By Mark Schmetzer
Enquirer contributor

OXFORD - Almost lost amid all of the hoopla surrounding Miami's nationally televised win last week over Bowling Green was one fact: The stakes in Miami's showdown tonight against Marshall are even higher.

The RedHawks and Thundering Herd square off at 7:30 p.m. today on ESPN2 at Yager Stadium with the Mid-American Conference East Division championship on the line. A win would give Miami a two-game lead over Marshall with two games to play and the tiebreaker edge, clinching Miami's first berth in the MAC championship game.

A Marshall win would create a tie for the East lead and give the Thundering Herd the advantage if both teams finish the regular season with identical MAC records. Miami (8-1, 5-0 MAC) and Marshall (6-3, 4-1) both finish the regular season with games against Ohio and Central Florida.

"For us, this is Championship Game No. 6," said Miami coach Terry Hoeppner, whose RedHawks are No. 23 in the country and 16th in the Bowl Championship Series rankings. "That's the reality of our league. Every week is basically a playoff game. If you don't win, you don't control your own destiny."

The Thundering Herd is taking a similar approach to the matchup.

"Our game is the championship game - win or lose," Marshall coach Bob Pruett said. "If they beat us, they could lose the last one or two and still get in (the MAC championship game)."

Miami has won eight consecutive games since its season-opening loss at Iowa. The Thundering Herd have won four games in a row.

"It really is a miracle where we are right now, with the injuries and turnovers and ... the youth," Pruett said. "I just hope we are peaking at the right time."

Tonight's scenario is eerily similar to last season, when Miami traveled to Huntington, W.Va., for a nationally televised weeknight game. The division championship was on the line, and Marshall played without injured starting quarterback Byron Leftwich.

Stan Hill, Leftwich's backup, turned in the best first start by a Marshall QB, throwing for four touchdowns before scrambling for one himself with five seconds left in the game to give the Herd a 36-34 victory, its fifth straight over the RedHawks.

The game also made news when then-Miami defensive coordinator Jon Wauford was arrested for allegedly shoving a fan who ran onto the field after the game. Wauford resigned from Miami; the charges were dismissed.

This season, it's Hill who's sidelined with season-ending knee surgery. The difference is his replacement, junior Graham Gochneaur, already has made four starts, including one in Marshall's 27-20 road upset of Kansas State on Sept. 20. Gochneaur, a transfer from Kilgore (Texas) Junior College, threw two touchdown passes in that game.

"I know they didn't seem to be too concerned that Hill wasn't going to be available," Hoeppner said.

One of Gochneaur's scoring passes at Kansas State went to senior Darius "Spider-man" Watts, who caught three touchdown passes against the RedHawks last season. Watts is the MAC leader in career receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches.

Hoeppner insists that this year's RedHawks have the focus necessary to put last year's heartbreaking loss behind them.

"It has absolutely no significance to us," Hoeppner said. "Absolutely none. Zero. This team is different from last year's team, the team we're playing Wednesday night is different from the one we played last year. This is a one-time shot for this year's East Division championship. That's enough right there. I don't think we need to stir up any echoes. It's sufficient that this is Championship Game No. 6."

Marshall at No. 23 Miami

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m., Yager Stadium (30,012), Oxford.

Records: Marshall (6-3, 4-1 Mid-American Conference), Miami (8-1, 5-0 MAC).

TV: ESPN2

Radio: WCKY-AM (1360), WMOH-AM (1450).

Series: Miami leads, 29-9-1

Line: Miami by 13

What to watch: The Thundering Herd have lost 13 fumbles and have 27 turnovers overall. Their minus-14 turnover margin ranks 13th in the 14-team MAC.

Mar.	Team stats	Miami
473.6	Offense avg.	477.4
188.7	Avg. by rush	160.6
284.9	Avg. by pass	316.9
349	Defense avg.	325.8
156.1	Avg. by rush	105.4
192.9	Avg. by pass	220.3
32.8	Avg. points for	39.3
25.1	Avg. pts. against	17.7