Miami welcomes nationally-ranked Ball State to Yager Stadium Tuesday
11/7/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 7, 2008
In its second straight nationally-televised Tuesday night game, Miami hosts nationally-ranked Ball State this week. Tickets are available by calling Miami's Athletic Ticket Office at 1-866-MUHAWKS (1-866-684-2957) or 513-529-HAWK. The Veteran's Day clash will feature a salute to members of the Armed Forces and a special visit by the IndyCar Racing Series.
QUICK HITS
1. Miami has not played a nationally-ranked team since September 3, 2005, when it lost at No. 6 Ohio State, 34-14. The RedHawks have not beaten a Top 25 team since November 4, 2003, when Ben Roethlisberger's team topped No. 17 Bowling Green, 33-10.
2. Miami's Daniel Raudabaugh will start at quarterback vs. Ball State. Redshirt freshman Clay Belton was injured last Tuesday vs. Buffalo and has been ruled out for play against Ball State.
3. Miami punter JAKE RICHARDSON currently ranks third in the nation with a 46.45 yards per punt average and is just 0.87 yards behind the leader. 4. It's the second consecutive week that Miami has played before an ESPN2 television audience. The RedHawks lost last week at Buffalo by a score of 37-17.
SERIES NOTES
- Miami and Ball State meet for the 27th time in series history, including the 15th time in Oxford. - The RedHawks hold a 16-9-1 lead in the all-time series with the first meeting coming in 1931. The teams have met on a regular basis since the Cardinals joined the Mid-American Conference in 1975.
- The visiting team has won the last two games in the series -- Ball State 20-17 in 2006 and Miami 14-13 last year.
- Miami is 9-4-1 when playing in Oxford. Ball State has been victorious in two straight and three of its last four visits to Yager Stadium, dating back to 1995. Prior to that, the Red and White had won six straight at home. - Brandon Murphy plowed across the goal line from six yards out with 17.7 seconds remaining to lift Miami to a 14-13 victory over Ball State in the 2007 season opener. The difference was placekicker Trevor Cook's extra point. The RedHawks were outgained in total offense 338-296, but had almost a seven-minute advantage in time of possession.
PREVIEWING BALL STATE
Ball State's football record moved to 9-0 overall and 5-0 in the Mid-American Conference with a 45-14 home win over Northern Illinois last Wednesday at BSU's Scheumann Stadium. Prior to their game last Wednesday, the Cardinals moved up to 16th in The Associated Press Poll after ranking 18th the week before. In the USA Today Coaches Poll, Ball State moved from 19th to 18th. This year's rankings in the Associated Press, BCS and USA Today polls mark the first ever for the Cardinals. Under the direction of sixth-year head coach Brady Hoke, Ball State is off to an 9-0 start for the first time since the 1965 campaign when that team went unbeaten in nine regular-season contests. It has beaten its nine opponents by an average of 24.0 points per game. The Cardinals have lots of individual stars, led by junior quarterback who has thrown for 2,358 yards and 19 touchdowns, and at least one touchdown pass in 25 of the last 26 games. He's been sacked only eight times through the first nine games, ranking ninth in the country for fewest sacks allowed. True freshman receiver Briggs Orsbon is one of his favorite targets, averaging nearly 50 yards per game. BSU lost all-star receiver Dante Love earlier this year to a serious injury. The Cardinals' running game is led by junior MiQuale Lewis who has rushed for 1,108 yards this season, becoming only the school's eighth player who has compiled a 1,000-yard campaign. Ball State's top defensive players include Alex Knipp who has eight career interceptions and Sean Baker, BSU's No. 1 tackler with 70 stops. Senior punter Chris Miller is another outstanding Cardinal player, averaging 44.2 yards.
