Sept. 14, 2002

Recap?|? Final Stats?|? Photo Gallery

Miami vs. LSU
Tiger Stadium - Baton Rouge, La.

• Miami, which opens Mid-American Conference play next Saturday versus Kent State, dropped to 1-2 on the season and has lost five of its last six games dating back to last season. The stretch is Miami's worst since it lost seven of eight games in 1993 (Sept. 18-Nov. 6).

• The 26-point loss was the worst under head coach Terry Hoeppner, and the seven points were the lowest total a Miami offense has scored under Hoeppner.

• With the loss, Miami is 11-11-1 all-time versus the Southeastern Conference and 1-2 versus LSU, which has won the last two meetings between the teams.

• Miami head coach Terry Hoeppner, who has a 10-5 record following a loss, lost consecutive games for just the fourth time in his four-year tenure.

• The RedHawks' 10-play, 87-yard scoring drive in the second quarter lasted 4:38. It was Miami's longest of the season in both length of yardage and time.

• Miami's 23-7 halftime deficit was its largest since a Sept. 8, 2001 loss at Iowa. The 23 first-half points tallied by LSU were the most since Iowa scored 24 in that 44-19 RedHawk loss.

• With the loss, Miami failed to achieve a winning record versus non-conference opponents for the fourth consecutive season. The RedHawks wrap up their non-conference schedule at Cincinnati on Oct. 5.

Individual Notes

• With his second quarter touchdown pass to Korey Kirkpatrick, Miami quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has completed a touchdown pass in 14 of his first 15 career games. The TD reception was the second of Kirkpatrick's career.

• Roethlisberger finished the night with 195 yards passing, moving past both Larry Fortner (1975-78) and Terry Morris (1985-86) into fourth place on Miami's career passing yardage list with 3,847 yards. Roethlisberger was held under 200 yards passing for the first time in 11 games-his lowest output since a 122-yard effort at Ball State last season.

• Junior running back Cal Murray had a career game as a receiver out of the backfield, snagging career bests of five receptions for 61 yards. Murray also rushed for 18 yards before leaving the game with a knee injury in the third quarter.

• With a 41-yard kick return in the third quarter, Milt Bowen moved past Milt Stegall (1988-91) as Miami's all-time leader in kickoff return yardage with 1,388 career yards.

• Junior linebacker Terrell Jones recorded eight tackles on the night, extending his string of consecutive games with a tackle to 24.

• Wide receivers Jason Branch and Michael Larkin each recorded receptions to extend their streaks of games with a reception to 20 and14, respectively. Larkin has made a reception in every game he's played in.