Defeat sends Miami to program-record 11th loss

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Staff photo by Robert Leifheit The Miami Redhawks fall to the Buffalo Bulls, Wednesday, November 18, 2009, at Yager Stadium.

Buffalo scores four TDs in a nine-minute span, leaving Miami with a program-record 11th loss.

By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 12:05 PM Thursday, November 19, 2009

OXFORD — At 9:07 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Wednesday, Nov. 18, Miami University’s 2009 football season came to an official end.

A soggy end.

A merciful end.

The Buffalo Bulls erupted for four touchdowns in a span of less than nine minutes and beat the RedHawks 42-17 in front of a Yager Stadium crowd of about 300 rain-soaked, die-hard fans (7,983 announced).

The loss was the 11th of the season for Miami, a new single-season record for a program that prides itself on a tradition of excellence, a program which has endured, however, three seasons of 10 or more losses in the past four years.

“We’re heading in the right direction, but just have to get mentally and physically tougher,” said Michael Haywood, who finished his first season as Miami’s head coach with a 1-11 record, 1-7 in the Mid-American Conference.

The RedHawks have been hit hard by injuries and were missing many key players Wednesday, especially at wide receiver and the defensive line. At times Miami just could not compete physically, could not stop a Buffalo running game that racked up 240 yards.

“One of the things that happened was the lack of defensive linemen due to injuries,” Haywood said. “We didn’t do a good job getting off blocks. We didn’t have enough people in the box to stop the run.

“We have to get bigger, stronger and faster,” he said.

Junior running back Brandon Thermilus, who was listed No. 4 on the Buffalo depth chart given to the news media before the opening kickoff, scored three touchdowns on runs of 3 and 31 yards in the second quarter, and a 29-yard pass from quarterback Zach Maynard in the fourth quarter.

Miami led 3-0 early in the second quarter following a 37-yard field goal by Trevor Cook.

Then the Bulls scored three touchdowns in the final 7 minutes of the half and added another touchdown 2 minutes, 5 seconds into the second half on a 30-yard option pass from wideout Terrell Jackson to tight end Jesse Rack to make it 28-3.

A bright spot for Miami was the play of senior wide receiver Brayden Coombs, who broke the school’s single-game record for receptions with 14 and finished the night with a career-high 100 receiving yards.

“It felt good, I guess,” Coombs said. “I wish the game would have gone differently. I definitely didn’t anticipate 14 catches, but I’m glad it happened.”

Miami junior wideout Jamal Rogers caught a career-high nine passes for 86 yards and a touchdown, a 36-yard strike in the fourth quarter from senior Daniel Raudabaugh.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.

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What a disgrace to Miamo. More poeple whoudl have showed up to see jerrry Reed.

Dirtbag
2:27 PM, 11/19/2009

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Pont, Hayes, Schembeckler where are you?

Huffnhustle
1:33 PM, 11/19/2009

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I hope the MAC reconsiders prostituting itself to ESPN by playing poorly attended, little-seen TV games during the early week for some measure of "exposure." Miami didn't benefit from whatever exposure they got last night... that was a teeny, tiny, itty bitty group of fans who showed up sporadically in the background last night. I'm not proud.

Lee from Orlando
10:45 AM, 11/19/2009

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