Sept. 13, 2003

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MIAMI REDHAWK FOOTBALL GAME NOTES Miami (1-1) at Northwestern (1-2) Sept. 13, 2003

Team Notes

-Miami defeated Northwestern for the fifth consecutive time and snapped a three-game losing streak that dated back to last season. The RedHawks improved to 6-1 all-time versus Northwestern.

-Playing in just his 26th game, Miami junior quarterback Ben Roethlisberger broke Miami's career records for passing touchdowns and total offense on the day while also moving into the MAC' all-time Top 10 for career passing yardage.

-For the second straight game, Miami's offense got off to a fast start, taking the opening drive 65 yards on 19 plays and tallying its first touchdown of the season on a Roethlisberger pass to Martin Nance.

-Miami's defense, which faced the fourth heaviest offensive line in NCAA Division I-A, restricted Northwestern running back Jason Wright, who entered the game ranked sixth nationally in rushing, to just 20 yards rushing in the game while holding the Wildcats to 41 total yards rushing.

Individual Notes

-On his first touchdown drive of the season, junior quarterback Ben Roethlisberger completed five-of-five passes for 60 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown pass-his first of 2003.

-With a 29-yard completion to Martin Nance in the second quarter, Roethlisberger, who was playing in just his 26th collegiate game, moved into the MAC's career Top 10 in terms of passing yardage and now has 6,946 yards in his career.

-Roethlisberger tied Miami's career passing touchdown record late in the second quarter with a 26-yard touchdown pass to junior Michael Larkin, who moved into fifth place on Miami's career touchdown reception list with the 14th touchdown reception of his career.

-After escaping a near sack in the third quarter, Roethlisberger completed a 61-yard touchdown pass to Martin Nance which marked his Miami-record 50th career touchdown pass and pushed him past former RedHawk Mike Bath (1997-00) as Miami's all-time leader for total offense with 7,090 yards. He's the first Miami player to achieve either 50 touchdown passes or 7,000 yards of total offense in his career.

-Roethlisberger, who left the game after the first series of the fourth quarter, completed 28-of-37 passes to 10 different receivers on the day while recording his seventh career 300-yard passing day and first in six games. He also threw multiple touchdown passes for the 16th time in 26 career games.

-Sophomore wide receiver Martin Nance's 18-yard touchdown reception on Miami's opening drive marked his first career touchdown. His 61-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter was Miami's longest scoring play of 2003. He finished the day with four receptions for a career-high 126 yards and two TDs.

-On his first career play from scrimmage, true freshman Tranaine Sills, who was the national high school leader in quarterback sacks last year, sacked Northwestern quarterback Brett Basanez for a two-yard loss.

-Sophomore place kicker Todd Soderquist made his collegiate place-kicking debut, recording his first collegiate field goal in the second quarter from 31 yards out.

-Junior running back Mike Smith rushed for 46 yards, including a 15-yard second quarter touchdown, in his 2003 debut for the RedHawks. He has four rushing touchdowns in his last six games.

-With a rush in the third quarter, senior running back Cal Murray reached 1,000 yards rushing for his career. He later added a 22-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter and finished with 62 yards rushing.