh lofted a 49-yard pass to Dustin Woods to the Charleston Southern 4-yard line, after which Thomas Merriweather scored the first of his three rushing touchdowns on a 4-yard carry.
Nathan Parseghian added a 22-yard field goal, but Miami still trailed at halftime 13-10.
Miami defensive end Joe Coniglio provided another big play when he tipped and intercepted a pass and ran it back 19 yards to the Charleston Southern 1-yard line.
Merriweather finished the job again with a 1-yard plunge to give Miami its first lead, 17-13, less than a minute into the third quarter.
The Buccaneers regained the lead and then some on a pair of touchdown passes by Reese, but then Eugene Harris returned a punt 44 yards for a touchdown to pull Miami to within three points, 27-24, with 4:45 left in the third quarter.
Ben Bennett, a sophomore free safety for the RedHawks, got into the act when he picked off a pass at the Buccaneers' 1-yard line and returned it 78 yards, setting up an 18-yard touchdown strike from Raudabaugh to Armand Robinson to put Miami on top for good 31-27 with 9:45 left to play.
A 50-yard catch by Robinson set up Merriweather's third touchdown run in the closing minutes.
The RedHawks will return to action at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, at Nippert Stadium when they face the University of Cincinnati Bearcats for the 133rd time.
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.
