RedHawks Spoil Homecoming With Late Touchdown, 27-20

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MOUNT PLEASANT -- Zac Dysert threw a 71-yard touchdown pass to Andy Cruse with 19 seconds remaining to lift Miami to a 27-20 win over Central Michigan in Mid-American Conference action at Kelly/Shorts Stadium on Saturday.

Miami improved to 4-3 overall, 3-0 in the MAC with the win. The Chippewas fell to 2-5 overall, 1-3 in the conference.

CMU's David Harman kicked field goals of 28 and 23 yards in the fourth quarter to draw the Chippewas even at 20-20 with 4:33 remaining. The teams then traded punts, and the game seemed destined for overtime with Miami facing second-and-25 from its own 18 with less than a minute remaining.

An 11-yard completion from Dysert to Thomas Merriweather on second down set up the game-winning throw. Dysert was flushed to his right before throwing down the east sideline to Cruse, who was all alone behind the CMU secondary on the broken play.

Dysert finished with 399 passing yards and three touchdowns to lead a Miami offense that out-gained CMU, 470-401.

The Chippewas drove inside the Miami 10-yard line three times in the first half, but managed just seven points and trailed 10-7 at halftime.

Richie Hogan missed a 24-yard field goal attempt on the game's opening possession, and neither team threatened the red zone again until Dysert threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Cruse three minutes into the second quarter. CMU drove to the Miami 3-yard line on the ensuing possession, but Paris Cotton was stripped of the ball by Miami's Jerrell Wedge at the 1-yard line to thwart the drive.

The CMU defense forced a three-and-out, and Zac Murphy's punt traveled just 22 yards to the Miami 26-yard line. Cotton scored on a 5-yard run three plays later to tie the score at 7-7 with 6:41 left in the second quarter.

Later in the quarter, the RedHawks converted a Ryan Radcliff interception into a 40-yard field goal by Seth Philip to take a 10-7 lead into halftime.

Miami stretched the lead to 17-7 early in the third quarter, marching 78 yards in 12 plays with the second half kickoff. Dysert capped the drive with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Nick Harwell.

The teams exchanged punts before Carl Volny scored on a 1-yard run to cut the Miami lead to 17-14. Radcliff and Cody Wilson twice connected on fourth down--a 3-yard pass play on fourth-and-1 and a 23-yard gain on fourth-and-5--to keep alive the 10-play, 41-yard scoring drive.

Philip kicked a 21-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to stretch Miami's lead to 20-14, and Harman's field goals came on consecutive possessions to tie the score.

All but 21 of Dysert's 399 passing yards went to three receivers. Armand Robinson caught nine passes for 102 yards, Cruse caught eight passes for 179 yards and Harwell made eight catches for 97 yards. Miami rushed for just 71 yards.

Radcliff matched a career high with 29 completions on a career-high 52 attempts. He threw for 329 yards, his second 300-yard passing game of the season. Eight Chippewas caught a pass, with Wilson finishing with team highs of eight catches for 97 yards.

CMU is back on the road next weekend, visiting Northern Illinois at 3 p.m. Central Time.

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