Miami University’s run of misery against nationally ranked teams continued Saturday night at Nippert Stadium.

Cincinnati equaled a series record for points and intercepted Zac Dysert three times, crushing the visiting RedHawks 52-14 before a sellout homecoming crowd of 35,097.

UC (4-0) was MU’s third ranked opponent this year. The first two matchups also ended poorly (56-10 against Ohio State and 39-12 against Boise State).

“There’s a lot of painful learning in there, but it’ll make us better as we go forward,” RedHawks coach Don Treadwell said. “(UC) is a helluva team. (Coach Butch Jones) has it moving in the direction that we weren’t surprised.”

Dysert was 25-of-49 for 303 yards and two touchdowns, and he made it look easy early. Miami drove 75 yards for a TD, a 19-yard pass from Dysert to Dawan Scott, in the first four minutes to go up 6-0. A bad snap thwarted the conversion.

The RedHawks (3-3), though, responded with turnovers on their next three possessions, beginning with a 68-yard interception return for a score by Camerron Cheatham.

Deven Drane ended Miami’s next possession with a pick, and the hosts got an 11-yard TD pass from Munchie Legaux to Danny Milligan 41 seconds later.

The RedHawks fumbled the ball away the next time they had it. UC failed to capitalize, but the tone was set.

The Bearcats led 24-14 at halftime. Their second-half surge was sparked by Ralph David Abernathy’s 58-yard kickoff return right out of the gate.

“When you have a chance to hopefully hold them down a little bit on the kickoff and they bring it all the way back across the field, that’s called momentum,” Treadwell said.

Added Dysert, “They played great. The better team won today. But I think we left some plays on the field.”

George Winn rumbled for 128 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries for UC, which won for the seventh straight time in this 117-game series. The Bearcats also hit 52 points in a 52-42 win in 1999.

Legaux was 13-of-23 for 157 yards and two TDs, and he also ran for a score. Tion Green had a rushing touchdown and Travis Kelce caught a scoring pass for the hosts.

Fairfield High School graduate Arryn Chenault recovered a fumble for Cincinnati and had five tackles.

For Miami, Nick Harwell returned from a leg injury and made his first appearance since Week 2, snagging five balls for 40 yards and a TD. Luke Swift had five receptions for 67 yards.

Outside linebacker Chris Wade collected 12 tackles for the RedHawks. It was his fifth consecutive double-digit effort.

“You saw on offense just shooting ourselves in the foot,” Wade said. “You can’t win when you play against yourselves.”

MU resumes Mid-American Conference play at Bowling Green next Saturday.