Miami (OH) bowl eligible after 18-17 win over Ball State

OXFORD, Ohio (AP) — Aveon Smith threw a late 34-yard touchdown pass to Miles Marshall and Miami (Ohio) beat Ball State 18-17 on Tuesday night in a Red Bird Rivalry game with bowl eligibility on the line. Both teams entered the game with 5-6 records, needing a win to qualify for a postseason bowl game. Smith scored on an 18-yard run with 6:12 left to play, but Miami trailed 17-12 after he threw incomplete on the two-point conversion. Cameron Steele carried eight straight times for Ball State, gaining 22 yards before the RedHawks stuffed him on fourth-and-1 and Miami took over at the Cardinals’ 47-yard line with 3:05 remaining. Smith picked up a first down with a third-down pass to Jalen Walker and then hit Marshall on third-and-10 for the go-ahead score.