2024 Season Preview – Miami (OH) RedHawks
2023 Record – 11-3; 7-1 MAC (MAC Champions)
Bowl: VS Appalachian State in Cure Bowl (L 13-9)
2024 Schedule
- 8/31 – at Northwestern
- 9/14 – VS Cincinnati
- 9/21 – at Notre Dame
- 9/28 – VS UMass
- 10/5 – at Toledo
- 10/12 – at Eastern Michigan
- 10/19 – VS Ohio
- 10/26 – VS Central Michigan
- 11/5 – at Ball State
- 11/13 – VS Kent State
- 11/19 – VS Northern Illinois
- 11/29 – at Bowling Green
2023 Recap
The Miami (Ohio) season got off to a tough start with a 38-3 blowout loss at Miami (Florida) in a game that would be horrible to have to be an announcer for. The RedHawks would bounce back a couple weeks later with one of the biggest wins of the college football season with a 31-24 overtime win against Cincinnati, a team just forty miles away.
MAC play was strong for the RedHawks. They started out the conference schedule with three straight wins before a tough game against Toledo. The Rockets play a strong first half to lead 21-3 going into the break. Miami fought back in the third to bring it within 21-17 heading into the fourth. Unfortunately, they were not able to score in the fourth and the RedHawks suffered their first conference loss of the season.
The loss didn’t sting for too long though. The following game they beat Ohio, their biggest competition for the division title. After that win, Miami would go on to win the rest of their regular season games.
Miami ended up winning their division and making it to the MAC championship game against Toledo in a rematch of their only conference loss. This was a tight battle with Miami trailing 14-13 going into the fourth quarter. The RedHawks scored ten points in the fourth giving them the victory 23-14.
With the MAC championship in hand, the RedHawks went on to the Cure Bowl to play Appalachian State out of the Sun Belt. It was a defensive battle and one Miami ended up on the losing side of 13-9. Miami finished the season with a 11-3 record, 7-1 in MAC play.
2024 Preview
Miami has a strong core coming back to try to defend their conference championship. It starts at quarterback with Brett Gabbert. He returns after being hurt halfway through the 2023 season. He still had over 1600 yards before his exit, meaning a full season at the position should help greatly.
There will be targets to throw to as well. Top receiver Greg Larvadain entered the portal, but Cade McDonald and Javon Tracy, the second and third top receivers, both return. The backfield will probably be the biggest question mark. Rashad Amos took the load in 2023, but he left for Ole Miss. There will be two or three players vying for that top spot. Whomever ends up on top will need to find those openings to run through.
Defense is where the RedHawks dominated in 2023, allowing only 15.9 points per game. That was good for eighth in the country. Lineback and MAC Defensive Player of the Year Matt Salopek returns after leading the team with 143 tackles. Second leading tackler Ty Wise is also back in the mix.
The defensive line and the secondary will need to rebuild some. Brian Ugwu had eight sacks last season, but most of the rest of the line will need to step up. There will also be two new starters for the secondary. If they can come close to the same dominance they had in 2023, Miami should be in good shape for the new season.
2024 Prediction
It is hard to imagine a much harder start of the season that what Miami has in 2024. They start off against Northwestern, then follow that up with Cincinnati and Notre Dame. Of these games, the one at Northwestern is probably their best chance for an upset. After the win at Cincinnati in 2023, you have to imagine the Bearcats will be on a revenge tour this season. Notre Dame will also be too strong.
After this gauntlet, the RedHawks have one last non-conference game against UMass which should give them some momentum going into conference play.
Conference play is also front-loaded for Miami. Two of the first three games are at Toledo and home against Ohio. These are two teams that will be competing to make it to the championship game. Depending on how they fare in those games, the second half of the schedule looks manageable.
The RedHawks have a strong chance to make it back to the MAC Championship in 2024. Even if they do not, they should have a strong enough showing to make it back to a bowl game this season.
Prediction – 7-5