The Miami University RedHawks football team (7-4, 6-1 in conference play) played its last game at Yager Stadium for the 2024 season. After taking a 17-3 lead in the first half, the RedHawks held the Northern Illinois University Huskies (6-5, 3-4 in conference play) from a late-game comeback and took their final home victory 20-9.
Outside of one blemish against the University of Cincinnati Bearcats on Sept. 14, the RedHawks were undefeated at home in 2024.
Miami commanded the game through the second quarter, but NIU stayed in the game through the final minutes of the fourth quarter
The first quarter was plagued by scoreless drives from both teams, including a missed field goal from redshirt junior placekicker Dom Dzioban. The RedHawks finally impacted the scoreboard with a 2-yard touchdown rush from senior running back Dylan Downing before the second quarter.
Linebacker Ty Wise lined up against NIU on the Huskies' first offensive drive. Wise finished the night with 11 tackles and 0.5 tackles for losses
A 23-yard rush from senior running back Keyon Mozee and a 50-yard catch from junior receiver Reggie Virgil pushed Miami into opposing territory early in the second quarter. The RedHawks couldn’t find the endzone, but Dzioban’s field goal increased their lead to 10-0.
A trick play on Miami’s next drive saw redshirt sophomore receiver Javon Tracy throw a deep pass to Virgil for a diving 30-yard touchdown.
After the game, head coach Chuck Martin described the origins of the play.
“We’re at practice, and Javon comes up to me, and he’s like, ‘Coach, when are you gonna let me run the reverse pass? I was 2-2 in the spring.’ That’s a heck of an idea. There’s a team that doesn’t give up anything on defense, you might have to try to trick them.”
Two plays before that, Tracy collided helmets with a Huskies defender and missed the next play. He was cleared soon after, and Martin told him what he had to do.
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“He’s knocked out,” Martin said. “He’s out for one play. I said, ‘You good? You’re going to throw the ball.’ It was a ridiculous pass. He did play some quarterback in high school. That was the best pass I’ve ever seen [from him].”
Virgil celebrating a deep catch towards the end of the second quarter. Miami's offensive drive set up a field goal to increase its lead 17-0 before half.
The RedHawks commanded a 17-0 lead, and they earned another possession with an interception from redshirt junior defensive back Eli Blakey.
However, sixth-year quarterback Brett Gabbert threw an interception to senior defensive back Jashon Prophete. Gabbert previously threw 117 times without getting picked, the longest streak of his career.
Senior placekicker Kanon Woodill gave the Huskies’ their first points of the game with a field goal at the end of the half.
Redshirt senior defensive lineman Brian Ugwu sacked Hampton on fourth-and-5 to turn the ball over in the third quarter. NIU junior defensive end Roy Williams responded with a sack on Gabbert to force third-and-16.
A 10-yard rush from Mozee put Miami short of a first down, and senior punter Alec Bevelhimer was brought out to give the Huskies possession.
After a trade of possessions, Gabbert was sacked twice in one minute, first from senior defensive tackle Devonte O’Malley and next from the blind side by senior safety Nate Valcarcel. Bevelhimer punted again after the RedHawks failed to convert on third-and-18.
Neither team impacted the scoreboard through the third quarter, and Miami held a two-score lead going into the final 15 minutes.
The Huskies slashed Miami’s lead to one score with a rushing touchdown from first-year running back Telly Johnson Jr. to open the fourth quarter. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Ugwu set NIU up for a two-point conversion.
Hampton targeted redshirt senior running back Gavin Williams, but the pass was dropped, keeping Miami up 17-9 with 12 minutes to go.
After a punt, linebackers Ty Wise and Matt Salopek tackled Johnson for a loss of 2 yards on third-and-2. The Huskies converted on fourth down and moved toward the 50-yard line.
NIU’s comeback was halted when redshirt senior defensive lineman Corey Suttle sacked Hampton and forced a fumble that was recovered by Ugwu, giving Miami the ball at the opposing 37-yard line.
Suttle missed an assignment before his big play. For the Miami defense, however, a key to success is forgetting mistakes and moving forward.
“Before that happened, I wasn’t in my gap for one play when they got that score,” Suttle said. “I was kind of down on myself. We got an older group, so we were able to bounce back from it. That strip sack helped us with momentum.”
A 17-yard rush from Mozee put Miami at the 11-yard line. Miniscule rushes allowed Dzioban to kick a 27-yard field goal to give the RedHawks another two-score lead, 20-9, with just over two minutes left.
NIU was unable to reach the endzone on its last drive, and the RedHawks took their sixth straight victory and final home win.
Gabbert finished with 202 yards, but the team’s only passing touchdown came from Tracy’s trick play.
“It felt good because we’ve been running that play in practice,” Virgil said. “Javon always talks about how good he could throw. It was cool to see us execute that trick play.”
Miami’s defense was integral to tonight’s win. The RedHawks sacked Hampton four times and had eight tackles for losses totaling 36 yards. Suttle’s forced fumble proved to be a turning point for the RedHawks to dampen any chance of a NIU comeback.
The conclusion to the 2024 regular season is nine days away. The RedHawks travel to Bowling Green State University, another conference championship contender.
With the extra time until the post-Thanksgiving matchup, the coaching staff needs to ensure that injured RedHawks have time to recover before facing another physical opponent.
“We got a lot of guys that need the extra time,” Martin said. “Sometimes in the middle of the season, you’re in a rhythm and you want to keep playing. But this is the game to get to the MAC championship. For us, it’s all or nothing.”
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