Miami Football Breaks From League Play to Face Temple
10/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 24, 2005
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REDHAWKS BREAK FROM LEAGUE PLAY TO BATTLE TEMPLE: Over .500 for the first time this season and back in control of its own destiny in the MAC East race, Miami University's football team (4-3; 3-2 MAC) breaks from conference play this week for a road trip to Temple University (0-8) and its latest non-conference game since 2001. The RedHawks, who are trying to win three straight for the first time this season, battle a Temple squad that has posted an 0-8 record versus one of the nation's most difficult schedules. An affiliate football member of the MAC as announced this past summer, the Owls, who play four games against the MAC this season and six next season, begin competing for the MAC title in 2007 and will be one of Miami's rivals in the MAC East.
A LOOK AT THE OWLS: Struggling in the midst of a nine-game losing streak that dates back to last season, Temple returns home after a 37-7 loss at Clemson last Saturday. The Owls, who are playing the final of four 2005 games versus the MAC, are coached by eighth-year mentor Bobby Wallace. Leading Temple offensively is senior running back Umar Ferguson, who is averaging 76.7 yards rushing per game while accounting for a team-high three touchdowns. Defensively, the Owls are headed by senior defensive end Mike Mendenhall, who already has accounted for 12.0 tackles for loss and 6.5 quarterback sacks this season. The Owls play their home games in Lincoln Financial Field--the home of the Philadelphia Eagles.
A LOOK AT THE SERIES: Miami and Temple are meeting for the first time Saturday, as Miami makes its first trip to Philadelphia since 1960, when the Red and White suffered a 33-0 loss at Villanova.
ROADHAWKS: With a 2-2 record on the road in 2005, Miami, which is playing its third road game in four outings, is looking for its first non-conference win away from home since it defeated Louisville in the 2003 GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala. The last time Miami defeated a non-conference opponent on its home turf was a 41-21 win at Colorado State in 2003. Presently, the RedHawks are struggling through a four-game road losing streak versus non-MAC opponents.
BACK IN CONTROL: With the help of Western Michigan's surprising 45-14 rout of Bowling Green last Saturday, Miami regained control of its own destiny in the MAC East race. After two early league losses versus the MAC West, Miami found itself with an early deficit for the second straight year but, once again, got the help it needed to get back in the hunt. Following this week's non-conference contest, the RedHawks finish the season with three straight contests versus MAC East foes. With wins in all three, Miami can emerge from a tight MAC East race with its third straight division title.
SECOND-HALF SUCCESS: Following Miami's 38-27 loss at Northern Illinois on Oct. 5, Miami head coach Shane Montgomery refocused his team on taking care of its own business over the second half of the season. The RedHawks have been very good in the second half of the regular season over the past three years, forging perfect 6-0 records in both 2003 and 2004 and jumping out to a 2-0 second-half start in 2005.
NANCE AND BETTS APPROACH MILESTONES: Senior wide receiver Martin Nance needs only 51 yards receiving to surpass former teammate Michael Larkin (2001-04) as Miami's all-time leader in career receiving yardage. He also trails Larkin by only 20 catches on Miami's career receptions list ... Senior quarterback Josh Betts needs just 48 yards passing to move into Miami's top three all-time for career passing yardage and 34 career completions to take over second in that category.
MURPHY ON A ROLL: Sophomore running back Brandon Murphy enters Saturday's contest on a roll, having racked up five straight 100-yard rushing days. After a 172-yard effort at Kent State (Sept. 17), Murphy followed with 120 yards versus Cincinnati (Sept. 28) and 138 yards at Northern Illinois (Oct. 5) before amassing a career-high 184 yards rushing versus Akron. Most recently, Murphy picked up the 173 yards rushing at Eastern Michigan. The sophomore is the first RedHawk running back to rack up five straight 100-yard rushing games since former All-American Travis Prentice totaled six straight 100-yard rushing games between the 1998 and 1999 campaigns. He needs only 77 yards to become Miami's first 1,000-yard rusher since Cal Murray in 2003.
REDZONE ALERT: Miami's offense has scored on its last 18 trips into the redzone to increase its conversion percentage to 89.7 percent (35-of-39) inside its opponent's 20-yard line this season. Of those last 18 trips into the redzone, Miami has come away with 14 touchdowns.
BEWARE OF THE BIG PLAY: While opponents have struggled to beat Miami's defense play in and play out and maintain lengthy scoring drives, they have been able to benefit from the big play. Of 22 touchdown drives assembled against Miami's defense this season, 19 of the 22 have included at least one play of 20 yards or longer while nine of the touchdowns themselves have come on plays of at least 20 yards. In fact, of the 1,514 yards gained on those TD drives, 788 yards or 52 percent were gained via the big play. In Miami's two MAC losses this season, the RedHawks gave up 15 big plays that covered 586 yards or 54 percent of the total offense gained by Central Michigan (Sept. 10) and Northern Illinois (Oct. 5) in those defeats.
REHAGE RETURNS: Senior linebacker Derek Rehage, a third-year starter, returned to the starting lineup last Saturday at outside linebacker, making seven tackles in place of the injured Terna Nande. Rehage, the team's starting middle linebacker in 2004, missed the first five games of 2005 when it was determined that a foot injury suffered in fall camp would require surgery. Fellow senior David Hutzelman has started the last six games at middle linebacker for the RedHawks since the injury, while Bryan Tyson had been starting at outside linebacker.
NANDE REMAINS OUT: Senior linebacker Terna Nande, who has not practiced with the team since suffering a lacerated liver late in Miami's Sept. 17 win at Kent State, was evaluated by Miami's medical staff last week and deemed not ready to return to the football field. A fourth-year starter and two-time all-MAC selection, Nande has been allowed to resume light conditioning activities while awaiting his next medical evaluation.
