The Miami University football team faces the Golden Flashes of Kent State on Saturday, Oct. 8 at Yager Stadium. Opening kick is slated for 3:30 p.m.

Television
The matchup with Kent State will be carried live on ESPN+. Michael Reghi will handle play-by-play duties, while Marcus Ray will serve as the color analyst. 

Radio
In its fourth 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 (709), conference wins (306), MAC Championships (16) and bowl wins (8). The RedHawks also captured the 2019 MAC Championship with a 26-21 win over Central Michigan.

• Although Miami was 4-18 in Coach Martin's first 22 Mid-American Conference games, the RedHawks are 30-13 in the last 43 games versus schools from the MAC, the best record in the conference during that span.

• The RedHawks clinched the MAC East Division Championship with a 6-2 record in 2019, went 2-1 in 2020 and 5-3 in 2021. Miami has now had a winning conference record in five of the past six years.

• Martin, in his ninth year leading the RedHawks, has a new-look coaching staff in 2021. Offensive Coordinator Eric Koehler returns for his ninth year calling plays, while Bill Brechin begins year one as the Defensive Coordinator (ninth year at Miami). Special Teams Coordinator Jacob Bronowski is in his first year with the Red and White. 

• Miami is 10-5 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. 

• In its last 43 contests, Miami has had a lead at some point in 38 of those games. The only five setbacks were a 42-10 loss at Buffalo in 2020 and four different losses in 2021.

• Miami competed in the 2021 Frisco Football Classic (W, 27-14) and the RedHawks have now been bowl eligible five of the last six seasons. From 2006-15, Miami was bowl eligible just twice.

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 20 seasons.  Martin has an all-time head coaching record of 115-62.
• 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 Kent State
The Golden Flashes are coming off a 31-24 victory over Ohio University last weekend and are 2-3 overall and 1-0 in conference play. Offensively, KSU is led by dual-threat quarterback Collin Schlee. The Red-shirt junior has thrown for 1,080 yards and five scores and is second on the team with 256 yards rushing and one touchdown on the ground. Khalib Johns is second in the MAC with four sacks on the season.

Series Vs. Golden Flashes
The RedHawks lead the all-time series 50-18 over Kent State, including a 27-7 record at home against the Golden Flashes. KSU hasn't won at Yager Stadium since 2012.

Last Meeting
Kent State edged Miami in a heartbreaker last November, hanging on for a 48-47 decision in overtime when Miami's pass attempt on a potential game-winning two-point conversion was broken up. Brett Gabbert threw for 405 yards and four touchdowns to lead the RedHawks' offense.

Memorable Meeting
In 2016, the 0-6 RedHawks scored with 1:34 to go to post an 18-14 victory in quarterback Gus Ragland's season debut. Ragland returned after tearing his ACL just six months earlier to throw for 181 yards and two scores (including the game-winning 55-yard pass to Kenny Young), helping Miami to its first win of the season. The RedHawks' comeback victory sparked a dramatic midseason turnaround, as Miami would go on to win six consecutive games to finish the regular season at 6-6 and qualify for the St. Petersburg Bowl. 

Home Sweet Home
For the first time since Sept. 10 (vs. Robert Morris), the RedHawks play at Yager Stadium. Technically, the Sept. 17 contest at Paycor Stadium was considered Miami's home game as well, but it will have been 28 days between contests at Yager Stadium.

Buffalo Recap
Despite a career day from Aveon Smith, Miami dropped a 24-20 decision to Buffalo last Saturday. Smith finished with 119 yards passing and a career-best 142 yards rushing to go along with two touchdowns in the loss. Miami dominated the stat sheet, out-gaining the Bulls 359-278. Led by Smith's day on the ground, the RedHawks out-rushed the Bulls 240-90 and won the turnover battle (2-1) as well, but 11 RedHawk penalties for 96 yards deemed crucial down the stretch for the Red and White.

Heads or Tails
In year's past, when the RedHawks won the opening coin toss, head coach Chuck Martin would defer to the second half. This season, the RedHawks have won four coin tosses and received the ball to start the contest. Miami has scored on three of those four opening possessions, including touchdowns to begin the game at Kentucky and Cincinnati.

Starting Fast
As mentioned before, Miami has started fast in 2022 and in fact, the RedHawks have scored on their opening possession in five of the last seven contests, dating back to 2021. In all, Miami has scored 23 points (2 TD/3FG) on its opening possession over the past six games.

Home Cooking
Miami finished a perfect 5-0 at home during the 2019 and 2021 season (1-0 in 2020) and has won 15 straight at Yager Stadium. Miami's last loss at Yager Stadium was on Sept. 29, 2018. In all, when Miami hosts Kent State on Oct. 8, 2022 it will be 1,470 days since Miami's last loss at home.

Longest Home Win Streaks in School History
1.    22 Wins (1943-1948)
2.     15 Wins (2018-present)

Longest Active Home Win Streaks in the Country
1. Clemson - 37
2. Cincinnati - 28
3. Oregon - 21
4. Miami -15

Bounce Back
Since early in the 2016 season Miami has lost back-to-back MAC games just once in that span. In fact, Miami is now 10-1 following a MAC loss under Martin, dating back to Oct. 15, 2016.

New Year, Same Defense
With so many new faces on defense in 2022, a drop in defensive production could have been expected, instead, Miami is once again one of the best defenses in the conference. Miami ranks second in scoring defense (25.4), first in total defense (338.4), first in rush defense (84.8), fifth in sacks (9), second in third downs (34.3%) and first in interceptions (5). Miami's rush defense ranks ninth nationally.

Take It Away Defense Take it Away
Through five games in 2022, the RedHawks defense has already forced 10 turnovers and is on pace for 24 take-aways in 2022. Prior to this season, Miami had averaged 16 turnovers forced per season since Chuck Martin's arrival, with a high of 20 in 2019. Miami's 10 forced turnovers is tops in the MAC and 22nd in the nation.

Gabbert Out
On Sept. 5, head coach Chuck Martin announced Brett Gabbert would be out for "a while." Since starting the season opener at Iowa back in 2019, Gabbert ranks seventh in program history with 5,609 passing yards, completion percentage (.579) and passing touchdowns (41). 

Offensive Shift
With Gabbert out, the RedHawks have been forced to use the ground game more than normal. This season, the RedHawks are averaging 170.0 rushing yards per contest, the  best season average since Chuck Martin stepped foot in Oxford, Ohio. In fact, over the past two weeks, the RedHawks have rushed for over 200 yards per contest. Miami ran for 216 yards at Northwestern and 240 a week ago at Buffalo.

Trench Warfare
Miami's offensive line is by far the most experienced unit for the RedHawks in 2022, returning four starters from last season's squad. In all, Miami's offensive line has started 97 combined games. Caleb Shaffer leads the way with 29 career starts and is followed by Rusty Feth (27), Reid Holskey (18), Sam Vaughan (14, but out for the year in 2022), John Brekke (4), Will Jados (4) and Kolby Borders (1). Brekke was also a three-year starter from Holy Cross before transferring to Miami.

MAC Attack
Senior Mac Hippenhammer set career bests last season in catches (48), yards (786) and touchdowns (5). The Penn State transfer posted season-highs in catches (8) and yards (170) in a win over Central Michigan last season, all while averaging 16.3 yards per catch a year ago. This season he leads all RedHawks in catches (21), yards (309) and touchdowns (4).

From Zero to Hero
Over the past year, head coach Chuck Martin has awarded six scholarships to walk ons with the football program. Last year Chris Cavalaris and Dominic Nardone earned a free ride and back on Aug. 16, in the middle of fall camp 2022, Oscar McWood, Brendan Beattie, Jack DeJarld and Graham Nicholson were awarded scholarships.