Sept. 24, 2011

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Bowling Green at Miami
Sept. 24, 2011 - Yager Stadium - Oxford Ohio

Series/General Notes
- The attendance at Saturday's game was 20,828, the third-largest crowd at Yager Stadium since it was renovated and its capacity was reduced to 24,286 in 2005. The two largest crowds were 23,493 vs. Cincinnati on Oct. 3, 2009 and 22,421 vs. Cincinnati Sept. 15, 2007.

- With the loss, Miami falls to 80-38-6 all-time in home openers. The RedHawks also drop to 41-20-1 all-time in MAC openers, after winning their home and MAC opener last year over Eastern Michigan.

- With the loss, Miami falls to 42-21-5 all-time against the Falcons, including 21-12-1 in Oxford. Prior to Saturday, Miami had won 10 of the last 12 meetings with Bowling Green dating back to 1998.

- Bowling Green's Anthon Samuel broke a 96-yard run for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, which set a Bowling Green record for the longest run in school history and tied a Yager Stadium record for the longest run. Miami's Thomas Merriweather also had a 96-yard touchdown run against Temple last year on Nov. 23, 2010, which originally set the record.

Team Notes
- Miami recorded three sacks in the first quarter alone and finished with four in the game. The RedHawks entered the contest with just two sacks in their first two games combined for a loss of seven yards. Miami's four sacks Saturday combined for a loss of 26 yards.

- Miami had its two longest kick returns of the year Saturday. Sophomore cornerback Dayonne Nunley returned the second-half kickoff 72 yards, which was Miami's longest kick return and play of any kind on the year. His previous long kickoff return was 39 yards last year. Freshman wide receiver Dawan Scott returned a kickoff from the goal line for 33 yards midway through second quarter Saturday, which was Miami's second-longest kick return of the year. Miami's previous long kick return prior to Saturday was a 32-yarder by Nunley against Missouri (Sept. 3). The 72-yard kick return was Miami's longest since Jamal Rogers had a 90-yard kick return at Ohio on Nov. 24, 2007.

- The RedHawks notched their longest play of the season Saturday, as sophomore cornerback Dayonne Nunley returned the second-half kickoff 72 yards. Miami's previous longest play of the year was a 66-yard completion from redshirt junior quarterback Zac Dysert to sophomore wide receiver Nick Harwell at Minnesota (Sept. 17). A 48-yard completion from Dysert to Harwell earlier in Saturday's game is Miami's third-longest play of the year.

- Bowling Green blocked a punt late in the first half that gave them the ball at the Miami one-yard line, which resulted in a touchdown on the ensuing play. Miami also had a punt blocked at Minnesota that was returned for a touchdown, as the RedHawks have had punts blocked in back-to-back games.

Individual Notes
- Freshman offensive lineman Marcus Matthews made his first career start Saturday against the Falcons.

- Senior safety Anthony Kokal made his third career fumble recovery in the first quarter, which was his first of the season. He also forced the fumble, his first forced fumble of the season and third of his career.

- Redshirt junior linebacker Jaytee Swanson recorded his first career sack and first solo tackle for loss midway through the first quarter for a loss of six yards. He finished with four tackles, including two tackles for loss for nine yards. Entering the game, he had just 0.5 career tackles for loss.

- Junior defensive lineman Wes Williams made his second career interception early in the second quarter and returned it six yards for a touchdown, his second career interception return for a score. His other touchdown came as a freshman when he returned his other interception 20 yards for a TD against Toledo on Oct. 31, 2009. It was Miami's first interception return for a touchdown since Dayonne Nunley had a 52-yard interception return for a TD in Miami's win over Middle Tennessee State in the GoDaddy.com Bowl on Jan. 6, 2011.

- Redshirt sophomore running back Erik Finklea has run for a touchdown in each game this year, giving him three for the season (and his career). Saturday's score came on a one-yard plunge while his other scores came on a 10-yard run at Missouri (Sept. 3) and a one-yard run at Minnesota (Sept. 17).

- Sophomore kicker Mason Krysinski booted a career-long 45-yard field goal to close the first half. It was Miami's longest field goal since a 48-yard field goal by Trevor Cook against Cincinnati on Oct. 9, 2010. Krysinski's previous long field goal was 22 yards at Minnesota Sept. 17.

- Sophomore wide receiver Nick Harwell finished Saturday's game with 139 receiving yards on eight catches for his second straight 100-yard receiving game (the only two games he's played this year), going for 162 yards on 12 catches at Minnesota (Sept. 17). It was his fourth-career 100-yard receiving game, also topping the 100-yard mark at Bowling Green last year (Nov. 10) and when he had a school-record 219 yards vs. Ohio last year (Oct. 23). He now ties for sixth in Miami history for the most 100-yard receiving games.

--MURedHawks.com--