Fresno State (9-4) answered with a methodical 15-play, 82-yard march that ended with Lynch’s 28-yard field goal to tie it 3-3 midway through the second quarter. A blocked punt then put the Bulldogs on Miami’s 10-yard line, setting up Lynch’s 23-yard kick for a 6-3 lead with five minutes left in the half. Lynch added a 25-yard field goal on the final play before intermission to make it 9-3.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, but Fresno State finally broke through for the game’s lone touchdown early in the fourth. The Bulldogs capped a 13-play, 70-yard drive with E.J. Warner’s 2-yard touchdown pass to Richie Anderson III with 11:12 remaining. The ensuing two-point try failed, keeping it 15-3.
Miami’s best chance to respond came on the next possession when it drove to the Fresno State 38, but the RedHawks turned the ball over on downs with 8:32 to play.
Lynch finished the scoring with a 37-yard field goal with 2:56 left.
Warner completed 15 of 22 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown for Fresno State. Miami quarterback Thomas Gotkowski was held to 72 yards passing on 6-of-22 throwing with an interception as the RedHawks were limited to 192 total yards and went 0 for 2 on fourth down.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Malcolm McCain made a career-high 13 tackles for Miami, matching Eli Blakey for the game high. Nasir Washington recorded a sack as the RedHawks finished the season with 41.
Dzioban’s first-quarter kick also added to a closing chapter in his Miami career. He finished 46 of 53 on field goals, a program record for career accuracy, and went 20 of 23 this season to match the school’s second-best single-season accuracy mark.
Miami, which fell to 9-8 all-time in bowl games, closed its 2025 season after playing its 42nd game over the past three years. The RedHawks defeated Colorado State in last year’s Arizona Bowl.