Well it certainly wasn't pretty, but a win is a win. The RedHawks (2-4, 1-1) and Golden Flashes (1-6, 0-3) played one of the lowest-scoring football games you will ever see, a 9-3 defensive struggle that the 'Hawks clawed their way to the top of.
The RedHawks were held to a paltry 166 total yards of offense, but their defense limited the Flashes to only 244 yards on their end. If not for an early turnover, the Miami 'D' might have pitched a shutout.
It was on just the second play from scrimmage that WR Nick Harwell fumbled a pass from QB Zac Dysert that the Flashes recovered on Miami's 23-yard line. The stout Miami defense held Kent State to a three-and-out, limiting the damage to a 32-yard field goal.
That very well may have been an omen for Harwell. His streak of 100-yard receiving games did indeed come to an end with a resounding thud; he finished with three catches for one yard. No, that's not a typo. Dysert wasn't able to get into much of a rhythm, and only threw for 125 yards (13-of-27 attempts). His biggest benefactor was WR Chris Givens, who hauled in three catches for 47 yards and what proved to be the pivotal touchdown.
That play came late in the third quarter, after the 'Hawks and Flashes had traded punts for about 40 minutes following the field goal. The score was set up by the possession before, when a P Zac Murphy punt pinned Kent at its own one-yard line. The Flashes couldn't pick up a first down, so they were forced to punt out of their own end zone and give Miami a short field starting at the 30-yard line. Dysert hit Givens on a 2nd-and-10 from the 16, putting Miami on top 7-3.
The RedHawks padded their modest lead early in the fourth quarter after another Murphy punt pinned the Flashes in the shadow of their own end zone. On 3rd down from the 6-yard line, DL C.J. Marck sacked QB Spencer Keith in the end zone for a safety, accounting for the final score of 9-3.
With the offense unable to break through, this was obviously the defense's time to shine. There was a timely interception in the end zone as the first half expired by CB Demetrius Quarles (the first of his career). And the 'Hawks held Kent to 3-for-17 on third down and 0-for-2 on fourth down. Miami was the more discplined team as well, only called for five penalties (35 penalty yards), while the Flashes were flagged nine times for 107 yards. If ever there was a time for the defense to stand tall, this was it.
Miami will remain on the road next weekend for one of their toughest regular season matchups. They face the Toledo Rockets (4-3, 3-0), the only team still undefeated in MAC play. Miami and Toledo had been picked the preseason favorites to win the East and West division titles, respectively. Following Saturday's victory, Miami only trails Temple (5-2, 3-1) in the MAC East.
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