(Tucson, AZ) A couple of teams that just missed their conference title games faced off in the inaugural Snoop Dog Arizona Bowl.
Colorado State from the Mountain West Conference comes in at 8-4 and had won six out of their last seven games.
On the other side, Miami (Ohio) with an 8-5 record lost in the MAC Championship to Ohio University.
This is the tenth Arizona Bowl, although the game was cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid situation.
Through the evolution of the game they’ve had different sponsors, but with the Snoop Dog brand, vaulted the game’s presence into the big time of college football.
The Arizona Bowl had been rated by ESPN Bowl Rankings in the top ten, with exciting matchups and the attendance has been better than most other non New Year’s Day or Playoff Games.
First Quarter
The Rams won the toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff.
It took Colorado State a couple of downs to get things rolling, but mixing the short pass and run got them into Miami territory.
Braydon Fowler-Nicolosi hit a sideline route to Jordan Ross for a first and goal from the Redhawks eight yard line.
Miami’s defense stiffened and the Rams settled for a Jordan Noves twenty one yard field goal for the first points of the game. CSU up 3-0 at the 8:15 mark of the opening quarter.
The Redhawks on their first possession got one first down but nothing more and were forced to punt. CSU’s run defense put the Redhawks in third and long forcing the pass.
Things changed almost immediately when Avery Morrow coughed up the ball and Miami was in great shape at the CSU twenty yard line.
Wideout Jack Coldiron was wide open in the end zone but Brett Gabbert threw long. Miami settled for a short field goal to tie it up at 3-3 woth 3:35 left in the quarter.
Both teams went three and out on their next possessions.
CSU’s quarterback threw the pass right to defensive end Adam Tripp and the Redhawks had the ball at the Rams eleven yard line off the turnover.
Once again, Miami couldn’t get it in the end zone and kicked a twenty six yard field goal to take a 6-3 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Neither offense had any consistent play in the quarter.
Photo – Piercen Sturdavant/520 Sports Talk
Second Quarter
The first play of the quarter saw Morrow bust off a twenty six yard run up the near sideline, but it was followed by a holding penalty on the next play.
From the Miami thirty seven yard line, the Rams threw underneath but were a yard short of the first down. On fourth down, they failed to get the necessary yardage and the turnover on downs back to the Redhawks.
Miami’s offense couldn’t get going again and a fourth and three with two consecutive penalties ended up fourth thirteen and another forced punt after they had ideas of going for it.
Colorado State started their next drive from their own four yard line with no room for error and under six minutes left til halftime. After a play review, CSU was short of the first down and was forced to punt.
After the two minute timeout, Miami started moving the ball with some unorthodox formations and a hurry up offense.
From the Ram’s thirteen yard line, Gabbert threw underneath on a check off route to the six yard line, but short of the first down. Dzioban kickf a twenty four yard field goal to extend the Redhawks lead to 9-3 at the half.
Halftime
The first half took two hours to complete as both Miami and CSU had their issues sustaining any type of offense that resulted in four field goals.
For the Redhawks, they didn’t complete two consecutive passes until the last drive of the half. The passing game was more successful for both the Rams and Redhawks but neither lead to any touchdowns.
The one thing both schools had to do is sustain their drives, there was no continuity and became a series of three and outs.
Third Quarter
Miami got the ball first and four plays into the drive found themselves in the end zone off a Kevin Davis four yard touchdown run. What a difference from the lethargic first half. Miami 16-3.
The Rams couldn’t catch a break as their second play from scrimmmagge had Fowler-Nicolosi’s pass complete by Vincent Brown II but he was hit and fumbled the ball and was recovered by Miami.
The Redhawks made adjustments at halftime to go no huddle and it paid off as they hit paydirt in four plays after the turnover. Gabbert called his own numbers up the middle and waltzed in for the touchdown. Miami with two quick scores made it 22-3 after a failed two point conversion.
Colorado State caught fire not wanting to be blown out as Justin Marshall banged off a twenty eight yard run to the Redhawks eleven yard line. On fourth down from the five, the Rams went off tackle but came up short of the end zone and turned the ball over on downs back to Miami. A microcosm of CSU’s day.
On the Redhawks’ first play, Keyon Mozee set a new Arizona Bowl record as the galloped ninety seven yards up the middle to score a touchdown and the route continued 29-3.
A little razzle-dazzle from the Rams came as the Rams called the flea flicker that went for fifty eight yards from Fowler-Nicolosi to Stephon Daily as Colorado State still attempted to get back in the game with a little more than a quarter left at 29-10.
The ensuing kickoff saw Bryan Hansen return it eighty one yards to the CSU fifteen yard lime. Once again, the Rams were snake bitten.
CSU did find find some fortune on the next play as Miami’s Josh Ringer fumbled back to the Rams.
Undetoured, Colorado State came right back after the turnover with Justin Marshall almost broke his fourteen yard run for more.
Their excitement was short lived as the Redhawks next pass was picked off by Ty Wise and retuned fifty four yards to the Rams five yard line to end one of the most exciting quarters in Arizona Bowl history from a halftime score of 9-3 to the present 29-10 with the final stanza still to come.
Photo – Piercen Sturdavant/520 Sports Talk
Fourth Quarter
It took three plays from the five yard line for Miami to punch it into the end zone by Brunson Jordan to a 35-10 Redhawk lead.
Colorado State was forced to pass on almost every down for the final thirteen minutes. With a one dementional offens, Miami could lay back in coverage.
The Rams punt was muffed by Miami’s Cade McDonald and reverted by Henry Blackburn. CSU still wouldn’t go away.
Four plays later, the Rams scored off Peter Montana’s one yard plunge to make it 36-17 and 9:02 left in the game.
From there, Miami just used their ground and pound game to run score a final touchdown from Jordan Brunson in one of the most unusual Arizona Bowl games ever.
Wrap Up
Miami dominated the second half with their defense causing turnovers and not allowing Colorado State to get their running game going that had been strength all season long.
Final Score Miami (Ohio) 43 Colorado State 17.
Arizona Bowl Attendance was 40,076 which was a new record.
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