12-01-2003, 11:33 PM
GMAC Bowl-bound RedHawks face Falcons for MAC championship
By VIN A. CHERWOO, AP MegaSports Writer
December 1, 2003
AP - Nov 29, 11:56 pm EST
More Photos
Later this month, Miami of Ohio will be playing in its first bowl game since 1986.
Before that, the 14th-ranked RedHawks will try to win their first Mid-American Conference championship as they face No. 20 Bowling Green at Doyt Perry Stadium on Thursday.
Miami (11-1, 8-0) is coming off a 56-21 win over Central Florida on Friday. Ben Roethlisberger completed 24 of 29 passes for five touchdowns and 327 yards. The RedHawks matched a school record by reaching 11 wins for the first time since 1975. It was also their 11th straight victory, matching the school record set by the 1973 team that went 11-0.
Miami set a conference scoring record with 504 points this season, breaking the previous mark of 495 set by Toledo last year, and posted its first unbeaten conference regular season since 1977. The last team to win all of its MAC games was Marshall in 1999
``Not only have we won 11 in a row, we've won them convincingly,'' Miami coach Terry Hoeppner said. ``It's a real tribute to the coaches and the players.''
On Friday, Roethlisberger became the first quarterback in MAC history to surpass 10,000 career passing yards, and was pulled after his only pass of the second half, a 27-yard touchdown to Michael Larkin, put Miami up 42-0.
``It was a good game because it shows everybody's involved,'' Roethlisberger said. ``We had a bunch of guys (14) catch balls and a bunch of guys (four) catch touchdowns, and two backs ran for touchdowns. It was Miami football all around.''
It was Miami's ninth 40-point game this season.
The RedHawks gave up a season-low 22 yards rushing on 28 carries, the fifth time this season they held an opponent to less than 50 yards on the ground.
Bowling Green (10-2, 7-1) has lost its last five meetings with Miami, including a 33-10 defeat at Miami on Nov. 4.
The Falcons have won three straight since that loss, and finished with their fourth 10-win season. They will be trying to match the school record for wins, set by the 1985 team that went 11-1.
Bowling Green rallied to beat Toledo 31-23 on Saturday as Josh Harris threw for three touchdowns and caught another one. The Falcons scored on their first four possessions in the second half after trailing 14-7 after two quarters.
Harris accounted for 379 of Bowling Green's 433 offensive yards.
``The offense is always in my hands. I get the ball every snap, and that's the way I like it,'' Harris said.
After the win, he immediately started thinking about another shot at Miami.
``Ever since that game, we talked about the opportunity to play them again,'' Harris said. ``I can't even celebrate this win. We want to win the MAC.''
Bowling Green, one of three schools in the country averaging 200 yards passing (296.7) and rushing (209.8), was held to 183 and 160, respectively, in the loss to Miami.
The game may have more meaning for Bowling Green because Miami has already accepted an invitation to play in the GMAC Bowl on Dec. 18 in Mobile, Ala. The Falcons, though, need a victory to assure themselves a spot in the Motor City Bowl in Detroit.
If they lose, the Motor City Bowl could select Northern Illinois, a team Bowling Green beat 34-18 on Oct. 25.
Bowling Green has won 13 straight at home since a 24-21 loss to Miami on Nov. 3, 2001. The RedHawks lead the all-time series 37-18-5.
This is the first MAC championship game without Marshall, which won five of the league's first six title games after it split into two divisions in 1997.
By VIN A. CHERWOO, AP MegaSports Writer
December 1, 2003
AP - Nov 29, 11:56 pm EST
More Photos
Later this month, Miami of Ohio will be playing in its first bowl game since 1986.
Before that, the 14th-ranked RedHawks will try to win their first Mid-American Conference championship as they face No. 20 Bowling Green at Doyt Perry Stadium on Thursday.
Miami (11-1, 8-0) is coming off a 56-21 win over Central Florida on Friday. Ben Roethlisberger completed 24 of 29 passes for five touchdowns and 327 yards. The RedHawks matched a school record by reaching 11 wins for the first time since 1975. It was also their 11th straight victory, matching the school record set by the 1973 team that went 11-0.
Miami set a conference scoring record with 504 points this season, breaking the previous mark of 495 set by Toledo last year, and posted its first unbeaten conference regular season since 1977. The last team to win all of its MAC games was Marshall in 1999
``Not only have we won 11 in a row, we've won them convincingly,'' Miami coach Terry Hoeppner said. ``It's a real tribute to the coaches and the players.''
On Friday, Roethlisberger became the first quarterback in MAC history to surpass 10,000 career passing yards, and was pulled after his only pass of the second half, a 27-yard touchdown to Michael Larkin, put Miami up 42-0.
``It was a good game because it shows everybody's involved,'' Roethlisberger said. ``We had a bunch of guys (14) catch balls and a bunch of guys (four) catch touchdowns, and two backs ran for touchdowns. It was Miami football all around.''
It was Miami's ninth 40-point game this season.
The RedHawks gave up a season-low 22 yards rushing on 28 carries, the fifth time this season they held an opponent to less than 50 yards on the ground.
Bowling Green (10-2, 7-1) has lost its last five meetings with Miami, including a 33-10 defeat at Miami on Nov. 4.
The Falcons have won three straight since that loss, and finished with their fourth 10-win season. They will be trying to match the school record for wins, set by the 1985 team that went 11-1.
Bowling Green rallied to beat Toledo 31-23 on Saturday as Josh Harris threw for three touchdowns and caught another one. The Falcons scored on their first four possessions in the second half after trailing 14-7 after two quarters.
Harris accounted for 379 of Bowling Green's 433 offensive yards.
``The offense is always in my hands. I get the ball every snap, and that's the way I like it,'' Harris said.
After the win, he immediately started thinking about another shot at Miami.
``Ever since that game, we talked about the opportunity to play them again,'' Harris said. ``I can't even celebrate this win. We want to win the MAC.''
Bowling Green, one of three schools in the country averaging 200 yards passing (296.7) and rushing (209.8), was held to 183 and 160, respectively, in the loss to Miami.
The game may have more meaning for Bowling Green because Miami has already accepted an invitation to play in the GMAC Bowl on Dec. 18 in Mobile, Ala. The Falcons, though, need a victory to assure themselves a spot in the Motor City Bowl in Detroit.
If they lose, the Motor City Bowl could select Northern Illinois, a team Bowling Green beat 34-18 on Oct. 25.
Bowling Green has won 13 straight at home since a 24-21 loss to Miami on Nov. 3, 2001. The RedHawks lead the all-time series 37-18-5.
This is the first MAC championship game without Marshall, which won five of the league's first six title games after it split into two divisions in 1997.