Ohio football falls to Miami, 30-20

OXFORD – In the 100th Battle of the Bricks, the Ohio football program (4-3, 2-1 MAC) fell to the Miami RedHawks (3-4, 2-1 MAC) at Yager Stadium this past Saturday, 30-20.

Graduate student quarterback Parker Navarro (Tempe, Ariz.) finished the game 13-for-22 on 88 yards in the air, while redshirt junior quarterback Nick Poulos (Granite Bay, Calif.) went 9-for-21 on 93 passing yards.

Both quarterbacks contributed on the ground, with Navarro recording a team-best 38 rushing yards. Poulos finished just behind him, with 29 net yards and one touchdown. Graduate student running back Anthony Tyus III (Portage, Mich.) and redshirt junior running back Nolan McCormick (Mason, Ohio) scored a rushing touchdown each.

Defensively, graduate student defensive end Marcel Walker-Burgess (Piscataway, N.J.) and redshirt freshman DJ Walker (Aliquippa, Pa.) led the team with five total tackles each. Junior safety Adonis Williams Jr. (South Euclid, Ohio) made his much-anticipated return to the field, recording four tackles on the game.

Redshirt senior punter Jack Wilson (Lancefield, Victoria, Australia) finished the day with seven punts, accumulating 304 yards. Two punts were over 50 yards, with his longest punt clocking in at 56 yards.

The RedHawks struck first, scoring off a 28-yard field goal with 6:42 remaining in the first quarter. Miami extended their lead in the second quarter, wrapping up an eight-play, 58-yard drive with a 14-yard passing touchdown. The RedHawks made the most of an interception—returned for 33 yards—scoring their second touchdown of the day with 19 seconds remaining in the half. After missing the PAT, Miami led 16-0.

The Bobcats pieced together a 15-play, 75-yard drive in the third quarter, ending with a one-yard rushing touchdown by Tyus. After a failed two-point conversion, Ohio cut the deficit to 10 points. Miami answered with a one-play, 11-second drive, scoring off a 58-yard rush to extend their lead to 17 points. The RedHawks added to their lead before the end of the quarter, squeezing in a 28-yard receiving touchdown to put the score at 30-6.

With 5:58 remaining in the game, McCormick scored his first touchdown of the season, closing out an 11-play drive with a one-yard rush into the end zone. After Poulos's successful pass to redshirt junior wide receiver Caleb Gossett (Lewis Center, Ohio) for a two-point conversion, the Bobcats cut the RedHawks' lead to 30-14.

Poulos closed the game with his first rushing touchdown as a Bobcat, scoring Ohio's last six points with just six seconds to go. Unable to catch Miami, Ohio fell, 30-20.

Up next, the Bobcats return to Athens to host the Buffalo Bulls on Saturday, Oct. 26. During the final Saturday game of the regular season, Ohio will recognize its seniors and Frank Solich, who will be inducted into the NFF College Football Hall of Fame in December. Kickoff is set for noon ET at Frank Solich Field and can be seen on CBSSN.