By Packy Moore
GAME NOTES
https://miamiredhawks.com/documents/2024/9/9/Game_Notes_-_2024_Cincinnati.pdf
The Miami University football team plays host to Cincinnati on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 12 p.m. The contest will be carried live on ESPNU.
About Miami
• Miami football ranks first all-time in the Mid-American Conference in wins (724), conference wins (317), MAC Championships (17) and bowl wins (8).
• Historically, Miami’s 724 career wins are third all-time among Group-of-Five programs, behind just Navy (739) and Army (728).
• Miami was 4-14 in Coach Martin’s first 18 Mid-American Conference games. Since then, the RedHawks are 42-17 in their last 59 games versus schools from the MAC.
• Miami captured its second MAC Championship in the last five years, defeating Toledo 23-14 last season. Chuck Martin won his first MAC Championship back in 2019.
• The RedHawks have been bowl-eligible seven of the last eight seasons. From 2006-15, Miami was bowl-eligible just twice.
• The RedHawks have picked up Power-5 victories in two straight years, downing Cincinnati (31-24) in 2023 and Northwestern (17-14) in 2022. Miami has not defeated a Power-5 team three straight years since 1998-2000.
• Last year Miami beat both Cincinnati (31-24) and Ohio (30-16) in the same season. The last time that happened was 2005.
• The 11 wins last season were tied for the second-most in program history. The last time Miami won 11 games in a season, NFL future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was taking snaps for Miami back in 2003 (13-1).
About Chuck Martin
• Chuck Martin was named Miami head coach on Dec. 3, 2013.
• He was named a 2023 Finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award.
• Not only was he 74-7 in six years at Grand Valley State (2004-09), he has coached in seven national championship games in the past 21 seasons. Martin has an all-time head coaching record of 130-70.
• He has twice been named the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) National Coach of the Year and has been a coordinator on both sides of the ball.
• Martin was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Grand Valley State University on Oct. 23, 2015.
• Martin’s 119 games coached at Miami is tops in program history and his 56 career wins ranks behind only Randy Walker (59) and ahead of the Terry Hoeppner (48), Frank Wilton (44) and John Pont (43).
About Cincinnati
Cincinnati comes into Saturday’s action at 1-1 overall, while averaging 32.5 points and 553.5 yards per contest. Brendan Sorsby has thrown for 681 yards and five touchdowns through two contests and former RedHawk, Mehki Miller, its tops on the team with 12 tackles.
Series Vs. Cincinnati
• The Battle for the Victory Bell series, which started in 1888 with the first college football game ever played in the state of Ohio, is now 60-60-7 in 127 career meetings. Miami snapped a 16-game losing streak last year with a win over the Bearcats.
• The “Battle for the Victory Bell” between Miami and Cincinnati is the longest-lasting collegiate football rivalry west of the Allegheny Mountains, first being played in 1888. It is also the fifth-most played rivalry in Division I (FBS only) with 127 all-time meetings and is the oldest non-conference rivalry in the nation.
• The first Miami/Cincinnati game was played in Oxford on Dec. 8, 1888 as the teams played to a scoreless tie. The game was the first college football game played in the state of Ohio.
• Due to COVID, the two teams did not play in 2020, ending a streak of consecutive years played, dating back to 1945. Miami/UC did not play in 1943 or 1944, but Miami and UC also played every year from 1909 through 1942. Of the 127 meetings, 55 have been decided by seven points or less, including the seven ties in series history.
Last Meeting Versus Bearcats
Joe Wilkins Jr.’s eight-yard touchdown catch in overtime and Yahsyn McKee’s game-sealing interception gave Miami a dramatic 31-24 win at Cincinnati in the annual Battle for the Victory Bell. McKee forced overtime by blocking a field goal in the final seconds of the fourth quarter as well.
Miami claimed the Bell for the first time since 2005 and won the first overtime game in program history, while handing the Bearcats just their second home loss in the past five seasons. Brett Gabbert threw for 237 yards and three touchdowns to lead the RedHawks’ offense.
Preseason Awards
Six RedHawks were honored with preseason awards this summer, with several garnering multiple accolades:
Reid Holskey – Outland Trophy/Lombardi/Senior Bowl Watch List
Matt Salopek – Bronco Nagurski/Chuck Bednarik/Action Network All-American/Lombardi
Alec Bevelhimer – Ray Guy Award/The Athletic 2nd Team All-American
Brett Gabbert – Davey O’Brien/Johnny Unitas
Ty Wise – Senior Bowl Watch List
Kolby Borders – Senior Bowl Watch List
Northwestern Recap
Miami dropped its season opener 13-6 at Northwestern in a defensive battle. Cade McDonald led the Red and White with a career-high eight receptions for 105 yards, while Matt Salopek made a game-high 10 tackles.
• Brett Gabbert finished 22-37 through the air for 227 yards in his first action since Oct. 21, 2023.
• Dom Dzioban made the first field goal of his career.
• Matt Salopek moved into 10th place on Miami’s all-time list with 402 career tackles, passing Joe Farais (1976-78).
• Brian Ugwu led Miami with two tackles for loss and added a fumble recovery.
Defense Continues Trend
After allowing just one touchdown in the loss to Northwestern, Miami’s defense looks to be following the 2023 blueprint. Last year, Miami ranked eighth nationally, allowing just 15.9 points per contest. The RedHawks were also 26th in total defense (330.4) and 34th in rush defense (132.2).
Monsters of the MAC
Miami’s defense was even better in conference play last year. Miami ranked first in scoring (10.8), total defense (272.5) and sacks (27). Miami was second in rush defense (114.4) and pass defense (158.1). The RedHawks shut out two MAC opponents (BGSU and Akron) and allowed just three points in a win over Kent State. Miami allowed only nine touchdowns in eight MAC games last season.
Tackling Machine
Linebacker Matt Salopek, the reigning 2023 MAC Defensive Player of the Year, has 402 career tackles and has surpassed 100 stops in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The last time Miami had a player record 100-plus tackles three straight seasons was Matt Pusateri from 2002-04 and no RedHawk has ever secured 100-plus tackles in four-straight seasons. His 402 tackles ranks 10th all-time in program history.
Living on the Edge
Miami had no sacks at Northwestern after finishing first in the MAC and 26th nationally with 35 sacks last season. Brian Ugwu (8.0) and Ty Wise (8.0) each ranked in the top-5 in the MAC and were 41st and 48th nationally.
41 And Counting…
Matt Salopek made his 41st career start to open 2024, but he is not the only defender that has played a ton of football on the defensive side of the ball. Kobe Hilton (37), Brian Ugwu (21) and Ty Wise (20) have all started at least 20 games.
Gabbert In The History Book
Brett Gabbert, who missed the last six games of the 2023 season with a leg injury, has made 40 starts in his career and is all over the Miami record books. He ranks third in program history with 8,120 passing yards, sixth in completion percentage (.592) and third in passing touchdowns (59). He is also 45 yards shy of 500 career rushing yards and is responsible for 66 touchdowns (59 passing, 7 rushing) in his career.
Ole McDonald Had a Day
Senior Cade McDonald set career-highs in catches (8) and yards (105) in the loss at Northwestern, smashing his previous high of six grabs for 74 yards last season at Western Michigan. McDonald finished 2023 with 28 grabs for 353 yards.
Welcome Back Jack
Lots of preseason talk revolved around Brett Gabbert, but Miami had a second key player returning from injury. Tight end Jack Coldiron, who suffered a knee injury last season at Miami (FL), returned to action versus the Wildcats, finishing the contest with two grabs for 20 yards.
Trench Warfare
Miami’s offensive line is expected to be one of the RedHawks’ top units entering 2024. Reid Holskey has started each of the last 41 games for the Red and White and is followed by Will Jados (25), Kolby Borders (24), and John Young (15). Those four have combined to start 106 games and all four started all 14 games a year ago. Charlie Nank made his first career start last week at Northwestern.
All-MAC Specialty
Miami has a pair of All-MAC performers on special teams … both punters. Dom Dzobian was named a second-team All-MAC punter in 2022 and Alec Bevelhimer did the same in 2023. Dzobian, now Miami’s placekicker, converted on 2-of-3 field goals last week at Northwestern, while Bevelhimer averaged 39.0 yards per punt against the Wildcats.
Sean McVay Joins Cradle of Coaches
Miami added a 10th bronze statue to its Cradle of Coaches in Sean McVay back in 2023. McVay, the current head coach of the Los Angeles Rams, joined Ara Parseghian, Paul Brown, Weeb Ewbank, John Harbaugh, John Pont, Carm Cozza, Bo Schembechler, Red Blaik, and Paul Dietzel in the south end of Yager Stadium.
Graduating Champions
Before Miami even took the field in 2024, 19 different RedHawks will have already earned their Miami degree: Jordan Brunson, Jack Coldiron, Preston Daniel, Kevin Davis, Dylan Downing, Dom Dzioban, Brett Gabbert, Kobe Hilton, Reid Holskey, Andre Johnson, Cade McDonald, Keyon Mozee, TJ Rush, Matt Salopek, Corey Suttle, Kenny Tracy, Brian Ugwu, Cameron Williams and Ty Wise.
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