The Bahamas Bowl was awesome! UAB outlasted Miami Ohio in a very competitive game. Jermaine Brown Jr. scored his second touchdown with almost no time left to beat Miami-Ohio, 24-20. Brown started the bowl game because Conference USA Offensive player of the year, DeWayne McBride opted out of the bowl game. UAB looked to be the more superior team in the matchup as I write in the preview article here. Miami-Ohio showed that their team is more than their record by playing spirited defense.
UAB started Bahamas Bowl strong
UAB was up 10-0 on Miami (OH) and the game looked to be a blow out. Trea Shopshire caught a 10 yard pass from Dylan Hopkins midway through the first and M. Quinn kicked a 42 yard field goal. Miami (OH) turned the ball over on downs their first possession and then punted on the next four possessions. Finally before the half, Aveon Williams threw a beautiful 33 yard touchdown pass to Mac Hippenhammer. Hippenhammer got great separation from the defensive back and caught the football basket style, rolling on his back in the end zone. That touchdown signaled that Miami (OH) came to play and was not going to roll over.
Miami Ohio was ready to play Bahamas Bowl
UAB took over on the ensuing drive and wanted to get in position for a Field Goal but Dylan Hopkins threw deep into traffic and Rowan Zolman intercepted the pass. UAB started to shuffle their quarterbacks in and out of the game but it wasn’t working as sophomore quarterback Jacob Zeno turned the ball back over to Miami (OH) on downs on the first drive of the second half. UAB held Miami (OH) but then turned the ball over again to Miami (OH) on a muffed punt. Miami (OH) capitalized and scored to go up 13-10.
UAB and Miami (OH) made Bahamas Bowl a prize fight
What happened next was nothing more than the typical picture of an exciting prize fight where both fighters stand in the center of the ring, trading blows until someone falls. UAB scored on the next drive with a great 14 play, 75 yard drive. Jermaine Brown Jr. scored from two yards out. Miami (OH) got the ball back and answered with a 12 play, 75 yard drive. Aveon Smith threw his second touchdown of the game with a 10 yard pass to Kenny Smith. The score was 20-17 Miami (OH) with 6:52 remaining in the game.
Miami (OH) appeared to have landed a crushing blow as Jermaine Brown fumbled the ball at his own 24 yard line. But the Blazer defense stiffened and held the Redhawks at the 30 yard line. The Redhawks tried a field goal and missed! UAB would get the ball back in a position to win the game but they were deep in their own territory and the Redhawk defense was playing strong.
UAB wins the game on the final drive
Dylan Hopkins was back in the game and threw a beautiful 49 yard pass to Trea Shopshire to get the offense out of trouble. They were down at the Redhawk 21 yard line. Would they have time to run the clock out and score with no time remaining? Would the Redhawk defense get another turnover? The defense held strong at their 13 yard line and pushed UAB to a 4th and 1. UAB Coaches decided to go for it!
The entire UAB offensive line made the Conference USA 1st team, so why not?! As the lines crushed together, Jermaine Brown sped away untouched for a 12 yard touchdown. There was 1:33 remaining though. Miami (OH) had one more shot. They went on a 12 play drive that ended at the Blazer 2 yard line with no time remaining to end the game. Read the analysis of the final drive on AL.com here.
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