Grace & Knowledge Blog

I did not know what to expect going into Miami's bowl game with MIddle Tennessee State.  Oddsmakers had originally favored Miami by a few points, then changed their minds when Miami's coach left in December after receiving an offer from the University of Pittsburgh.

Middle Tennessee had a quarterback who was a very dangerous runner.  This quarterback even had a great name--Dwight Dasher.  (They also had a kick returner named Comet and linebackers named Donner and Blitzen--just kiddling.)  But he also had a tendency to throw lots of interceptions.

It was a close game most of the way.  Miami's coach had gone, but fortunately the offensive and defensive coordinators had stayed around for one last game.  Our defense gave up a couple of long runs, including a 49-yard touchdown by Dasher, but otherwise did very well.  And Austin Boucher, the backup quarterback in his fourth game, was impressive again.

At the half it was 14-14.  Miami almost came up with a third touchdown at the end of the half, but the drive ended with an interception. 

In the second half, Dasher started throwing interceptions--4 in all.  Miami went ahead 28-21 late in the third quarter, and every time Middle Tennessee started...

Tags: miami football

I clearly have been underestimating the Miami football team. 

Two weeks ago they looked like the fifth best team in the Mid-American Conference, behind Northern Illinois, Toledo, Ohio U. and Temple. 

Then they beat Temple on Nov 23 and rose to fourth.  

On Nov 26 Ohio U was upset by Kent State.  That gave Miami first place in the Eastern Division of the conference and a chance to play Northern Illinois in the conference championship game.  

Northern Illinois was a heavy favorite to win that game.  They were undefeated in conference play and had recently beaten Toledo, Ball State, and Eastern Michigan by lopsided scores of 65-30,  59-21, and 71-3.   (Miami had beaten Eastern Michigan by only 28-21.)  In last week's poll they had cracked the Top 25.  

Meanwhile, Miami's regular quarterback is still injured, and backup Austin Boucher would be making just his third start.  I figured we would lose by at least three touchdowns.

But as it turned out, we never trailed in the game by more than one point.  Miami employed an audacious defensive strategy, concentrating on stopping the run and daring Northern Illinois to pass.  It worked brilliantly.  Northern Illinois scored three touchdowns, all...

Tags: miami football

For several years now, the Mid-American Conference has been scheduling some late-season football games on weeknights in November, as part of a TV deal with ESPN..

This made sense for ESPN when a game featured, say, a matchup between Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich.  There have been some excellent quarterbacks in the MAC over the years. 

More recently, the big news in these games has often been the weather.  A couple of weeks ago, when ESPN2 carried Miami's game at Bowling Green, a fog rolled in early in the second half, making the action difficult to see for both the play-by-play crew and the television audience. 

There can be other problems.  Miami's home game with Temple was scheduled for Nov 23, the last day of classes before Thanksgiving break.  By the time the game started at 7 PM, most of the student body had already left town.

Knowing that the crowd would be sparse, the University offered free tickets to faculty and staff and their families and friends.  There were a lot of reasons not to go to the game. 

• The weather was clear, but it was cold. 
• The game was on television.
• Miami had won 7 games this year,...

Tags: campus life, miami football

At a recent Miami U. football game, a spectator was removed from the stadium for the egregious offense of wearing an American Indian headdress.

Here's the Associated Press story carried in today's Hamilton Journal-News:

OXFORD — A student at Miami University says an American Indian headdress he wore to show school spirit got him thrown out of a home football game.

Victor Kopen, a senior at the southwest Ohio university, said he was not at the Oct. 23 game “to make a political statement of any kind, just to support the football team,” Cincinnati’s WCPO-TV reported.

University trustees, citing respect for the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, voted to drop the name Redskins as its athletic nickname in 1996 after the tribe approved a resolution saying it could no longer support use of the nickname. Trustees adopted the RedHawks name the following year.

Although the university does not have a written policy addressing American Indian attire, it is discouraged by staff at athletic events, university spokeswoman Claire Wagner said.

“We want students to be able to express themselves, but to do it responsibly and respectfully,” she said Tuesday.

University officials are looking into Kopen’s claim.

Kopen said ushers asked him...

Tags: campus life, miami football