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Jawon Chisolm, above, netted 66 yards rushing. Justin Semmes (below) takes the high road for one of his two TDs. Middle left, Clayton Moore was often under pressure.. Nick Harwell (middle, right) makes the catch on a 52-yard TD play. Mason Krysinski (bottom) adds on a PAT. Photos by Mike Smith.

With the win, Miami joints Ohio atop the MAC East. The RedHawks still have their work cut out for them, with three tough opponents remaining on the regular season schedule. They play Temple on the road next week and host Western Michigan one week before a showdown with Ohio U.

As critical as those games are, the RedHawks stayed focused on the moment – albeit a soggy moment – against a team that owns one win on the season, but had come within one two-point pass completion of defeating Central Michigan last Saturday.

“One of our thoughts all week was to focus and go one play at a time and play the game with great focus,” Miami Head Coach Don Treadwell said after the contest.

“I thought our kids did a great job at that today, and they didn't let the weather be a distraction. I think when those things that you can't control are against you, like the weather, it is even more important to stay focused on the little things.”

Despite playing in a steady rain, MU not only stayed turnover-free, it was able to effectively utilize the passing game that has carried the offense through much of 2011. Quarterback Zac Dysert completed 12-of-19 attempts for 215 yards and two touchdowns.

Both teams registered just one sack, but Akron quarterbacks, especially starter Clayton Moore, were often under heavy pressure.

“We had some great schemes to get to the quarterback tonight,” Miami linebacker Jarrell Wedge said.

“The defense just continues to be an inspiration to our entire football team,” Treadwell said. “Over the last couple games, our offense has been able to feed off the defensive intensity and answer the bell. If you get that momentum going on both sides, it really makes a difference in your ball club.”

Akron quarterbacks Moore and Patrick Nicely combined to complete 7-of-32 passes for 90 yards, with one interception. Several drops didn’t help. Neither did some injuries.

“I think we lost three receivers in the first quarter,” UA Head Coach Rob Ianello said. “All we can do is take a few days off, recuperate and get ready for Kent State.”

After the two teams traded punts early, Miami put its first score up on the board with 6:17 left in the first quarter. Dysert hit Nick Harwell with passes for 13 and 38 yards to open the drive and later found Chris Givens for 17 yards on a 3rd-and-16 from the UA 25. Dysert went over right guard for the final yard to complete the seven-play, 70-yard trip.

Akron running back Jawon Chisholm lost the handle on a slippery ball three plays into Akron’s next possession, and Wedge recovered at the Zips 41. While MU didn’t score on that possession, it set up field possession that paid off when the RedHawks scored another touchdown with 58 seconds left in the first quarter.

Dysert found Andy Cruse all alone on the left sideline for a 22-yard play. It was his third straight game with a TD catch, and fourth in the last five contests. Mason Krysinski kicked the PAT as Miami took a 14-0 lead.

After scoring twice via the pass, Miami turned to its ground game for a third score. Sophomore Justin Semmes, who entered Thursday with three career carries for four yards, got the call 11 times on a 13-play drive. He picked up 60 yards along the way and finished the night with an even 100 yards rushing. That made him the first MU running back to reach the century mark rushing since Thomas Merriweather gained 100 yards last January in the GoDaddy.com bowl.

“I am a little bit tired after tonight, and I’m sure I will be feeling it tomorrow,” Semmes said. “The offensive line did an excellent job up front, and we were able to establish the run with the weather conditions the way they were.”

Miami, which entered the week last in the MAC with an average of 67.5 rushing yards, ground out a season-high 168 yards against Akron.

“We've been continually going back and forth with the run game, mixing and rolling the dice (with personnel),” Treadwell said. “Semmes had a very good week of practice, and he got an opportunity today to go into the ball game and carry the ball more than in the past, and he answered the bell. That's the kind of thing you have to do in any situation, but especially in a heavy soaked rain game.”

The Zips, averaging 120.4 yards per game, picked up 111 rushing yards. Chisolm, a redshirt freshman averaging 94.1 ypg (4.9 ypc), netted 66 yards on 20 carries (3.3 ypc) against the RedHawks.

After a methodical 13-play drive for its third touchdown, Miami was lighting quick in adding a fourth. After MU’s defense forced a three-and-out, Dysert found Harwell on the next snap for a 52-yard TD play.

“They had some wide open receivers that really came through for them,” Ianello said.

Harwell’s four receptions on the evening covered 117 yards. It was his sixth 2011 game with at least 100 receiving yards. Former RedHawk Martin Nance holds the school single season record of seven games over 100 yards receiving (2003 and 2005).

Justin Bower’s interception of a deflected pass gave Miami a chance to add one more score before the half. Starting at Akron’s 25, the RedHawks quickly got to UA’s two-yard line. However, the Zips defense rallied to stop the hosts on four straight running plays.

After a scoreless third stanza, Semmes added his second touchdown of the night on a two-yard run with 14:57 left. A.J. Fox hit a 24-yard field goal at the 4:12 mark for Akron’s only score. That broke a string of eight quarters in which Akron has not scored at Yager Stadium.

"We didn't move the football at all. The way we played in the second half in our last game was not the way we played tonight,” Ianello said. "It's a very disappointing effort. We didn't convert on downs, and we didn't play the way we should have.”

Akron converted 5-of-17 third down opportunities, while Miami went 7-of-16.
Akron (1-8, 0-5 MAC) returns to action Wednesday, Nov. 12 when it hosts area rival Kent State. Miami (4-5, 3-2 MAC) heads to Philadelphia for a Nov. 9 matchup with Temple.

Now the winners of two straight after a big loss at Toledo, the RedHawks need the kind of late season streak that took them to the MAC championship game and title last year. The theme and focus is simple: win and they’re in.