West Virginia Mountaineers vs Miami (FL) Hurricanes Match Player Stats On Dec 28, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Dec 28, 2016

ORLANDO, FLA. -- Thanks to a second-quarter turnaround, Miami came away with a 31-14 win over No. 16 West Virginia in the Russell Athletic Bowl.

Miami (9-4) earned its first bowl win since 2006 and its fifth consecutive victory to close out the season.

Hurricanes quarterback Brad Kaaya completed 24 of 34 passes for 282 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions.

West Virginia (10-3) had the Miami offense bottled up early in the game, but the Hurricanes exploded midway through the second quarter.

Miami didn't gain a first down until 11:04 remained in the second period and remained stagnant until Hurricanes freshman receiver Ahmmon Richards burst through the Mountaineers defense.

Richards turned what should have been a 7-yard completion into a spectacular, 51-yard, catch-and-run touchdown. Miami had only 40 yards of total offense before that play, which tied the game 7-7.

Then Kaaya got on a roll.

On Miami's next possession, he found Malcolm Lewis in the back of the end zone for a 3-yard score to make it 14-7.

The Hurricanes got the ball back at their own 30-yard line with just 1:19 left in the half. Kaaya led the Hurricanes on a five-play, 70-yard scoring drive that ended with a 26-yard toss to Braxton Berrios over the top of the West Virginia defense.

The Berrios TD allowed Miami to take a 21-7 lead into halftime. West Virginia never recovered.

West Virginia quarterback Skyler Howard ran in a 4-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter to make it a 28-14 deficit, but the Mountaineers couldn't close the gap.

West Virginia failed to convert a couple of fourth downs, and penalties halted any momentum they could find.

The Mountaineers had a 7-0 lead after a 6-yard touchdown run by Kennedy McKoy in the first quarter. West Virginia was set up with great field position after a penalty for interfering with the punt returner gave them the ball at the Miami 39-yard line.

NOTES: Miami's last bowl victory came against Nevada in the 2006 MPC Computers Bowl. The Hurricanes snapped a six-bowl losing streak Wednesday. ... QB Brad Kaaya became the Hurricanes' all-time passing yards leader in their win against Duke at the end of the regular season and added to his total in the bowl game. ... West Virginia was looking for their first 11-win season since 2007.