Miami Finally Finished the Comeback It Needed

Miami’s four nonconference games somehow felt like an entire season.

Pittsburgh delivered the beatdown. Holy Cross gave Miami an opportunity to recover and show what its upgraded roster could do. Cincinnati erased a 21-point lead and turned the Victory Bell game into one of the most painful losses in recent memory. Then UConn scored touchdowns on its first two possessions and put Miami in another 14-point hole.

This time, the RedHawks responded.

The players made plays. The coaches adjusted. Unexpected contributors stepped into the biggest moments, and Miami completed the comeback with a 24-21 Homecoming victory.

After everything this team experienced during its first three games, resilience may have been the most important thing Miami could show.

Miami Had Every Reason to Unravel

UConn opened the game with touchdown drives of 75 and 84 yards. The Huskies converted a fourth-and-1 with a 38-yard Kalieb Osborne touchdown run, while two Miami personal fouls helped sustain the early momentum.

The RedHawks went three-and-out on their opening possession. Their next drive reached the UConn 26, but D’Shawntae Jones was stopped on third-and-1 and lost a yard on fourth down. When Zhaiylen Scott produced a strip sack on the opening play of the second quarter, Miami appeared to have created the break it needed. Amariyun Knighten recovered the ball, returned it five yards and then fumbled it back to UConn.

Miami was down 14-0, had already failed on fourth down and had given away its first takeaway. Following the Cincinnati collapse, it would have been easy for the frustration to compound.

Instead, the defense allowed only seven points over the final 51 minutes, while the offense answered with consecutive touchdown drives of 90 and 87 yards. By halftime, the game was tied.

McComb Powered the Comeback

David McComb completed 19 of 29 passes for 312 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He also led Miami with 33 rushing yards and scored on a 10-yard run.

That rushing total says plenty about the help he received. Miami’s running backs combined for only 46 yards on 21 carries, leaving McComb responsible for creating most of the offense through the air or with his legs.

On fourth-and-1 during Miami’s first touchdown drive, McComb connected with Braylon Isom for 16 yards before finishing the possession with his rushing touchdown. Miami’s next scoring drive required only four plays and 77 seconds, ending when Brendan Loftus turned a spectacular one-handed catch into a 57-yard touchdown.

McComb continued creating in the third quarter. He scrambled for 32 yards, connected with Rodney Nelson on a 23-yard shovel pass and found Scoop Smith for an 11-yard touchdown that gave Miami its first lead.

McComb has now produced against a difficult Pittsburgh defense, overwhelmed Holy Cross, helped build a three-touchdown lead against Cincinnati and thrown for more than 300 yards against UConn. He has shown that he can lead this version of Miami football.

The concern is his health. McComb was already visibly limited late against Cincinnati and could not finish Saturday’s game. Miami has not announced the nature or severity of the injury, so anything beyond that would be speculation. His availability is now the biggest question entering MAC play.

Martin and His Staff Found Answers

The Cincinnati loss created fair questions about whether Chuck Martin is aggressive enough to win the biggest games Miami wants to play. Saturday did not erase those questions, and I still did not love punting on fourth-and-2 from the UConn 44 in a tied game.

Fairness also requires giving Martin and his staff credit when their decisions help Miami win.

With the score tied at 21, CJ Young intercepted Osborne and gave Miami the ball at the UConn 43. McComb was unavailable, forcing Caleb Heavner into the game with the outcome still undecided. Heavner completed all three of his passes and kept the offense moving.

Miami eventually faced fourth-and-inches at the UConn 34. Christian Ross normally handles that short-yardage role but was unavailable, while another possible replacement was dealing with a hand injury. Martin turned to 260-pound defensive lineman Brach Rice, who had played quarterback during his senior year of high school.

Rice powered forward for two yards.

The RedHawks consumed 6:49 and positioned freshman Brady Stidham for a 33-yard field goal. Stidham had not taken a first-team rep all season. After two earlier Miami misses, he was suddenly being asked to win a tied Homecoming game.

He made it.

Against Cincinnati, Miami’s defining fourth-down decision communicated caution. Against UConn, the coaching staff trusted a backup quarterback, an emergency short-yardage option and a freshman kicker. Those players rewarded that trust.

The Defense Made Its Own Comeback

Miami’s defense looked overwhelmed during UConn’s first two possessions. Osborne created problems with his legs, the tackling was inconsistent and the personal fouls made matters worse.

Then the defense changed the game.

Scott supplied the strip sack. Young broke up a third-down pass that forced a punt, then intercepted Osborne in the fourth quarter to create Miami’s winning possession. After Stidham’s field goal, UConn still had 1:58 and reached the Miami 38 before the RedHawks forced four consecutive incompletions. Grant Lyons pressured Osborne on fourth down and helped force the final hurried throw.

Young’s interception was not merely another defensive statistic. Miami’s starting quarterback was injured, the game was tied and the offense needed favorable field position. Young created exactly the opportunity Miami needed.

The defense still allowed 162 rushing yards and surrendered several explosive plays, including a 53-yard completion that set up UConn’s tying touchdown. It was not a perfect performance, but Miami recovered from a terrible start and closed the game when it needed one final stop.

The Details Finally Improved

The penalty total may be the most encouraging improvement. Miami repeatedly hurt itself with penalties and pre-snap problems against Cincinnati. Against UConn, the RedHawks committed only two penalties, both during the Huskies’ opening touchdown drives. Miami played the final three quarters without another accepted penalty.

The remaining weaknesses are also clear. The RedHawks could not establish a conventional running game, two missed field goals nearly became decisive and UConn produced too many explosive plays. Another injury to McComb could change the outlook for the beginning of conference play.

This was progress, not perfection.

Four Games That Felt Like a Season

Miami enters MAC play at 2-2, but that record alone does not explain what this team has already experienced.

Pittsburgh demonstrated how far Miami still must climb to compete consistently with talented Power Four programs. Holy Cross showed what the RedHawks can look like when their roster advantage translates onto the field. Cincinnati proved Miami has enough talent to control a rivalry game, while exposing the coaching and operational problems that prevented it from finishing.

UConn tested whether Miami could absorb all of that and respond. Both the players and coaches did.

That does not mean Miami should be satisfied with splitting these four games. If David Sayler’s goal is to build the best athletic department outside the Power Four, performances like Pittsburgh and Cincinnati eventually must become victories. Miami cannot indefinitely treat competing with larger programs as the final accomplishment.

Those losses need to become wins next season.

For now, Miami enters conference play with eight games remaining and an opportunity to pursue an undefeated MAC run. Reaching 10-2 would require the RedHawks to establish a running game, protect McComb and play with far greater consistency. It would also be an outcome worth feeling extremely proud about.

The nonconference schedule tested Miami’s talent, depth, coaching and resilience. It delivered painful evidence that the program is not yet where it wants to be, but it also showed that this roster possesses more talent than a typical MAC team.

Now Miami has to prove it every week.