The Miami University football team opens the 2022 season on Saturday, Sept. 3 versus No. 20 Kentucky. Opening kick is slated for 7 p.m.

Television
The matchup with the Kentucky Wildcats will be carried live on ESPN+/SECN+. Mike Morgan will handle play-by-play duties, while Tom Ramsey will serve as the color analyst and Coley Harvey will be roaming the sidelines.

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 (707), 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 30-12 in the last 42 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 9-4 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 38 contests, Miami has had a lead at some point in 33 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 113-59.
• 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 Kentucky
Kentucky posted its second 10-win season in the last four years, starting the 2021 campaign with six consecutive wins and then finishing with four straight victories. The Wildcats defeated Iowa 20-17 in the Citrus Bowl on New Year's Day to end the season at 10-3, good for No. 18 in the final AP poll. Quarterback Will Levis is expected to be a top NFL draft pick next spring, with some mock drafts projecting him as high as No. 1 overall. Levis threw for 2,827 yards and rushed for 376 yards in 2021 after transferring from Penn State. He completed 66% of his passes and threw 24 touchdowns, rushing for nine more scores. 

Series Vs. Wildcats
Kentucky leads the all-time series 8-4-1, with the first recorded meeting coming in 1894. The Wildcats have captured the last three meetings, and Miami will seek its first victory in Lexington since 1979.

Last Meeting
The Wildcats defeated the RedHawks 41-7 in the second week of the 2013 season. Chris Wade returned a fumble for a six-yard touchdown for Miami's only points. UK's Mark Stoops earned his first career victory as head coach; he enters the 2022 season with a 59-53 overall record at Kentucky. 

Tough Beginnings
For the third time in the last four years, the RedHawks will open the season versus a ranked opponent. Cincinnati was ranked No. 8 in 2021 and Iowa began the 2019 campaign at No. 20.

A Recap of The 2021 Season
• After beginning the season 1-3, the RedHawks went 5-3 in MAC play and were a two-point overtime conversion away in a 48-47 loss at Kent State from advancing to their second MAC Championship Game in the past three years.
• Miami lost its three MAC games by a combined four points last season.
• The RedHawks averaged 29.1 points per game in 2021, the highest single-season scoring average since the 2004 RedHawks averaged 31.3 points/game.
• Defensively, Miami allowed a MAC-best 22.9 points per game. The last time the RedHawks had a defense that strong was back in 2011 when the RedHawks allowed 22.9 points per contest.

RedHawks Picked To Win East Division
The MAC media picked Miami to capture the East Division in its yearly preseason poll. The RedHawks received 20 of 24 first-place votes back in late July.

More Preseason Accolades
Phil Steele named 12 RedHawks to his preseason All-MAC squad. Brett Gabbert was named first team All-MAC to lead the Miami offense, while Rusty Feth (second-team) Mac Hippenhammer (second-team), Reid Holskey (third-team), Tyre Shelton (fourth-team) and Jalen Walker (fourth-team) also earned All-MAC honors on the offensive side of the ball. Defensively, Matthew Salopek was the lone second-teamer, followed by Jacquez Warren (third-team) and Ryan McWood (fourth-team). Miami was well represented on special teams. Punter Dom Dzioban (second-team), placekicker Graham Nicholson (third-team) and punt returner Jalen Walker (fourth-team) all earned preseason accolades.
 
Offensive Explosion
Miami's offense found its rhythm in the last five games of the 2021 season, led mainly by the passing attack. A few highlights:
• Averaging 37.2 points the past five games.
• Brett Gabbert threw for 1,705 (341.0/game) yards and 17 touchdowns. 
• As a team, Miami is averaging 486.6 yards of offense the last five contests.

Home Cooking
Miami finished a perfect 5-0 at home during the 2019 and 2021 season (1-0 in 2020) and has won 14 straight at Yager Stadium. Miami's last home loss was on Sept. 29, 2018. In all, when Miami hosts Robert Morris on Sept. 10, 2022 it will be 1,442 days since Miami's last loss at home.

Longest Home Win Streaks in School History
1. 22 Wins (1943-1948)
T-2. 14 Wins (1973-1975, 1980-1982)
T-2. 14 Wins (2018-present)

Longest Active Home Win Streaks in the Country
1. Clemson - 33
2. Cincinnati - 26
3. Oregon - 18
4. Miami -14

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.

Five Things to Know About No. 5 Brett Gabbert
• 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. 
• Is responsible for 45 touchdowns (41 passing, 4 rushing) in his Miami career.
• Ranks seventh in program history with 5,443 passing yards, completion percentage (.579) and passing touchdowns (41).

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 72 combined games. Rusty Feth (22), Reid Holskey (13) and Sam Vaughan (13) started all 13 games for the RedHawks last season and Caleb Shaffer (24) is Miami's most experienced offensive lineman (missed one game last year due to injury).

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.

New Faces New Places
The transfer portal has changed college football, and Miami is no different. Kameron Butler (Virginia), Lonnie Phelps (Kansas) and Ivan Pace (Cincinnati) combined for 208 tackles and 21.5 sacks last season, but are now at other schools. The RedHawks brought in a handful of new talent of their own. In all, 13 transfers joined Miami for the 2022 season: Matt Bjorson (Indiana), John Brekke (Holy Cross), Jalen Brunson (Virginia Tech), Michael Dowell (Michigan State), Nolan Johnson (ECU), Trey LaBounty (Stanford), Myles Marshall (Indiana), Yahsyn McKee (Mercer), Jalen Peterson (Indianapolis), Zane Reis (Ohio Wesleyan), Corey Suttle (Iowa State), Brian Ugwu (Rutgers) and Ty Wise (Indiana).

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, Oscar McWood, Brendan Beattie, Jack DeJarld and Graham Nicholson were awarded scholarships.

Paging Dr. McWood
When the 2022 season begins, linebacker Ryan McWood (turns 25 on Oct. 13) will be entering his SEVENTH season with the Red and White. Due to red-shirting the 2016 season, a 2020 COVID year and then a season-ending injury in week one of the 2021 season, McWood is just a handful of college football players playing in their seventh (or eighth) year. The good news of hanging around so long, Ryan's brother Oscar McWood, is now a member of the RedHawks.

All Alone
Miami lost five of its top six tacklers from a year ago, returning just Matthew Salopek. Seeing his first significant action of his career, Salopek finished second on the team with 112 tackles and added six pass breakups. After Salopek, Miami's next returning tackler is Jacquez Warren (42 stops).

Nothing But Net
In his first year with the football program, Graham Nicholson did not disappoint. He finished the season 15-20 on field goals, including 6-of-7 on attempts between 40-49 yards. He added 30 touchbacks on 65 kickoffs in 2021.

If You Build It...
Miami's Director of Athletics, David Sayler continues to add facilities for the department. The two newest football installments can be seen just north of Yager Stadium. The new David and Anita Dauch Indoor Sports Center (DISC) opened in February of 2015 and features a full-length 120-yard field and four sprint lanes.

Between Yager Stadium and the DISC is the Athletic Performance Center. The APC provides much-needed upgrades to Miami Football's locker room and offices while also hosting a state-of-the-art medical and athletic training facility that serves all Miami's student-athletes.