OxfordPress.com

OXFORD — Nobody watched Miami University's football game on TV. The Ohio News Network truck was stopped en route to Yager Stadium, reportedly, because its engine blew up.

By the start of the fourth quarter very few fans were watching in person, either.

The RedHawks had blown up.

Miami suffered by far its most lopsided loss in its 66-year series against the Kent State Golden Flashes, falling 54-14 after committing six turnovers, including four in consecutive possessions in the first half.

"There was a lot of bad out there today," said Miami coach Shane Montgomery, whose team fell to 2-6 overall, 1-3 in the Mid-American Conference after watching the Flashes score 44 straight points in the second and third quarters. "It just wasn't pretty."

Kent State (also 2-6, 1-3 in the MAC) was led by the explosive duo of quarterback Julian Edelman, who passed for 107 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 162 yards and a touchdown, and tailback Eugene Jarvis, who ran for 105 yards and four touchdowns.

But the killing factor, as far as the RedHawks were concerned, were the turnovers.

"We started off decent and then we turned the ball over," Montgomery said. "I told the guys I don't care who you're playing, if you turn the ball over six times you're not going to win, and it's going to get ugly like it did today."

Redshirt freshman quarterback Clay Belton scored his first touchdown as a RedHawk on a 1-yard sneak to give Miami a 7-3 lead midway through the first quarter.

Late in the period, however, Belton threw an interception. And then turnovers came tumbling out. In the second quarter, a fumble by Andre Bratton, another Belton interception and a fumble by Eugene Harris trying to catch a punt. In the third quarter, two fumbles by Jamal Rogers, one on a reception, one on a run.

"We didn't do a good job today of being attentive to detail, which was holding onto the ball," Montgomery said.

"We still have a lot to play for," he added. "As far as I know, we're not out of the race yet. Our backs are against the wall, again, but there's a lot that can happen these next four weeks."

Home has not been kind to the RedHawks, who have dropped two straight at Yager Stadium and three out of four this season.

This blowout was new territory for the Flashes, who never had beaten Miami by more than 11 points. KSU had lost 17 of its last 19 games against Miami, and had never scored more than 27 points in Oxford.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.