Despite becoming Miami's all-time passing leader Saturday, redshirt senior quarterback Zac Dysert and the Miami University football team (4-5) fell to the University at Buffalo Bulls (2-7) 27-24 on a field goal as time expired.
Dysert passed Ben Roethlisberger in the third quarter as the school's leader in passing yards. Dysert now has 10,997 yards in his career, ranking 41st all-time and sixth in the Mid-American Conference (MAC).
"Right now it doesn't feel like much," Dysert said. "But like we talked about earlier in the week, it is something that I will admire a little bit more down the road."
Dysert drove the RedHawks on an impressive 16-play, 75-yard drive to tie the game at 24 with just 23 seconds remaining. The Red and White converted two fourth downs, including a fourth and 20 at the Buffalo 27 on the drive.
However, Buffalo freshman running back Devin Campbell returned a squib kick 47 yards to the Miami 35, setting up the game winning 45-yard field goal by sophomore kicker Patrick Clarke.
"That's part of the game of football and part of the game of life," Head Coach Don Treadwell said. "You got to work through that and the good thing is we still have a few games to play."
The Bulls were led offensively by a strong performance from redshirt junior running back Braden Oliver. He picked up 199 yards and one score on 32 rushes. It is the most rushing yards to a single player the 'Hawks have given up since 2008.
"I feel that was an average performance for us," sophomore safety Brison Burris said. "I think we are a better defense than what we showed out there."
Dysert was 25-44 for 242 yards and three touchdowns. He also led the RedHawks in rushing, picking up 42 yards on 13 carries.
Junior wide receiver Nick Harwell had an impressive game for the Red and White, scoring all three of Miami's touchdowns. Harwell caught 10 balls for 62 yards.
Harwell is now third all-time in receiving yards and fourth in receiving touchdowns in school history.
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Brison Burris was a playmaker on the defensive side of the ball, picking off his second career pass and recovering his first career fumble.
"That was a little gift," Burris said of the fumble that bounced right into his arms. "A little early Christmas gift."
Junior linebacker Chris Wade continued his breakout season with a game-high 13 tackles. It is the eighth straight game Wade has had double digit tackles. Wade now has 99 tackles on the season.
The RedHawks took the lead first on freshman kicker Kaleb Patterson's 29-yard field goal, but that was the only lead they would have. Buffalo's Clarke made a 49-yarder to tie the game in the second quarter for the only other scoring in the first half.
"I don't think anyone would have predicted a 3-3 halftime, but you'll take that," Treadwell said. "That still puts you in even situation."
The Bulls took the lead on an Oliver touchdown early in the second half, but the RedHawks responded on a scoring drive where Dysert broke Roethlisberger's record.
Miami had a chance to take a lead with the score knotted up at 17, but senior wide receiver Andy Cruse fumbled to give Buffalo great field position. Cruse finished the game with six catches for a game high 87 yards.
"We didn't make enough plays early," Dysert said. "They made plays at the end and we couldn't match them."
Buffalo took a 24-17 lead on a drive where a botched field goal snap resulted in a desperation pass completed for a first down. Dysert tied the game later, but the great kick return allowed the Bulls to pull the upset with the game winning field goal.
"I'm very upset about the game," Burris said. "We should have stopped [Campbell] way back there. It was very disappointing."
The RedHawks return to action against MAC East leader Kent State University 1 p.m. Saturday at Yager Stadium.
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