Oct. 26, 2004

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SCOUTING THE ROCKETS: The hottest team in the Mid-American Conference, the Toledo Rockets cruise into Tuesday's meeting riding a six-game winning streak and boasting the league's most potent offense. Led by junior quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, who ranks fourth nationally in both total offense (313.0) and pass efficiency (174.6), the Rockets are averaging a gaudy 480.4 yards of total offense and are tied atop the MAC West with a 5-0 league record. Gradkowski's favorite target, senior Lance Moore, averages 7.0 receptions and 82.9 receiving yards per game and is also one of the league's top kickoff returners. Since giving up 126 points in its first two games, Toledo's defense has settled and is allowing 22.9 ppg through five league games. The Rockets are enjoying an average margin of victory of 19.8 ppg in the MAC.

THE SERIES: Miami and Toledo are meeting for the 47th time since the teams' first clashed in 1936. The Red and White won 13 of the series' first 14 contests, but the Rockets closed the gap between 1979 and 1992, when they won 11-of-14 games. The RedHawks have posted a 4-1-1 record since 1993, including a 27-13 win at Toledo in the teams' last meeting in 2002. Miami owns a 14-8-1 edge in Oxford, where the Rockets have played just three times and won only once since 1992.

LAST MEETING--Miami 27, Toledo 13 (Oct. 26, 2002): Toledo held Miami quarterback Ben Roethlisberger without a touchdown pass, but a strong RedHawk running game and gutsy defensive effort proved to be the difference in a 27-13 RedHawk win. Miami built a 20-0 advantage on rushing TDs by Luke Clemens and Cal Murray and a pair of Jared Parseghian field goals. Toledo rallied to within a touchdown in the fourth quarter, but Clemens ,who combined with Murray for 139 rushing yards, added a 10-yard touchdown run to ice the win. Miami's defense bent but refused to break all day, giving up 496 yards and 24 first downs but allowing just two Rocket scores.

ON THE TUBE: Tuesday's contest marks Miami's eighth appearance on ESPN2 since 2002, with the RedHawks posting a 4-3 mark to date. Calling the action are play-by-play commentator Eric Collins, color commentator Andre Ware and sideline reporter Jimmy Dykes. The RedHawks appeared on national television five times last season, including appearances in the MAC Championship game and GMAC Bowl, and have made two appearances this season, including their ABC debut at Michigan on Sept. 4. All five of Miami's home games in 2004 were televised by either Time Warner Cable, WB64 or ESPN2.

YAGER, SWEET YAGER: Presently riding a Yager Stadium record nine-game home winning streak, Miami has not lost a game at home since the conclusion of the 2002 campaign and has been dominant along the way. The RedHawks, who had a FieldTurf playing surface installed prior to last season, have yet to lose on their new carpet and have won their home games by an average margin of 30.3 points per game over that span. Under Hoeppner, Miami has posted a 21-7 (.750) record in Yager Stadium. Miami's home unbeaten streak is the longest since an 11-game unbeaten streak from 1985-86, and the home winning streak is the longest since the Red and White won 14 straight from 1980-82. Coincidentally, in Miami's last meeting with Toledo, the RedHawks ended the Rockets' 17-game home winning streak.

EYES ON 11: A program that has regained its greatness since 1994, Miami can clinch its 11th consecutive winning season Tuesday night with a victory. The RedHawks are an impressive 82-38-2 (.680) during their current run of success. Miami's record for consecutive winning seasons was set between 1943-59, when the Red and White notched 17 straight winning campaigns. From 1943-75, Miami totaled 33 straight non-losing seasons.

DOING THEIR CIVIC DUTY: While Miami's Election Day contest with Toledo is important in the MAC race, head coach Terry Hoeppner is making sure his RedHawks don't shirk any of their responsibilities off the football field. Along with attending their normal Tuesday classes, the RedHawks have all registered to vote and will be visiting the polls prior to Tuesday's contest.

BATTLE OF THE BIG GUNS: Tuesday's MAC clash between Toledo and Miami showcases two of the nation's top aerial attacks. The Rockets' 323.4 yards passing per game rank third nationally, while Miami's 279.9 passing yards per game rate 13th nationally. Quarterbacks Bruce Gradkowski (313.0) and Josh Betts (278.6) rank 4th and 12th, respectively, in the nation in total offense. In terms of scoring, Toledo ranks eighth nationally, tallying 36.4 points per game, while Miami is just outside of the top 25, scoring 33.3 points per contest and ranking 26th.

BETTER AT HOME: Miami's offense has been sure to put on a show for its home fans over the past two seasons, placing at least 30 points on the scoreboard in 12 straight games, including 40 or more in every home game this season. The RedHawks are averaging 44.8 points per game at home this season, while posting an impressive 446.5 yards of total offense. Miami also has taken better care of the ball at home, committing just nine of its 24 total turnovers on its home turf. Leading the way is quarterback Josh Betts, who has completed 63.2 percent of his passes for eight TDs 258.0 yards per game in Yager Stadium.

SETTLING DOWN: When a new starter takes over at quarterback there are bound to be some ups and downs, and RedHawk starter Josh Betts has experienced more than his share over his first seven starts. The first Miami quarterback to pass for at least 200 yards in his first four starts, Betts has been as high as a 416-yard, four-touchdown performance at Cincinnati and as low as a 144-yard, four-turnover outing at Marshall. On the year, Betts is completing over 60 percent of his passes while passing for 15 TDs and 10 interceptions. A two-time MAC East Offensive Player of the Week, Betts ranks third in the MAC with a 139.3 pass efficiency rating. Over the past three outings, Betts has completed 66-of-102 (.647) passes for 856 yards and five TDs.

FILLING THE VOID: When Miami lost leading wide receiver Martin Nance, who totaled 90 receptions for 1,498 yards in 2003, for the season at Marshall, it fell on a deep receiving corps to pick up the slack. Leading that charge have been sophomore Ryne Robinson and senior Michael Larkin, who have combined for 37 catches, 588 yards and five TDs in the three games since Nance's injury. Robinson is averaging 7.3 receptions and 116.7 yards per game since moving into Nance's spot in the lineup. Also emerging is senior Korey Kirkpatrick, who's made nine of his 13 receptions this season over the past three games.

SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS: If there's been an achilles heel to Miami's offense this season, it's come in the form of turnovers. The RedHawks have already committed 24 turnovers this season, which is higher than the teams' complete season total in any of the past three seasons and accounts for almost a quarter of the team's total possessions. The RedHawks, who haven't lost more than eight fumbles since 2000, have put the ball on the ground 21 times this season and lost 12 fumbles. Miami's opponents have made them pay for their mistakes, scoring 69 points--or nearly 40 percent of the points allowed by the Red and White--off turnovers. Versus Michigan on Sept. 4, Miami committed seven turnovers, which resulted in 36 of Michigan's 43 points.

UNSTOPPABLE MEETS IMMOVABLE: Tuesday's contest pits the MAC's top-ranked offensive unit versus the league's top-ranked defensive unit. Toledo brings an offense averaging a whopping 480.4 yards per game, while the RedHawks' defense is surrendering just 302.6 yards per contests, including 268.8 yards in MAC play. In the running game, Toledo ranks fifth in the MAC at 157.0 yards per game, while Miami is allowing fewer than 110.0 yards rushing. Toledo's MAC-best passing game is posting 323.4 yards per game, while Miami's second ranked pass defense is allowing 193.1 ypg.

ON A ROLL: Since giving up 20 first-half points to Kent State on Oct. 9, Miami's defense has rallied in grand fashion. Over the past 10 quarters of play, the Red and White has allowed only three scoring drives, 480 yards of total offense and a mere 24 first downs, including season lows of 160 total yards and seven first downs allowed to UCF last week. Miami is giving up only 3.4 yards per play over the current stretch. The seven total first downs surrendered to UCF were the fewest allowed by Miami since it gave up just five first downs to Akron in 1995.

LOCKING THE DOOR: Miami's defense has done more than its share to protect its house, posting a quartet of dominant performances in Yager Stadium this season. In the four wins, Miami has held its opponents to 261.2 yards of total offense, including a meager 49.8 yards on the ground. Thus far, Miami opponents are averaging just 1.5 yards per carry and have been sacked 18 times in Yager Stadium. The RedHawks also have forced 10 of their 15 turnovers this season in their four home games. Miami's opponents are averaging just 11.6 points per game in Yager Stadium over the last eight games and have been held to 10 or fewer points in five of those outings.

GRINDING TO A HALT: Since the resurgence of Miami's defense last season, the Red and White has been able to make opposing offenses one-dimensional by taking away the run. Over the last 21 games, Miami has restricted 11 of its opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing and allowed more than 150 yards rushing just six times, including a mere two instances of more than 200 yards rushing. The nine yards rushing surrendered to Ohio on Sept. 18 were the fewest allowed by Miami since it held Akron to -1 yard rushing in the 1995 season finale. Miami is allowing only 75.2 yards rushing versus MAC foes in 2004.

A BLIP ON THE RADAR: While a key factor of playing "Miami Football" involves an aggressive defense, the Red and White appeared tentative in a 45-26 loss at Cincinnati, in which it gave up 599 yards of total offense, including the highest rushing total allowed by the Red and White since 1996. Fortunately, the breakdowns experienced by Miami that day appeared to be just a blip on the radar. In the RedHawks' other seven games, they have given up just 260.3 yards per game, which would rank sixth nationally. Perhaps even more impressive, Miami has allowed just 76.4 yards rushing and 2.2 yards per carry in its other seven games, which would rank it fifth nationally in yards per game allowed and second nationally in yards per carry allowed.

A GREAT PAIR OF LEGS: With two great legs on your roster, why not use them both? Head coach Terry Hoeppner has been using both Jared Parseghian and Todd Soderquist to handle Miami's kicking duties this season. Parseghian is 6-of-8 on field goal attempts this season and 13-of-15 on PATs, while Soderquist is 4-of-5 on field goals, including a season-long 43-yarder, and 16-of-16 on PATs. The duo has combined to convert eight straight field goals for the RedHawks. Typically, Parseghian comes in on shorter attempts and Soderquist takes longer attempts, with the line of demarcation being determined during pregame warm-ups by head coach Terry Hoeppner. Parseghian, who holds the MAC record with 18 straight field goal conversions earlier in his career, is Miami's career leader in extra-point conversions (146) and field goal percentage (.780) and ranks third all-time in scoring (242).