Rivals fight for MAC supremacy with other program milestones at stake.
HERE WE GO!
This season’s edition of the MAC Championship Game is set to hit profoundly, as fierce rivals Miami RedHawks (8-4, 7-1 MAC) and Ohio Bobcats (9-3, 7-1 MAC) battle for the MAC title among other notable accomplishments.
An unprecedented second Battle of the Bricks in the same year is a reality due to a rule change this season that eliminated divisions in favor of the two teams with the best conference records advancing to the final. Under the old rules, Ohio would not have made the championship game because Miami defeated Ohio earlier this year and thus the RedHawks would have won the MAC East due to a head-to-head tiebreaker.
As it stands, the Bobcats have a chance to write the critical chapter in a storybook season. Not only does Ohio have a chance to avenge its only conference loss of the season, a bitter defeat to its rival, but most importantly, to win its first MAC title since 1968. A victory also secures double-digit wins for three straight seasons, a first in program history since they started regularly playing 10 or more games a year in 1960.
Saying it won’t be an easy win is a vast understatement, as Ohio faces the reigning MAC champion, an accomplished and experienced RedHawks squad sitting just one win away from back-to-back championships for the first time in program since 1974-75 and the first time since the famous Dave Doeren NIU squads in 2011 and 2012 a MAC team pulled off the effort. A win for Miami would also be a third title for the RedHawks under Chuck Martin in the last six seasons.
What more could you want as a fan of #MACtion?
With an incredible scene set, let’s take a look at where both teams stand after reviewing the game notes.
Game notes
- Time and date: Saturday December 7th, 2024 at Noon ET
- Location: Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan
- TV network options: The game will be available exclusively on ESPN. A valid subscription is required for viewing.
- Radio options: Steve Baker (play-by-play) and Terry Bridge (color) will provide the Miami call for WMOH-AM 1450, while Marty Bannister (play-by-play) and Rob Cornelius (color) will provide the Ohio call for WXTQ-FM 105.5.
- Gambling considerations: DraftKings has Miami as 1.5-point favorites with an over/under of 44.5.
- All-Time Series: Miami leads 56-42-2 all-time in 100 matchups between the two— including the last outing on Oct. 19, won by a final margin of 30-20. Saturday’s contest will be the first on neutral ground.
About the Miami RedHawks
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Miami enters the contest riding a giant wave of momentum. Led by the all-time winningest head coach in program history in Chuck Martin, the RedHawks have won seven games in a row. Included in that streak is an impressive, dominating 28-12 victory last week over conference contender Bowling Green to punch their ticket to Detroit.
The cornerstone of the team is the defense, which is among the national leaders in the FBS, ranking fourth in passing efficiency defense, 12th best in scoring defense with 17.3 per game, and 14th in total defense by allowing just 309 yards per game.
The key to the wins over the Bobcats the last two outings has been that defense, which has shut down Ohio while staking its offense to great field position. Earlier this year, Miami dominated the Bobcats offense for most of the first half, forcing four consecutive three-and-outs to start the game. The RedHawks also did not allow a single first down for the opening 22 minutes of the contest.
The RedHawks’ success is based upon experienced players at all levels of the defense, featuring some who are among Miami’s all-time greats. Linebacker Matt Salopek has laced up his gameday cleats 57 times so far for Miami and was on the team for two MAC championships, including his true freshman campaign in 2019. Salopek enters the game two tackles short of 500, which ranks him fifth all-time in program history.
Brian Ugwu has been a staple of the defensive line for 39 games, wreaking havoc with explosive plays, amassing 37 career tackles-for-loss (TFL) and 20.5 sacks. Ugwu needs only three TFLs to crack the top ten in program history.
Defensive back Raion Strader is a major player in Miami’s secondary, leading the MAC in passes defensed this year with 18.
Offensively, the RedHawks have finished MAC play with one of the top scoring offenses ranking 4th with just over 30 points a contest. In eight conference games overall, they rank about middle of the pack at 6th in rushing yards per game averaging at 159 while 5th in passing yards per game at 231 yards.
Miami’s offensive leader is Brett Gabbert, who burst onto the scene in 2019, quarterbacking the squad to a MAC title as a true freshman. This year, Gabbert is among the league leaders with 2,610 yards passing with 21 touchdown passes against 10 interceptions.
There is not much the Miami gunslinger hasn’t seen in his 51 games for the RedHawks, and his career productivity is among the all-time greats; Gabbert needs just 326 yards passing to surpass Ben Roethlisberger for second in program history.
Miami’s quarterback has many options in the passing game including a trio of wideouts among Reggie Virgil, Javon Tracy, and Cade McDonald. Virgil leads the squad with 767 yards and nine touchdowns, Tracy leads with 50 receptions, and McDonald had a big game last time out against the Bobcats with five catches, 84 yards, and a touchdown.
In the running game, Keyon Mozee is tops in the MAC as the only rusher over a thousand yards so far this year with 1,045.
About the Ohio Bobcats
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Ohio’s rise to the title game in the face of major adversity has been well-chronicled at Hustle Belt throughout the course of the season. In summary, the Bobcats persevered through a tumultuous offseason of change, replacing both coordinators while turning over major parts of the roster, including quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who led Indiana to its best season in program history this season. Yet, despite the busy spring and summer, the Bobcats put it all together for the conference’s best record at 9-3 and a shot at the crown.
The only blemish on Ohio’s amazing conference run is the aforementioned Week 8 loss to Miami.
However, after the setback, Ohio has shown substantial growth, winning fiv- straight by a combined score of 189-54. Key in Ohio’s closing run was a physically dominant second-half performance against perennial contenders Toledo Rockets. Spearheaded by a relentless offensive line and dominating defense, the Green and White earned a critical comeback win on the road 24-7 to put them in the driver’s seat for a spot in the title game.
Essential to the team’s recent boon has been forcing turnovers in conference play. The Bobbies have tallied 12 takeaways in the last five games, compared to only five in its first seven games.
Additionally, the Bobcats have gelled into a formidable defense by many other measures. For instance, Ohio ranks among the elite in college football standing at seventh in the FBS in rushing defense (97 yards per game), 13th in total defense (304 yards per game), and 17th in scoring defense (18.7 points per game).
The defense starts up front, a deep defensive line with many contributors, including defensive ends Bradley Weaver, Ben McNaboe, and Marcel Walker-Burgess with tackles Cam Rice, Braylon Henderson, and CJ Doggette.
With the line holding things in check and causing chaos, linebackers have been free to make plays, including Blake Leake who despite playing with one arm in a cast for weeks, leads the ‘Cats with 76 tackles. Middle linebacker Shay Taylor has taken his game to the next level since the Miami loss with 36 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, two passes defensed, and a pick-six.
The back end has been one of the league’s best led by corner Roman Parodie, who enters the contest with 43 tackles, eight passes defensed, two fumble recoveries, and an interception.
Offensively, the Bobcats need to win the field position battle, denying Miami’s offense short fields and quick points.
Easier said than done, but Ohio has a lot to counter Miami’s defense starting with the MAC’s number one ranked rushing offense. Leading the charge on the ground are veteran offensive linemen in center Parker Titsworth and right guard Christophe Atkinson.
Operating behind that line is quarterback Parker Navarro, who has been on fire lately with three consecutive 100-yard rushing games and eight ground touchdowns over that span to bring his season total to a league-leading 13 rushing touchdowns.
To say Navarro is a dangerous runner is a massive understatement, as his season is nothing short of one of the best rushing efforts in program history. With one more 100-yard rushing game, Navarro will become the first quarterback in team history to rush for six 100-yard games in a single season. Also, with 124 yards rushing in the last two games, Navarro joins Kareem Wilson as only the second quarterback in program history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season.
Joining Navarro to form a dynamic duo in the ground game is running back Anthony Tyus III, who ranks second in the MAC with 960 yards rushing. While physically imposing at 230 pounds, Tyus III can also find the soft spots in a defense. For instance, in the second half versus Toledo where he found and exploited a sliver of daylight on Ohio’s left side to burn the Rockets for a critical 34-yard run.
The ‘Cats bring the MAC’s ninth ranked passing offense to the championship, averaging about 183 yards a contest. Navarro leads the team in passing, completing 65 percent of his passes for 1,943 yards with 10 touchdowns versus 10 interceptions.
When taking to the air, Ohio features one of the most prolific performers in program history in wideout Coleman Owen. The Bobcat receiver is on the cusp of breaking the all-time single season receiving record, needing just 115 yards in two remaining games to surpass LaVon Brazill for the top spot.
Should Miami predictably try to contain Owen, Ohio has a trio of pass catchers who have flashed at times this year in wideouts Chase Hendricks and Rodney Harris II and tight end Mason Williams.
Final Thoughts
Expect a defensive battle where field position is king and mistakes are magnified.
A key question is if Ohio’s offense can find a way to regularly move the ball enough to at least win the field position battle and time of possession or will the RedHawks defensive dominance pave the way for a repeat of their week eight win?
There are some signs that the Bobcats will do better offensively this time around as they have been more explosive since the first contest. Also, it won’t be easy keeping players like Parker Navarro and Anthony Tyus III in check twice in one season, particularly where Miami’s defense has shown its hand schematically to Ohio’s coaches in the first game.
On the other side of the coin, Miami has such an experienced and talented defense that they may hold up regardless of Ohio’s gameplan.
We will find out how this works out soon enough when the teams meet at Ford Field to scrap for the championship trophy.