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RedHawks upset Rockets in MAC title slugfest  By MIKE SMITH
DETROIT, MI -- Rashad Amos scored two touchdowns, the defense forced two turnovers and Graham Nicholson hit three field goals for Miami (11-2, 7-1 MAC) as the RedHawks upset No. 23 Toledo (11-2, 8-0 MAC) 23-14 Saturday in MAC Championship action at Ford Field. It was Miami's fifth straight victory and first overall title since 2019. Toledo, which had posted eleven straight wins -- including a regular season victory at Miami -- failed in its bid to repeat as MAC champs. Toledo downed Ohio in the 2022 title game. Toledo QB Dequan Finn, fresh off his Vern Smith Leadership Award as the MAC's top player (awarded earlier in the week), accounted for most of UT's offensive production. Slipping away from heavy pressure again and again, he completed 18 of 36 passes . . .  RedHawks aim for outcome reversal, MAC title  By MIKE SMITH
Even before the opening kickoff of 2023, the Toledo Rockets were generally favored to repeat as MAC champions. Among conference coaches, UT got seven votes to win it all, followed by Ohio (4) and Buffalo (1). Suffice it to say, Toledo has thusfar lived up to the respect. The Rockets are riding an 11-game winning streak and are currently ranked No. 23 in the latest Associated Press college football poll. They are now hours away from a second consecutive MAC championship . . . IF . . . they can defeat a somewhat surprising opponent. Instead of a rematch with preseason MAC East favorite Ohio, Toledo will face Miami. The RedHawks were picked to finish second in the East and . . . Eleven RedHawks earn All-MAC recognition Salopek, Nicholson receive special awards  Linebacker Matt Salopek was voted MAC Defensive Player of the Year. (MVSmith/MRO) Their efforts helped Miami win 10 regular season games and a Mid-American Conference East title. Now, eleven RedHawks have been recognized by MAC coaches with All-MAC honors.
Two players also picked up special award recognition. Salopek, who ranks 11th nationally with 125 tackles, is the first RedHawk to be named MAC Defensive Player of the Year since Quinten Rollins in 2014. He had a career-high 18 tackles in the win over Cincinnati and has recorded double-digit tackles seven different times in 2023. He added 7.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and an interception for a defense that allowed just 86 points in eight conference games in 2023. Nicholson, a Lou Groza Award finalist, has been nearly perfect this season, connecting on 23-of-23 field goal attempts and 33-of-34 extra points. He is 8-of-8 on field goals over 40 yards, and has made a field goal in all 12 games this year. Linebacker Matt Salopek was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year. Kicker Graham Nicholson was tabbed MAC Special Teams Player of the Year. Salopek, who ranks 11th nationally with 125 tackles, is the . . . Kotecki leads MU past Spalding; tough road trip awaits  Jackson Kotecki goes in for a dunk. The freshman led MU scoring with 19 points. (MVSmith/MRO) By MIKE SMITH
OXFORD, OH -- Three days after absorbing a lopsided loss at St. Bonaventure, Miami dished out the punishment as MU cruised past Spalding University 82-43 Tuesday at Millett Hall. The victory evened Miami's record at 3-3, with a brutal road trip set to begin Saturday at Marshall. That will be followed by matchups against Ohio State, Davidson and Wright State. Spalding, a Division III member of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, came in with an 0-4 mark and counted the game as an exhibition. Dominic Sanders led the Pelicans with 14 points in 23 minutes off the bench. Game high scoring honors went to Miami's Jackson Kotecki, who came off the RedHawks bench to score a career-high 19 points in 16 minutes. He hit 6 of 7 shots from the floor, including both 3-point tries, and 5 of 6 at the line. Joining the 6-9 freshman in double figures were Mekhi Cooper (15), center Jaquel Morris (11), and Eian Elmer. Cooper and Morris connected on a combined 9 of 11 from the floor. As a team, the RedHawks . . . Nichols named Groza Award finalist  Graham Nichols, shown here during MU's Fall Preview event, did not miss a regular season field goal attempt. (MVSmith/MRO) WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Graham Nicholson is one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award, given to the nation's top placekicker. The junior is the first RedHawk and third placekicker in Mid-American Conference history to be named a finalist for the Lou Groza Award. Jose Pizano (UNLV) and Will Reichard (Alabama) are also up for the award.
The Cincinnati, Ohio native has been nearly perfect this season, connecting on 23-of-23 field goal attempts and 33-of-34 extra points. He is 8-of-8 on field goals over 40 yards, which includes a career-long 52-yarder earlier this year in a win over Bowling Green. Nicholson has made a field goal in all 12 games this year, including three makes versus Kent State, Ohio and Buffalo. He also . . . Big first half sends Bonnies past Miami ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – Hosting St. Bonaventure closed the first half on an 18-0 run and the Bonnies went on to a 90-60 win over Miami Saturday at the Reilly Center.
St. Bonaventure was already up 28-18 before its big run, giving it a 46-18 halftime advantage. Miami nearly matched the Bonnies (42-44) after intermission but could not get within striking distance. Darweshi Hunter led the RedHawks (2-3) with 17 points on the day. Ryan Mabrey had 13 points, and Jackson Kotecki added 10 points. Charles Pride led the Bonnies (4-2) with 18 points. St. Bonaventure connected on 55.4 percent from the field overall and 44.0 percent on threes. It outrebounded MU 44-22. Miami shot 39.3 percent overall and 25.9 percent from beyond the arc. Miami returns to the home court against Spalding on Tuesday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. in Oxford. Blocked kick saves 'W' as RedHawks nip BSU By MIKE SMITH
MUNCIE, IN -- Miami Head Coach Chuck Martin called it an ugly win, but they still count those things and MU recorded its first 10-win season since 2010 as the RedHawks edged Ball State 17-15 Saturday at Scheumann Stadium. It was the first Miami 10-win regular season since 2003 when Ben Roethlisberger led MU to a MAC title. The hosting Cardinals out-gained MU by nearly 150 yards (365-216) and owned a 21-12 advantage in first downs. Most of the damage came on the ground as RB Marquez Cooper (31 carries) and QB Kiael Kelly (20 carries) ran for 137 yards each. The Cardinals totaled 274 yards on the ground and another 91 through the air as Kelly completed 14 of 19 for 91 yards. He also threw two interceptions, and those helped Miami grab a lead that it held most of the game. However, when MU returned the favor with two Aveon Smith interceptions, Ball State took advantage and was in position to win at the end. Smith's crucial interceptions . . . Will underlying issues affect MU vs BSU tilt?  By Mike Smith
It can be difficult to predict how a team will play after it has clinched both bowl eligibility and a spot in the conference champioship game. The Miami RedHawks are in that position as they close their regular season with a matchup against inter-division rival Ball State. Miami already has nine wins and will meet West champ Toledo Dec. 2 in Detroit for the MAC title. There was a somewhat similar situation in 2019, but there were also some key differences. Miami and Ball State also finished that campaign in Muncie, and the new MAC East champion RedHawks led 28-14 at . . . RedHawks win tourney; even record Quantity/Quality at free throw line sends MU past EIU  Evan Ipsaro scores an and-one bucket. The freshman went 11-of-11 at the line on the way to a team-high 18 points. (MVSmith/MRO) By MIKE SMITH
OXFORD, OH -- Freshman Evan Ipsaro scored 18 points and four RedHawks reached double figures as Miami downed Eastern Illinois Sunday at Millett Hall. With the victory, MU went 2-0 in the Miami Classic and raised its record to 2-2 on the season. The RedHawks defeated Coppin State 76-48 Friday night. Eastern Illinois, which edged Coppin State 48-46 Saturday, fell to 2-4 on the season. Joining Ipsaro in double figures Sunday were Darweshi Hunter (16), Byrson Bultman (11) and Mekhi Cooper (11). Bultman, who tallied 21 Friday, was named tournament MVP. Nakyel Shelton led the Panthers, hitting 8 of 16 from . . . RedHawks cruise by Coppin State for first win  Jaquel Morris goes up for one of several dunks. (MVSmith/MRO) By MIKE SMITH
OXFORD, OH -- Forward Bryce Bultman knocked down 4 of 6 treys on the way to 21 points, leading Miami over Coppin State 76-48 Friday at Millett Hall. It was the first win for Miami (1-2), while the Eagles remain winless at 0-5 on the year. Bultman, a 6-5 grad-student transfer from McKendree University, got off to a slow start to the young season, missing all five 3-point tries and totaling seven points . . . |
Editor-Publisher Mike SmithMike grew up in Mid-American Conference football and basketball territory and returned there after military service. He has been covering MAC football and men's basketball for much of the last several decades. 
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