Dec. 18, 2003
Recap?|? Stats?|? Photo Gallery
MIAMI REDHAWK FOOTBALL GAME NOTES
2003 GMAC BOWL; MOBILE, AL
Miami (13-1) 49, Louisville (9-4) 28
Dec. 18, 2003 Team Notes
- Playing in its first bowl game since 1986, the RedHawks picked up their first bowl win since the 1975 Tangerine Bowl, a 20-7 decision over South Carolina. Miami is now 6-2 in eight bowl games.
- With a win tonight, Miami extended a school record with its 13th win of the season, and finishes the season with the nation's longest winning streak at a school-record 13 games.
- For the 13th time in 14 games this season, Miami scored first, taking its opening possession 88 yards on six plays and scoring on a 28-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Michael Larkin. Roethlisberger was 4-of-4 for 67 yards and a TD on the opening drive.
- As was the case all season, Miami dominated in the first quarter, tallying 21 points in the opening quarter for the fourth time this season and blanking an opponent in the first quarter for the eighth time in 2003.
- Miami's offense scored touchdowns on its first five possessions on the way to 35 first-half points-the fifth time this season it has tallied at least 35 points by the half.
- The RedHawks broke or tied 15 school bowl records, including points (49) and total yards (597).
- With Cal Murray surpassing 1,000 yards rushing for the season, Miami became the first team in MAC history with a 4,000-yard passer (Ben Roethlisberger- 4,486), 1,000-yard receiver (Martin Nance- 1,498) and 1,000-yard rusher (Murray- 1,030).
- Matt Pusateri's interception returned for a touchdown was the RedHawks' fifth of the season.
- Miami swept the GMAC Bowl post-game awards: Ben Roethlisberger (Game MVP), Martin Nance (Offensive MVP), Matt Pusateri (Defensive MVP) and Jared Parseghian (Special Teams MVP).
Individual Notes
- Junior quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who finished the day 21-of-33 for 376 yards and four touchdowns, broke the Mid-American Conference's single-season records for pass completions (342), passing yards (4,486) and total offense (4,597).
- With four touchdown passes, Roethlisberger has thrown four-or-more touchdowns in game for the fourth consecutive game and fifth time this season. He now has seven for his career. In his last four games, Roethlisberger has gone 90-for-125 (.720 comp.) with 1,437 yards, 17 touchdowns and just one interception.
- Sophomore wide receiver Martin Nance, who notched his seventh 100-yard receiving day this season, finished with a game-high 169 yards on nine receptions, while making a touchdown grab.
- Junior wide receiver Michael Larkin, who now has a reception in 37 consecutive games, hauled in two TD receptions on the night, marking the third time this season and fifth in his career in which he has made multiple touchdown receptions in a game.
- Senior Cal Murray eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career (1,030 career yards). Finishing with a season-high 142 yards, he topped 100 yards for the third time this season.
- Junior Mike Smith scored his 17th touchdown of the season with a three-yard run in the fourth quarter, moving himself into fourth place on Miami's single-season rushing touchdown list.
- Senior Matt Pusateri intercepted his third pass of the season, including one in each of his last two games. He returned it for a touchdown for the first of his career. The length of his return, 35 yards, broke Miami's school bowl record for an INT return.
