Saturday, October 13, 2001
Miami on roll in MAC
RedHawks, Zips in battle in East
By Ian Duthie
Enquirer contributor
OXFORD — For the first time in three years as Miami's head coach, Terry Hoeppner has won three straight games. Still he is not satisfied with how his team got to this point, winning but not playing up to its capability or showing its best effort.
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AKRON at MIAMI
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• Kickoff: 2 p.m. today, Yager Stadium (30,012), Oxford, Ohio.
• Records: Miami 3-2 (2-0 MAC), Akron 2-3 (2-1 MAC).
• TV: None.
• Radio: WCKY-AM (1360).
• Series: Miami 7-4-1 (last: 2000, Akron 37-20.)
• Line: Miami by 8.
• What to watch: Battle for position in the MAC East.
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Penalties were a thorn in the side of the RedHawks defense in last week's 31-14 victory over Buffalo. The defense committed all eight of the team's penalties, which resulted in 105 yards. More troubling to Hoeppner were the late hits that kept drives alive and resulted in scores.
Hoeppner expects better things for his team if it wants to capture its fourth consecutive victory.
“We will have to play much better,” Hoeppner said. “Maybe it is a product of our youth, but you can only use that as an excuse for so long. We need to play up to our potential.”
Miami (3-2, 2-0 MAC) will battle Akron (2-3, 2-1 MAC) for first place in the Mid-American Conference East Division. Akron enters today's game as the only team in the East with two wins — over Ohio and Kent State — and without a loss.
If Marshall wins at Buffalo (1-4, 0-2 MAC), the Thundering Herd and the winner of the Miami-Akron game will be the only teams in the East Division without, which would give them the early edge in representing the East in the conference championship game.
A win would move the RedHawks to 3-0 in the MAC for the first time since 1986, the last time they won a MAC championship.
“Our players know this is a championship game,” Hoeppner said. “There is no room for error. I am still waiting for our break-out game.”
Akron will have to hope it has depth at its running back position, with starter Brandon Payne lost for the year due to a knee injury suffered last week.
Running backs Bob Hendry and Dan Basch also were injured last week, leaving the Zips thin at a position that was a strength. Backup Junior McCray will start, and his first carry will equal the number of rushes he had coming into the game.
Quarterback Charlie Frye will be relied on heavily for his team to break out of an offensive slump. Frye ranks sixth in the conference in passing efficiency but has thrown for only two touchdowns.
Akron coach Lee Owens knows his team will have to score more than 14 points, a total it has matched the last four games, if it wants to beat Miami.
“You don't win college football games scoring 14 points a game,” Owens said.
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Anderson 29, Amelia 0
Batavia 18, Bethel Tate 8
Beechwood 42, Holy Cross 0
Bellevue 37, Ludlow 0
Boone County 17, Dixie Heights 13
Campbell County 28, Conner 13
Cin. Hills Christian Academy 33, Landmark Christian 16
Cincinnati Country Day 37, Lockland 6
Colerain 42, Middletown 0
East Central 31, La Salle 21
Goshen 21, Norwood 14
Hamilton 17, Oak Hills 14
Harrison 40, Mason 16
Hillsboro 14, Clinton Massie 10
Kings 34, Wilmington 14
Lakota East 21, Sycamore 20
Lebanon 24, Fairborn 0
Lloyd 33, Garrard County 10
Loveland 27, Little Miami 7
Madeira 21, Indian Hill 20
McNicholas 41, Badin 12
Milford 24, Fairfield 19
Moeller 20, Col. St. Francis De Sales 10
Mount Healthy 62, Shroder 0
New Richmond 50, Clermont Northeastern 12
NewCath 63, Dayton 8
North College Hill 49, New Miami 2
Princeton 30, Lakota West 21
Reading 42, Mariemont 6
Roger Bacon 20, Purcell Marian 10
Summit County Day 74, Yellow Springs 13
Talawanda 34, Edgewood 25
Taylor 33, Deer Park 6
Washington Court House 28, Jonathan Alder 15
West Carrollton 12, Monroe 6
Western Hills 27, Woodward 8
Williamsburg 66, Western Brown 8
Winton Woods 24, Turpin 7
Wyoming 49, Finneytown 20
Miami on roll in MAC
