ABSOLUTELY! In fact, this game is more winnable for Middle Tennessee State than most people realize! (I posted this on the Mid-American Conference forum in one of their threads). It shows how Miami of Ohio got to where they are and where they realistically could've been.

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Even though Middle Tennessee State hasn't played up to its potential, there's always a chance of victory. Middle Tennessee State faced some early season distractions. They lost three games this year by 7 points or less and could easily be 9-3. On the flip side, 9-4 Miami of Ohio could easily be sitting at 3-9 and out of MAC title contention. They got themselves in a bunch of very close games against teams that aren't exactly the life of the party. No offense. Alot of MAC teams failed to meet expectations.

Granted, Miami of Ohio won when it counted, but they were very fortunate in many cases.

They led Eastern Michigan with less than a minute to go by a mere 28-21 score. The Eagles (who would finish 2-10 on the season) drove all the way down to the Miami of Ohio 21-yard line before seeing their drive evaporate due to a 1-yard loss rushing attempt on 3rd down and three Alex Gillett passes dropped on 1st, 2nd, and 4th downs. The Redhawks stopped EMU on downs and ran out the last 35 seconds for the narrow victory.

Three weeks later vs Kent State, the Redhawks blocked a punt that led to points and put them up 24-14 in the 4th quarter. If the Golden Flashes did not have that miscue and continued to play the game like they had been, they probably would've won. Instead, Miami of Ohio pulled out a 27-21 victory. Kent State would finish the season 5-7

Two weeks later in Mount Pleasant, Miami of Ohio managed to get themselves up over Central Michigan 27-20 with less than 20 seconds to go in the game. Ryan Radcliff had a nice 21-yard pass completed to put the ball at their own 48-yard line with 7 seconds to go. His next pass was intercepted by Dayonne Nunley of the Redhawks to end the game. Central Michigan would finish the season 3-9.

Miami of Ohio went on to lose big at Ohio the next week before traveling to Buffalo to put a beating on the struggling Bulls on Halloween Eve.

11 days later, Miami of Ohio traveled to 2-7 Bowling Green. That game was tight. Tied at 21 with 2:09 to play, Bowling Green's Matt Schilz has his pass on 1st down intercepted by D.J. Brown of the Redhawks at their own 37-yard line. Miami of Ohio QB Zac Dysert eats away the clock with short passes and puts his team in fieldgoal range. He rushed for a 2-yard loss before Miami of Ohio called timeout with 1 second left to go and the ball sitting on the Bowling Green 16-yard line. The Redhawks kicked the game-winning fieldgoal and won 24-21. Bowling Green went on to finish the season 2-10.

A week later, the Redhawks traveled to winless Akron. Miami of Ohio even trailed in this game 13-14. A late 3rd quarter fieldgoal put the Redhawks up 16-14. Akron had two more chances to score getting the ball all the way down to the Miami of Ohio 30-yard line before a holding penalty pushed them back another 10 yards. Next play Patrick Nicely has his pass intercepted at the Redhawk 32-yard line by Dayonne Nunley. On the Redhawks' next offensive possession, they were held to another fieldgoal and went up 19-14. With 4:58 to go, Akron still had a chance. In their last drive of the game the Zips drove the ball from their own 28-yard line to the Miami of Ohio 12-yard line before Akron's Jeremy LaFrance made a pass reception only to fumble it away with the Redhawks recovering at their own 8-yard line with 2:18 to go in the game. Akron used their last time out before Miami of Ohio's drive started. With 1:43 to go in the game and no timeouts, the Redhawks ran a couple of short run plays and let the clock expire to hold on to the 19-14 win. Akron went on to beat Buffalo in the last game of the season to finish 1-11.


So MTSU absolutely has a chance. Miami of Ohio played their best football of the season in the last two weeks thumping Temple and upsetting Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship game. I still think the keys for MTSU is to protect the football and run often with it. Miami of Ohio for some reason struggles against teams with good running games. Also, if you run the ball more than you pass, then Miami of Ohio can't take advantage of intercepting passes that are hardly ever thrown. That's how they beat alot of teams. They are 2-4 this season against teams with Top 60 Rushing Offenses. Middle Tennessee State is ranked 32nd in that category. Much of the reason why Ohio was able to crush Miami of Ohio was the running game apart from six takeaways. Ohio has a very similar team to Middle Tennessee State. Probably no surprise that both Ohio and MTSU got crushed this year by Troy.

MTSU can beat Miami of Ohio. A Redhawk victory is far from in the bag. Outside of Temple and Northern Illinois (which both had off days against the Redhawks), Miami of Ohio's other wins were against 7 teams with a combined record of 18-66. 5 of those wins were determined by 7 points or less.

Not only can MT beat the MAC Champ . . . MT will beat the MAC Champ.
The GoDaddy.com Bowl will belong to MT.

Go MT . . . Go SBC !!!

Man I hope you guys are right...I'm SO worried about this game!!! (bites nails)

(12-27-2010 03:01 PM)BlueRaiderFan. Wrote:  Man I hope you guys are right...I'm SO worried about this game!!! (bites nails)

you should be. Finding ways to win tough close games is not a negative and that is apparently what M has done.

We will win if we do not turn the ball over. If we lose the turnover battle, we will lose the game.

(12-27-2010 03:01 PM)BlueRaiderFan. Wrote:  Man I hope you guys are right...I'm SO worried about this game!!! (bites nails)

I have no nails left after the FIU win over Toledo last night . . . so I will be chewing on my fingers if MT does the same against Miami of Ohio . . .

(12-27-2010 03:56 PM)ManzanoWolf Wrote:  

(12-27-2010 03:01 PM)BlueRaiderFan. Wrote:  Man I hope you guys are right...I'm SO worried about this game!!! (bites nails)

I have no nails left after the FIU win over Toledo last night . . . so I will be chewing on my fingers if MT does the same against Miami of Ohio . . .

Yeah, I had to keep telling myself "It's only a game. There are people starving in the world so keep it in perspective!" lol

I'm feeling deja vu. Hasn't this question been asked in at least one other SBC v. MAC bowl match up?

Get out your brooms, folks. The Sun Belt is going for the sweep!!

(12-27-2010 03:16 PM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  We will win if we do not turn the ball over. If we lose the turnover battle, we will lose the game.

I agree.

(12-27-2010 03:07 PM)untgeorge Wrote:  you should be. Finding ways to win tough close games is not a negative and that is apparently what M has done.

Against VERY bad teams. One thing that's concerning coming into this game is that Miami of Ohio (yes, MAC fans, I still call them "Miami of Ohio") had two very nice outtings in their last two games against the best in the MAC.

(12-27-2010 06:39 PM)TennesseeBoyintheRockies Wrote:  

(12-27-2010 03:07 PM)untgeorge Wrote:  you should be. Finding ways to win tough close games is not a negative and that is apparently what M has done.

Against VERY bad teams. One thing that's concerning coming into this game is that Miami of Ohio (yes, MAC fans, I still call them "Miami of Ohio") had two very nice outtings in their last two games against the best in the MAC.

Well, what else would they be called? There is Miami of Florida and there is Miami of Ohio. I have called them that for decades now!

(12-27-2010 07:33 PM)ManzanoWolf Wrote:  Well, what else would they be called? There is Miami of Florida and there is Miami of Ohio. I have called them that for decades now!

Well, apparently the Mid-American Conference fans take it personally and as an insult when someone refers to the Redhawks as "Miami of Ohio."

I have decided to go to the GoDaddy in support of the SBC. Any other non-MT fans in the Mobile/Pensacola going to make it?

I think I can stomach a plain blue shirt, but I will have on a Troy hat.

I think they prefer you leave the "of" out, but they sound like a bunch of knuckleheads for the most part. Not because of that but because of their superiority complex. They're the friggin MAC for Pete's sake. Decent conference but they need to take it down a notch with the hyperbole and delusion.

Back in the days when only ABC showed national TV games, the biggest show for the hard core fan was the Prudential Score Board show. ABC would send crews to various key games and transmit via cable highlights (after the the film was processed) to NY and you could see clips of games that you didn't get to watch. They also gave scores of every Division I game that was complete or in progress. The two biggest pieces of news each week were, which games (usually 5) were going to be televised followed by which 5 to 10 were going to get highlight crews.

Back then they were Miami (OH) on the scoreboard and Miami of Ohio when announced. The other Miami was Miami (FL) on the scoreboard and Miami Florida when announced. I've tended to stick with both.

I am headed to the game also. If there are any TROY fans in TROY going leave me a message and we will carpool down.

(12-29-2010 01:11 AM)trojanblood Wrote:  I am headed to the game also. If there are any TROY fans in TROY going leave me a message and we will carpool down.

well this was the team that was supposed to win the Belt. If they start playing like they had the potential to of course they can beat them. It is still the MAC remember. Nobody in that conference is unbeatable.