Miami Rallies To Defeat Football 42-41

Oct. 4, 2014

OXFORD, Ohio - Miami (Ohio) erased a 27-point deficit and forced three UMass turnovers in the fourth quarter as the RedHawks defeated the Minutemen 42-41 on Saturday afternoon at Yager Stadium. UMass had an opportunity to win the game on its final drive, but a fake spike play from six yards out was stopped just short to preserve the Miami win.

The loss drops the Minutemen to 0-6 overall and 0-2 in the MAC. Miami improves to 1-5 overall and 1-1 in the MAC.

The RedHawks took their first lead with 2:58 left in the game after trailing 41-21 at halftime. An interception negated the Minutemen's ensuing drive, but the defense held Miami to a three-and-out on the next possession to get the ball back with 73 seconds left in the game. The Minutemen were able to move the ball down the field thanks to a 25 yard catch by Tajae Sharpe and a 26 yard catch by Rodney Mills.

The Mills reception spotted the ball at the Miami six yard line with three seconds left on the clock. The Minutemen elected to go for a fake-spike play as Blake Frohnapfel hit Shadrach Abrokwah in the flat, but the Miami defense held him to just a four-yard gain to preserve the win.

Frohnapfel finished the game with 389 yards and four touchdowns. Abrokwah posted his second career 100-yard rushing game with 128 yards and a touchdown. He added a receiving touchdown as well.

Jean Sifrin, Mills, and Marken Michel also posted receiving touchdowns in the game, while Tajae Sharpe had nine catches for 154 yards.

Khary Bailey-Smith also had a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Miami quarterback Andrew Hendrix was 32-of-58 through the air for 437 yards and four touchdowns. All four of his TD tosses were to Sam Martin who had eight catches for 111 yards.. Rokeem Williams had six catches for 133 yards, while Hendrix also led the rushing game with 91 yards on the ground.

The Minutemen jumped out to a 14-0 lead after the first quarter thanks to a pair of sustained 70-plus yard drives. Frohnapfel hit Michel for the game's opening score and then found Abrokwah to cap the next possession.

Miami opened a wild second quarter with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Hendrix to Sam Martin. It seemed the RedHawk offense had sparked momentum for the home team, but 14 seconds later, Bailey-Smith stood in the end zone after his 93-yard kickoff return put the Minutemen back up by two scores, 21-7.

Miami again answered to stay within a touchdown, but another 70-yard drive for the Minutemen resulted in a score with Frohnapfel hitting Sifrin from seven yards out. On the ensuing kickoff, Adam Richard forced a Miami fumble setting the Minutemen up in the red zone.

Three plays after the fumble, Frohanpfel hit Mills for a seven yard touchdown toss making it 34-14 with 9:05 left in the second quarter.

It looked as if Miami had another chance to covert a long drive into points, but the UMass defense held strong at the goal line forcing a turnover on downs. The Minutemen then marched 99 yards in 10 plays with Abrokwah scampering six yards for his second TD of the game and a 41-14 lead.

Miami added another touchdown with 46 seconds left in the first half cutting the lead to 41-21 just before halftime.

After the intermission, UMass was unable to pick up any points on its first two possessions.

The RedHawks scored the first touchdown of the second half with a three-yard run by Jared Murphy making it a 41-28 game with 2:33 left in the quarter.

In the fourth quarter, UMass was unable to score on its first two possessions seeing its lead cut to 41-35 when Hendrix hit Martin for a 16-yard score with 6:16 remaining in the game. That marked the fourth-time the pair had connected with Martin's four TD catches a new Yager Stadium record.

Miami forced a fumble on the next UMass play taking over the ball at the Minutemen's 45-yard line. Hendrix completed three straight passes to get the RedHawks to the one yard line. Two plays later, Hendrix kept the ball on the ground for the go-ahead score.

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Blake Frohnapfel

Marken Michel

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University of Massachusets Athletics