Return Of Defensive Starters Lifts Miami Over Ohio State, 24-6
CORAL GABLES (CBS4) -- Getting three starters back from one-game suspensions proved to be a major help for Miami's defense.
Not only did the Hurricanes beat Ohio State 24-6 Saturday night, they knocked the Buckeyes out of the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2004 after giving up just 209 yards.
Ohio State generated 35 yards passing -- the worst single-game total for a BCS school so far this season -- on 18 attempts. The last time a BCS team threw the ball at least 18 times and failed to exceed 35 passing yards was Sept. 19, 2009, when Boston College was 5-of-21 for 25 yards against Clemson.
Lamar Miller ran for 184 yards -- 54 on Miami's first play from scrimmage -- and Jacory Harris threw two first-quarter touchdown passes to Allen Hurns.
Ohio State got into the red zone twice and settled for field goals. The Buckeyes allowed Miami to go 9 for 15 on third-down conversion chances, and the Hurricanes held the ball for 11:16 in the final quarter -- much of that coming after Marcus Robinson punched the ball away from Braxton Miller in Miami territory. Mike Williams recovered for the Hurricanes and the celebration started revving up right there.
"This win feels wonderful," Harris said. "It feels great to get out there and beat a great team like Ohio State. We have much respect for them, but we made sure we came out with the 'W."'
Ohio State interim coach Luke Fickell was hoping his team would start quickly, avoid giving up big plays and take advantage of any opportunities Miami provided. The Buckeyes failed on all counts.
"I'm kind of shocked," Ohio State's Carlos Hyde said. "I wasn't expecting to lose to these guys."
The win snapped a four-game slide dating to last season for the Hurricanes (1-1), who got their first win over a ranked opponent since beating Oklahoma on Oct. 3, 2009.
Miami gave up 348 yards passing in a season-opening loss at Maryland. Of the six Terrapins who caught passes that night, five finished with more yards than Ohio State had through the air as a team on Saturday, and the one who fell short had 34 yards.
"We have a lot of talent," said Miami linebacker Sean Spence, one of five Hurricanes returning from one-game suspensions for accepting extra benefits from a former booster. "As long as we continue playing with pride and passion, the sky's the limit for us."
How bad was it for the Buckeyes? Ohio State seemed to give up on the game in the final minutes, not even bothering to stop the clock with one of their three timeouts as Miami moved down the field in the final minutes with a 17-6 lead.
ike James plunged in from the 1 with 33 seconds left, capping the scoring, as many of the 10,000 or so scarlet-clad fans began leaving in earnest.
Jordan Hall had 87 yards on 14 carries for Ohio State, which got 54 more rushing yards from Hyde. The Buckeyes struggled with Toledo at home last weekend and were kept out of the end zone entirely by the Hurricanes.
"We lost, so apparently we didn't do a good enough job," Ohio State safety C.J. Barnett said. "I don't know what to tell you."
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