MIAMI FOOTBALL

Chippewas run game among Miami challenges

MU offense seeks to continue production

Adam Trick (20) fends off an Ohio block during MU's 30-20 win over the Bobcats last Saturday. (MVSmith/MRO)

By MIKE SMITH
A Miami team that has won two straight meets a Central Michigan team coming off two losses Saturday at Yager Stadium. 
For MU, the recent formula has been a strong defense and improved offense. Miami, which averaged 11 ppg through the first five weeks, has averaged 34.0 points against Eastern Michigan (38-14) and Ohio (30-20) over the last two weeks. In fact, the RedHawks owned a 30-6 lead on the Bobcats before going to a more conservative attack in the final 15 minutes. 
CMU has been among the MAC leaders in scoring and currently ranks third (29.9 ppg). However, it is eighth in scoring defense (30.3 ppg). 
Saturday will be the 31st meeting between the two programs with the RedHawks holding a slight 16-13-1 advantage. Miami has won each of the last four meetings, dating back to 2016 and hasn't lost at home since Oct. 5, 2013. The 2019 contest was at Ford Field in Detroit as Miami edged the Chippewas 26-21 to win the MAC Championship. 
In their most recent meeting,  MU claimed . . . 

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. . . a 28-17 victory over CMU back on Oct. 2, 2021. Miami threw for 350 yards and four touchdowns, while Matt Salopek added 14 tackles.

CENTRAL MICHIGAN (3-4, 1-2 MAC) . . . scored 20 straight points after intermission, but three late EMU touchdowns led to a 38-34 Eagles victory over CMU last Saturday. 
>> Eastern Michigan out-gained the Chippewas 453-383 overall.
>> Central Michigan produced just 78 yards through the air. Bert Emanuel Jr. completed three-of-four passes for 92 yards and one TD. Tyler Jefferson was two-of-eight for six yards. 
>> Five Chips caught one pass each. Soloman Davis had a 48-yard catch, while Evan Boy's 22-yard grab was good for CMU's first score. 
>> Central Michigan is second among MAC teams in rushing (195.6 ypg). The Chippewas totaled 285 rushing yards on 45 carries (6.3 ypc) against Eastern Michigan. Marion Lukes (5-9, 210) led the way with 13 carries for 118 yards. Tyler Jefferson (6-0, 235) (13 carries, 79 yards) and Emmanuel Jr. (15 carries, 63 yards, 1 TD) combined for 142 yards. 
>> Caleb Spann and Jordan Kwiatkowski each recorded 12 tackles. 
>> The CMU defense registered five sacks and nine TFL.  Eastern Michigan recorded eight sacks and seven TFL.
>> Quarterback Joe Labas has thrown for 1,114 yards and seven touchdowns, while Kwiatkowski is tops on the team with 61 tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss.

MIAMI (3-4, 2-1 MAC) . . .  built up a 16-0 halftime lead Saturday against Ohio. After a Bobcat touchdown midway through the third quarter, MU scored two touchdowns in just over one minute. The first came on Keyon Mozee's 58-yard burst. After a Matt Salopek interception, Brett Gabbert hit Cade McDonald with a 28-yard TD on the next play to put Miami up 30-6 heading into the final period. 
>> Gabbert completed 14-of-21 passes, good for 178 yards with three touchdowns. He was not sacked and did not throw an interception for the second straight game. 
>> Gabbert has thrown seven of his 12 TDs in the last two games. Coincidentally, he was not sacked in either contest after getting sacked 15 times in the first five Miami games of 2024.
>> Keyon Mozee led a 152-yard MU run game with 16 carries for 111 yards and a score. The RedHawks averaged 5.2 ypc on the day. 
>> Three different RedHawks caught TD passes. Cade McDonald led the way with five catches totaling 84 yards. Reggie Virgil caught three balls for 39 yards and Javon Tracy chipped in 24 yards on three receptions.
>> The RedHawk defense recorded three sacks and four TFL. Salopek led the way with 10 tackles and a pick. Raion Stader also recorded an interception. 

- MU ATHLETICS -

MORE NOTES:
>> Miami’s offensive line is the most experienced unit on the 2024 roster. Reid Holskey has started each of the last 47 games for the Red and White and is followed by Will Jados (31), Kolby Borders (30), and John Young (21). Those four have combined to start 129 games and all four started all 14 games a year ago. Charlie Nank has made six starts at center and Greg Smith started last week versus Ohio. That is 136 starts combined for the offensive line.

Redi Holskey (56) and Brett Gabbert (5) are two of many seniors to be honored Saturday. Holskey is part of an offensive line that has not allowed a sack in the last two games -- both Miami wins. (MVSmith/MRO)

>> Over the past two weeks, Miami has had three 1-play touchdown drives. It opened the contest with a 75-yard touchdown pass in the win at EMU. In the third quarter versus the Bobcats, the RedHawks had a 58-yard touchdown run and a 28-yard touchdown pass on back-to-back drives.
>> Miami will honor 30 seniors prior to Saturday's contest with the Chippewas.  In all, this senior class has played in 738 career games.
>> In what has become a yearly tradition, the entire Miami University football team will be carrying a special message with them as they take the field on Saturday in Miami’s annual Cancer Awareness contest versus CMU. Each player’s helmet will feature a colored ribbon of their choice to symbolize how they have been affected by cancer.