RedHawks Fall to Iowa State, 17-13, in Independence Bowl
12/28/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 28, 2004
Recap | Final Stats | Photo Gallery
MIAMI REDHAWK FOOTBALL GAME NOTES
INDEPENDENCE BOWL - INDEPENDENCE STADIUM; SHREVEPORT, LA
Iowa State (6-5, 4-4 Big 12) 17, Miami (8-5, 7-1 MAC) 13
December 28, 2004
Team Notes
- In the locker room prior to the game, Miami Director of Athletics Brad Bates informed the team that offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery would be named the RedHawks' head coach, replacing outgoing head coach Terry Hoeppner who has accepted the head job at Indiana.
- Miami University made its ninth bowl game appearance Tuesday night, playing in the 29th Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La. The bowl is the largest, in terms of payout, a Mid-American Conference team has ever been a part of.
- With the loss, Miami dropped to 6-3 all-time in bowl games. The RedHawks were making consecutive bowl appearances for the first time since they made three straight bowl appearances from 1973-75.
- With the loss, the Mid-American Conference dropped to 1-3 in bowl games this season. The last of the MAC's league-record five bowl games takes place on Thursday when Northern Illinois faces Troy State in the Silicon Valley Bowl.
- Miami, which led 13-10 at the beginning of the fourth quarter, had won 23 straight games when leading after three quarters. Out of 47 career games that his Miami teams led after three quarters, Terry Hoeppner lost only four, including tonight's game.
- Miami's 13 points were its fewest since scoring 10 points at Michigan on Sept. 4. Out of Miami's past 49 games it has been held to fewer than 20 points just four times.
Individual Notes
- Sophomore Ryne Robinson finished with seven receptions for 101 yards to lead the RedHawks and notch his fourth career 100-yard receiving day.
- Robinson accounted for 139 all-purpose yards in the first half, making four catches for 67 yards and returning two punts for 72 yards, including a 44-yard return. As a team, Miami accounted for 212 total all-purpose yards in the half with Robinson accounting for 65 percent.
- Josh Betts' 28-yard touchdown pass to Luke Clemens before the end of the first half matched the longest passing touchdown in a bowl game in Miami history.
- Betts finished his first season as Miami's starting quarterback by completing 20-of-44 passes for 240 yards and a touchdown. He passed for 200 or more yards 12 times in 13 starts and finished with 3,495 yards passing.
- Senior running back Mike Smith scored on a two-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to gave Miami its first lead. Smith, who had not played since an Oct. 16 win at Buffalo, has 26 career rushing touchdowns, tying him for fifth-place on Miami's career rushing TD list.
- Senior Michael Larkin hauled in an eight-yard reception in the fourth quarter, finishing his Miami career with an NCAA record 50 straight games with a reception.
- Senior Mike Wafzig finished his career by punting eight times for a 45.4 yard average. He also booted a career-best 67-yard punt in the fourth quarter, which was the second longest in Independence Bowl history.
- Terry Hoeppner finished his Miami career with a 48-25 record, finishing second all-time at Miami in wins and winning an impressive 21 games over the past two seasons. Hoeppner had been at Miami as an assistant coach since 1986 and had been the head coach since 1999.
