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March 4, 2003

Four 2002 bowl teams, two nationally-ranked teams, two nationally-televised games, eight Mid-American Conference games and the 108th Victory Bell match-up versus Cincinnati highlight Miami University's 2003 football slate.

Miami opens the 2003 season Aug. 30 at Iowa, which is coming off an 11-2 record that included a trip to the 2003 Orange Bowl versus the University of Southern California. This will be the last contest of a three-game contract versus the Hawkeyes that started in Iowa City in 2001. After an early-season bye week, the RedHawks travel to Chicago to take on former Miami head coach Randy Walker and his Northwestern Wildcats on Sept. 13.

Miami ends its season-opening three-game non-conference stretch on Sept. 20 at defending Mountain West Conference champion, Colorado State. The Rams, who finished the year 10-4, ended the season with a trip to the AXA Liberty Bowl. This will be Miami's first game vs. Colorado State and its first against a Mountain West school. The Rams will return a trip to Oxford next year to complete the RedHawks' non-conference schedule for 2004.

"As coach this has to be one of the most exciting schedules I can remember in my 17 years at Miami," said head coach Terry Hoeppner. "Our schedule once again pits us against some of the best football programs in the country and I know that our coaches and players are both charged and ready for the challenges that lie ahead. This most certainly will be a schedule that will provide Miami with a great deal of national exposure, especially with the ESPN-televised games against Bowling Green and Marshall in November."

The RedHawks' other non-conference game is against longtime rival Cincinnati on Sept. 27 at Yager Stadium in Oxford. Miami defended the Victory Bell last year, winning 31-26 in Cincinnati.

The RedHawks' eight-game MAC schedule will be highlighted by two weeknight ESPN games versus Bowling Green State University, which finished third in the West Division and was ranked nationally for a portion of 2002, on Tuesday, Nov. 4 and Marshall University, the defending MAC champion, on Wednesday, Nov. 12. The games will be the first at night at Yager Stadium since a 1995 game versus Ball State and the second year in a row ESPN has highlighted Miami with a mid-week game. Miami's other MAC games include home tilts against Akron and Buffalo. The remaining MAC road games include trips to Ball State on Oct. 18, Kent State on Oct. 25 and MAC-rival Ohio on Nov. 22. The RedHawks conclude their MAC season on Friday, Nov. 28 with their inaugural trip to Central Florida.

Game times for the 2003 football season will be made available shortly.

Miami begins its 2003 spring drills on Thursday, March 20. The four-week session commences with the Annual Red-White game on Saturday, April 12. For single-game ticket information or to receive a season ticket brochure, call the athletic ticket office at 513-529-HAWK. Tickets can be also purchased online at www.MURedHawks.com.

2003 Miami Football Schedule

Aug. 30 Sat. at Iowa
Sept. 6 Sat. OFF
Sept. 13 Sat. at Northwestern
Sept. 20 Sat. at Colorado State
Sept. 27 Sat. CINCINNATI (Band Day)
Oct. 4 Sat. AKRON (Homecoming) *
Oct. 11 Sat. BUFFALO (Parents' Weekend) *
Oct. 18 Sat. at Ball State *
Oct. 25 Sat. at Kent State *
Nov. 4 Tues. Bowling Green (ESPN)*
Nov. 12 Wed. MARSHALL (ESPN) *
Nov. 22 Sat. at Ohio *
Nov. 28 Fri. at UCF *

Game times to be announced.
* Mid-American Conference game