Nov. 19, 2002

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THE GAME

With two weeks remaining in the MAC's regular season, Miami can remain in the hunt for the MAC East Division title with a win versus the University of Central Florida. If the RedHawks beat UCF, they can win the East two ways: 1.) Marshall loses to Ohio and Ball State, 2.) Ohio beats Marshall and UCF, and Marshall beats Ball State, which forces a three-way tie in which Miami wins the tie-breaker. UCF is riding a two-game winning streak, having defeated Buffalo, 45-21, and Kent State, 32-6 the last two weeks. The Golden Knights also are still in the hunt for the East crown but need to win out versus Miami and Ohio and have Marshall lose its last two games. The RedHawks are looking to post their ninth straight winning home record with a win this weekend. The last time Miami had a losing home record was 1993, the last year they also posted a losing season. Miami is 10-1 in regular-season finales since 1991.

SERIES HISTORY

This will be the first meeting between the two schools. UCF, which began its program in 1979, has only been in Division I-A since 1996. The program started in Division III, moving up to Division II in 1982 and then to Division I-AA in 1990. In 24 years of football, UCF owns a record of 137-122-1.

MAC Math

Following is a breakdown of the remaining senarios that can decide each division's champion: On the East Division side: * If Ohio beats Marshall and UCF, Marshall beats Ball State and Miami beats UCF, then there is a three-way tie in which Miami wins the tie-breaker. * If Marshall beats Ohio on Nov. 23, it clinches the East title and will host. * If Ohio beats Marshall on Nov. 23 and UCF on Nov. 30, and UCF beats Miami on Nov. 23, Ohio will host. * If UCF runs the table - wins over Kent State on Nov. 16, Miami on Nov. 23 and Ohio on Nov. 30 - and Marshall loses to Ohio and Ball State, UCF will host. * Miami can host if it beats UCF on Nov. 23 and Marshall loses to Ohio and Ball State. On the West Division side: * Northern Illinois has clinched at least a tie for the title with a win over Eastern Michigan this week. * If Toledo beats NIU and Bowling Green on Nov. 30. The Rockets would win the West title. If Toledo beats NIU but loses to Bowling Green, NIU would win the West title.

TELEVISION

Live Coverage of the game has been added to the Sunshine Network's schedule for viewers in Orlando/Tampa markets. Calling the action for Sunshine Network's production of the UCF game will be David Steele and Brady Ackerman. The game marks the fifth UCF football game televised on Sunshine Network this season, along with four MAC Game of the Week telecasts.

Whitewash Weekend

Miami University Intercollegiate Athletics is hosting what could become an annual athletic tradition entitled "Whitewash Weekend" on Saturday, November 23, 2002. On that day, the football team hosts the University of Central Florida Golden Knights at Yager Stadium, while the hockey team battles the University of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks at the Goggin Ice Arena at 7:35 p.m. Attendees to both events are encouraged to wear white. The first 2000 fans dressed in white at Miami's football game will receive a coupon for a free Whitewash Weekend T-shirt, courtesy of the Miami University Bookstore, to be distributed at Miami's hockey game that evening. The effect will be a "whiteout" of the Goggin Ice Arena. Further adding to the atmosphere of the hockey game will be the distribution of more than 500 white pom-poms. To generate further student interest in the games, if Miami's football and hockey teams win on Saturday, Miami's residence hall students will be able to wash their clothes for free in the residence halls, courtesy of Miami University's Housing, Dining and Guest Services, and ASI Inc.-Laundry Services.

MIAMI VS. MAC East Division

Miami is 24-9 (.727) all-time vs. the MAC's East Division since the conference split into two divisions in 1997. The RedHawks are 5-1 vs. Akron, 4-1 vs. Bowling Green (now in the West Division), 4-0 vs. Buffalo, 5-1 vs. Kent State, 1-5 vs. Marshall and 5-1 vs. Ohio. Head coach Terry Hoeppner has posted a record of 16-7 for a .696 winning percentage versus the East in his three-plus year tenure.

The "RoadHawks" - Part I

Miami finished the season with one of the nation's best road records, recording a 5-2 mark away from Yager Stadium. The RedHawks' five road wins were just one short of tying the school record of six, which has been equaled eight times. The five road wins are the most by any Terry Hoeppner-led squad, surpassing his 4-2 mark in 1999.

The "RoadHawks" - Part II

The biggest difference between playing at home and on the road for the Red and White has been the production of the ground game. In seven away games, Miami has averaged 146.1 yards rushing and scored 16 touchdowns in comparison to just 116.7 yards and six touchdowns in four home contests. Category Home Away Record 2-2 5-2 Points per game 32.5 31.9 Points Allowed per game 29.2 22.9 Rushing Yards per game 100.5 146.1 Rushing Touchdowns 7 16 Passing Yards 1,314 1,689 Passing Touchdowns 10 12 Total Offense per game 429.0 387.4 Total Defense per game 397.0 406.3

Lighting up the Scoreboard

After scoring 85 points (21.3 points per game) in its first four games, the Miami offense has exploded for 268 points the last seven weeks, averaging an eye-popping 38.3 points per game and outscoring its opponents 268-174. During the stretch, the RedHawks have used an efficient attack , posting 3,094 yards of total offense on 523 plays from scrimmage, a 5.9 yards per play average. Sophomore quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been the epitome of efficiency in the seven games, completing 66.5 percent of his passes (159-of-239) for 2,027 yards (289.6 yards per game), 15 touchdowns and just five interceptions.

Finishing it off

Under head coach Terry Hoeppner, Miami is 22-5 (.815) when tied or leading heading into the second half, including a 7-1 mark this season.

Finishing off the Year

Miami is 10-1 in its last 11 season finales since 1991. Last year's 24-20 loss at Kent State is the only blemish.

Off and Running

The running game, which had sputtered through much of the first three games, gaining a meager total of 218 yards (72.7 yards per game), has been clicking on all cylinders over the past eight weeks, posting 1,207 yards (150.9 yards per game). Junior running back Luke Clemens has spearheaded the resurgence by rushing for 867 yards on 180 carries and 14 touchdowns during the stretch. Last week, the RedHawks put up 127 yards rushing versus Marshall, led by Clemens and his 108 yards. It was Clemen's fourth 100-yard game of the season. For the season, the RedHawks are 6-0 when recording 150 yards rushing or more and 16-5 in three-plus years under head coach Terry Hoeppner.

Third down and ... (Part I)

Part of the reason for Miami's offensive success during the latter part of the season has been its ability to convert on third down. In their first six games, the RedHawks were able to convert just 28-of-76 third downs (36.8 percent). Since that time, Miami has almost doubled its third down conversion total, going 44-of-84 (52.4 percent), including a season best 14-for-23 (60.1 percent) versus Northern Illinois.

Third down and ... (Part II)

While the offense had its success on third down, so has the defense, allowing just 17 total first downs over the past five games (17-for-64, 26.6 percent).

Red Zone Alert: The RedHawks are coming

The Miami offense has found a great deal of success in the red zone over the second half of the season, scoring on 39-of-42 (.929) trips inside the 20-yard line, including 28 touchdowns. This is in contrast to the first three weeks when the RedHawks converted just 6-of-10 (.600) chances.

FOURTH QUARTER Defensive WOES

This season, Miami has allowed a total of 277 points. About one-third of that total (32.5 percent) has come in the fourth quarter, where Miami has surrendered 90 points. Most of the 90 fourth-quarter points came versus Northern Illinois as the RedHawks blew a 27-7 lead and gave up 34 fourth-quarter points, losing to the Huskies, 48-41. The 34 points are more points than Miami has allowed in any other game except last week's game at Marshall..

Not Taking Advantage of their opportunities

Despite causing 30 turnovers this season, Miami has not taken advantage of the miscues, scoring just 75 points off turnovers. In the last three games though, Miami's fortunes have started to turn, with the RedHawks racking up 31 points on six turnovers.

NINE STRAIGHT WINNING SEASONS

With its 38-20 win versus Ohio, Miami ensured itself of its ninth straight winning season. The RedHawks are 64-34-2 during this current string. The school record for consecutive winning seasons is 17 (1943-1959), while the record for consecutive non-losing seasons is 33 (1943-1975).

Time Warp

In the first 112 years of Miami football, the Red and White's quarterbacks recorded a total of seven 300-yard passing games. Then came Ben Roethlisberger. Last season alone, Roethlisberger tossed four 300-yard plus games, highlighted by his then-school-record 452 yards at Hawai'i. Roethlisberger not only broke his school record for 300-yard passing games with his sixth game over 300 yards versus Northern Illinois, he became the first player in MAC history to throw for more than 500 yards in a conference game (525 yards). Of the school's top five single-game passing performances, Roethlisberger now owns the top three. Against Marshall, he re-broke his own Miami record for 200-yard passing games in a career with his 18th.

Bowen Earns Team's 10th Player of the Week Award

Senior cornerback Milt Bowen was named the MAC East Division Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in Miami's 36-34 loss at Marshall. For Bowen, it was his second MAC Defensive Player of the Week honor of the season, and the third weekly conference honor of his career. He received Special Teams Player of the Week as a sophomore in 2000. In the RedHawks' 36-34 loss at Marhsall, Bowen picked off a pair of Stan Hill passes and made seven solo tackles. His five interceptions this season are one short of Miami's single-season top 10, while his nine career interceptions are tied for ninth on the all-time career list. This was Bowen's second multiple interception game. He picked off two passes in Miami's win over area-rival Cincinnati earlier this year.

AN END WITH MEANS

In the past two seasons, junior Matt Brandt, a native of Toronto, Ontario, has made sure that offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery hasn't forgotten to throw the ball to the tight ends. During the Randy Walker era at Miami (1990-99), tight ends were used almost exclusively as blockers and caught very few passes, but, since Terry Hoeppner has taken over, it has all changed as Brandt has quickly made a believer out of his coach. This season, Brandt is third on the team in receptions with 31 and in the last three games, he has caught 15 passes for 154 yards from Ben Roethlisberger. With 27 more yards receiving, Brandt will surpass any single-season mark for a tight end at Miami since 1990. He is also the first Canadian in school history to catch a touchdown pass.

Brains and Brawn

Miami University senior wide receiver/punt returner Eddie Tillitz was named a 2002 Verizon Academic All-District IV by the College Sports Information Directors of America. District IV team is comprised of student-athletes from Division I schools in Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee. Tillitz is the RedHawks' fifth-leading receiver this season with 25 catches for 281 yards. His 107 career receptions make him the ninth player in school history to surpass the century mark, and are seventh on the career list. Earlier this year, Tillitz became Miami's all-time leader in punt return yardage (916), passing Dick Adams (1968-70), and he is third all-time in MAC history, just 42 yards behind Bob Zimpfer of Bowling Green (1967-69) for second place.

Parseghian nameD Groza Award Semifinalist

Sophomore place kicker Jared Parseghian has been named one of 20 semifinalists for the 2002 Lou Groza Collegiate Place Kicker Award by the Palm Beach Sports Commission. Parseghian has turned the fortunes around for the Miami kicking game this season, connecting on each of the RedHawks' 13 field goal attempts and extending his school record for consecutive field goals to 16. Last season, Parseghian and the Miami kickers converted on 8-of-18 (.444) field goals, while Parseghian personally was 6-of-10. Parseghian is the only kicker in college football who remains perfect on the year. Parseghian's 19 career field goals seventh on the school field goal list and his .826 accuracy is first all-time at Miami. Below is a list of the most consecutive field goals attempts made at Miami.

Kicker, Year(s) of Streak No. Jared Parseghian, 2001-02 *16 Gary Gussman, 1987 10 Chad Seitz, 1993 9 Gary Gussman, 1985 8 John Scott, 1996-97 8 Andy Brumbergs, 1999 7 * - Dates back to Hawai'i game in 2001 active