The RedHawks (3-5, 2-2) snapped a three-game losing streak to move into sole possession of second place, one game behind the Zips and Bobcats, with games at Ohio on Halloween and at home against Akron on Nov. 7.
Fourth-year junior running back Kenny Young set career highs with 125 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries as Miami never trailed while again winning the time-of-possession battle.
Classmate Alonzo Smith added a touchdown on a one-yard run late in the third quarter and junior quarterback Billy Bahl was 13-of-20 for 177 yards. He didn’t throw for a touchdown, but he also avoided an interception after logging two of each in Miami’s 17-14 loss at Kent State on Oct. 14.
The RedHawks committed no turnovers while forcing two, including a one-armed interception by senior safety Tony Reid at the Miami six-yard line with 14:20 left in the game.
True freshman Kyle Vantrease, making his first career start, completed an 11-yard touchdown pass to help cut Miami’s lead 24-14 with 2:52 left in the game and Buffalo (3-5, 1-3) recovered an onside kick
Miami led, 10-7, going into the third quarter when the RedHawks’ defensive Allen duo teamed up to force a Bulls turnover on their first play of the quarter. Senior nose tackle Ikeem Allen stripped Vantrease of the ball as he was scrambling, and junior safety Josh Allen recovered at Buffalo’s 35-yard line. Young immediately converted with a touchdown run on the first play.
Senior cornerback and Dayton Christian High School graduate Heath Harding did not start after suffering a leg injury in practice. Sophomore Travion Banks started in place of Harding.
The RedHawks opened the game with Bahls’ 57-yard bomb down the left sideline to junior wide receiver James Gardner on the way to leading, 10-0, after their first two possessions. Sophomore Sam Sloman capped that drive with a 37-yard field goal. They followed with an five-play, 61-yard drive capped by Young’s seven-yard run for his fourth touchdown of the season, third on the ground.
Bahl was 6-of-8 for 114 yards and Miami owned a 175-17 lead in total offense while holding the ball for twice as long as the Bulls after one quarter, but the RedHawks couldn’t maintain the pace in the second quarter. They produced just 31 yards of total offense while Buffalo was piling up 93, 49 on a six-play drive that ended with Vantrease’s eight-yard pass to wide receiver Anthon Johnson with 5:23 left before halftime.
Miami opened the second quarter in the midst of a drive that would reach 15 plays before Sloman’s missed 46-yard field goal attempt.
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