The Miami University football team heads to Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 9 as the RedHawks look to open the season 2-0 in Mid-American Conference play. Opening kick is slated for 3:30 p.m.

Television
The matchup with the Eagles will be carried live on ESPN+. Michael Reghi will handle play-by-play duties, while JeRod Cherry will serve as the color analyst.

Radio
In its third year of its partnership with Van Wagner, the Miami Sports Network continues its coverage of Miami Football with a group of affiliates blanketing most of Southwest Ohio and Southeast Indiana. "The Voice of the RedHawks" Steve Baker will deliver the play-by-play coverage, while Terry Bridge will provide color commentary. Tune-in to one of Miami's gameday affiliates:

WMOH-AM 1450 (Hamilton, Ohio)
WFMG-FM 101.3 (Richmond, Ind.)
WDBZ-AM 1230 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
WONE-AM 980 (Dayton, Ohio)

First And Ten
• Miami football ranks first all-time in the Mid-American Conference in wins (702), conference wins (301), MAC Championships (16) and bowl wins (7). The RedHawks also captured the 2019 MAC Championship with a 26-21 win over Central Michigan.

• Although Miami was 4-26 in Coach Martin's first 30 Mid-American Conference games, the RedHawks are 26-9 in the last 35 games versus schools from the MAC, the best record in the conference during that span.

• Miami went 2-1 in 2020, missing the final three contests of the year due to COVID. The RedHawks beat Ball State, the eventual MAC Champions, to open 2020, 38-31.

• The RedHawks clinched the MAC East Division Championship with a 6-2 record in 2019 and went 2-1 in 2020. Miami has now had a winning conference record in four of the past five years.

• Martin, in his eighth year leading the RedHawks, has had many of the same coordinators in the previous six seasons. Offensive Coordinator Eric Koehler has been with Martin all eight years on the offensive side of the ball. Spence Nowinsky (fourth year) and John Hauser (eighth year) manage the defense.

• Miami is 8-1 in one-score games, dating back to the 2018 campaign. The RedHawks were 5-0 in one-score games in 2019, including a 26-21 victory over Central Michigan in the MAC Championship Game. Miami's 31-26 loss to Minnesota earlier this year ended Miami's consecutive one-score win streak at eight.

• In its last 30 contests, Miami has had a lead at some point in 26 of those games. The only four setbacks were a 42-10 loss at Buffalo in 2020 and all three losses in 2021.

• Miami competed in the 2020 LendingTree Bowl, its fourth bowl eligible season in the last five years. From 2006-15, Miami was bowl eligible just twice.

• Miami's defense has forced a turnover in 30 of its last 46 games and is 19-11 in contests when it forces a turnover. The RedHawks' defense has also recorded a sack in 35 of its last 46 games.

About Chuck Martin
• Head coach Chuck Martin, who earned that title on Dec. 3, 2013, brings an impressive resume to Oxford, Ohio.
• Not only was he 74-7 in six years at Grand Valley State (2004-09), he has coached in seven national championship games in the past 19 seasons.  Martin has an all-time head coaching record of 108-56.
• He has twice been named the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) National Coach of the Year and has been a coordinator on both sides of the ball.
• Martin was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Grand Valley State University on Oct. 23, 2015.

About Eastern Michigan
Eastern Michigan is 3-2 on the year with wins over Saint Francis, UMass and Texas State. The Eagles average 32.6 points per game and are led by quarterback Ben Bryant, who has thrown for over 1,000 yards and six touchdowns this season.

Series Vs. Eagles
Saturday will be the 24th meeting between the two programs with the RedHawks holding an 18-5 advantage. Miami has won nine of the last 10 meetings, but the Eagles won back in 2017, 27-24.

A Win Would...
A win on Saturday over the Eagles would give Miami its first 2-0 conference start since the 2012 RedHawks began the season 2-0 in the MAC. The 2010 RedHawks began the season 3-0 in conference play.

Notes From Central Michigan
• Miami saw the return of several playmakers in Saturday's contest. Jaylon Bester and Tyre Shelton saw their first action since the 2019 campaign and Andrew Homer returned after missing the past three games.
• Mac Hippenhammer had a career-high eight catches for 170 yards.
• Jack Sorenson had six grabs for 66 yards and two scores.
• Miami's offense finished the contest with 514 yards, the most since facing Ball State in 2018 (523 yards).
• Matthew Salopek had a career-high 14 tackles.

Championship Experience
While Miami's 2019 MAC Championship victory was two seasons ago, Miami still has 13 starters returning in 2021 that started in that championship game. On offense: Andrew Homer, Rusty Feth, Jaylon Bester, Tyre Shelton, Brett Gabbert, Pete Nank, Caleb Shaffer and Jack Sorenson all started in the 26-21 win over CMU. Defensively, Mike Brown, Sterling Weatherford, Ryan McWood, Kameron Butler and Ben Kimpler return in 2021. In all, Miami has 26 players on the 2021 roster that participated in the 2019 MAC Championship Game.

Martin vs. the MAC Since 2016
Miami is 26-9 versus MAC opponents over its last 35 games, best in the conference in that span. Over that time, Miami has outscored its opponents 1,009-765.

Red Hot
Miami's redzone offense has been downright amazing over the last three years. In all, Miami is 99-of-114 (86.8%) in redzone scoring over the past 33 games. It's even better in MAC play. In Miami's last 21 MAC games, the RedHawks are 67-of-75 (89.3%) inside the redzone.

Five Things to Know About No. 5
• Younger brother of NFL quarterback, Blaine Gabbert.
• Gabbert was named the 2019 MAC Freshman of the Year, joining Ben Roethlisberger (2001) and Deland McCullough (1992) as the only other RedHawks to capture this award.
• When Miami opened the 2019 season at Iowa, Gabbert became the first true freshman quarterback to open the season as the starter in Miami football history. 
• Gabbert has started 18 games in his young Miami career.
• Is responsible for 25 touchdowns (22 passing, 3 rushing) in his Miami career.

Jack of All Trades
Jack Sorenson is in the middle of his sixth year with the RedHawks and is starting to find himself all over the Miami record books. The 2019 MAC Championship Offensive Player of the Year ranks ninth all-time in Miami history in catches (137) and receiving yards (1,993). Up next on the career catches is Chris Givens (157) and yards is Jared Murphy (2,083).

31 And Counting
While not a kept stat in the Miami or MAC record book, it would be hard to imagine Jack Sorenson's 31-straight contests with a catch would not be found atop any list. While Sorenson has missed several games due to injury, dating back to 2018, the wide receiver has caught at least one pass in every game he has played.

Monsters of The MAC
Miami returns 10 starters from 2020, including third-team All-MAC performers in Kameron Butler and Lonnie Phelps. Miami's defense has been stellar lately. In 2019, Miami's last full season of competition, the RedHawks ranked top-five in nearly every defensive category, highlighted by allowing just 22.5 points (2nd), 352.9 yards (3rd) and 175.9 passing yards (1st) per conference game.

Trench Warfare
Since the start of the 2018 MAC season, Miami ranks second in the conference in sacks with 92. In 2020, the RedHawks ranked second with 13 sacks (played three less games). They also finished second in 2019 (38) and sixth in 2018 (29). This year, Lonnie Phelps has secured a sack in each of the first three games to lead Miami.