KENT, Ohio — Quarterback Joshua Cribbs ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns as Kent State beat Miami 24-20 Saturday for its first winning season since 1987.
The Golden Flashes (6-5, 3-3 Mid-American Conference) held the RedHawks (7-5, 4-2) scoreless in the second half, rallying from a 14-point deficit.
“Obviously we weren't ready to play physically in the second half,” Miami coach Terry Hoeppner said. “We just didn't have answers for their emotion and execution.”
Cribbs scored Kent State's first touchdown with a 24-yard run in the first quarter and had a 51-yard run in the third that put the Golden Flashes ahead 21-20.
Cribbs completed nine of 20 passes for 79 yards with two interceptions, one of which was returned for a 28-yard touchdown by Miami's Matt Robillard in the first quarter.
Miami's Ben Roethlisberger was 20-of-36 passing for 238 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jason Branch. He threw two interceptions and was sacked five times.
Miami was held to minus-1 yard rushing on 31 attempts.
“Our defense did a great job stopping the run,” Kent State coach Dean Pees said. “I believe their longest run was 9 yards.”
Said Hoeppner: “We had a spectacular season, but it's still disappointing to end like this,” Hoeppner said.
Team
1
2
3
4
SCORE
Cincinnati
3
7
10
16
36
Memphis
3
14
3
14
34
Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
Memphis Field Goal - 30-yarder by Ryan White. 11:32 remaining. Cincinnati Field Goal - 20-yarder by Jonathon Ruffin. 8:40 remaining.
2nd Quarter
Memphis Touchdown - 69-yard pass from Danny Wimprine to Darron White. (Ryan White kick). 8:39 remaining. Cincinnati Touchdown - 7-yard run by Nathan Wize. (Jonathon Ruffin kick). 2:30 remaining. Memphis Touchdown - 15-yard pass from Danny Wimprine to Darron White. (Ryan White kick). 0:21 remaining.
3rd Quarter
Cincinnati Touchdown - 2-yard run by DeMarco McCleskey. (Jonathon Ruffin kick). 8:07 remaining. Memphis Field Goal - 22-yarder by Ryan White. 4:07 remaining. Cincinnati Field Goal - 45-yarder by Jonathon Ruffin. 1:08 remaining.
4th Quarter
Cincinnati Touchdown - 24-yard pass from Gino Guidugli to Jon Olinger. (Jonathon Ruffin kick). 13:12 remaining. Memphis Touchdown - 45-yard run by Dante Brown. (Ryan White kick). 12:12 remaining. Cincinnati Field Goal - 26-yarder by Jonathon Ruffin. 4:04 remaining. Memphis Touchdown - 38-yard pass from Danny Wimprine to Antoine Harden. (Ryan White kick). 2:16 remaining. Cincinnati Touchdown - 13-yard pass from Gino Guidugli to Jon Olinger. (Two-point conversion failed). 0:04 remaining.
Attendance: 26,395
Final Team Statistics
Cincinnati
Memphis
First downs
33
23
Rushes-yards
54-224
32-145
Passing yards
348
295
Return yards
11
31
Passing (Att-Comp-Int)
36-18-0
33-16-0
Punts-Average
5-41.8
5-48.6
Fumbles-Lost
2-0
1-0
Penalties-Yards
10-93
5-51
Time of Possession
35:06
24:54
Rushing
Cincinnati
- McCleskey 25-120, Jackson 21-110, Wize 2-17, team 1-(-1),
Guidugli 5-(-22).
Memphis
- Brown 15-90, Wimprine 17-55.
Passing
Cincinnati
- Guidugli 18-36-0, 348 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Memphis
- Wimprine 16-33-0, 295 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Receiving
Cincinnati
- Olinger 6-144, Vann 4-44, Deatherage 3-33, Keith 2-63, Jackson
2-47, Wize 1-17.
Memphis
- White 7-123, Harden 3-97, Perkins 3-21, Anglin 1-37, Johnson
1-16, Brown 1-1.
Miami season ends on downer