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The Miami (OH) Redhawks, champions of the MAC, will battle the Appalachian State Mountaineers, runner-up in the Sun Belt Conference, at the Cure Bowl in Orlando, Florida this Saturday. The Redhawks will be making their seventh bowl appearance in eight seasons and finished the season at 11-2 including five straight wins. The Mountaineers will be making their seventh bowl appearance since joining the FBS in 2014. The opening kick is slated for 3:30 PM EST.
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The Miami (OH) Redhawks are back in a bowl game for the seventh time in eight seasons after winning the MAC Championship over then #23 Toledo, 23-14. With the win, the Redhawks improved to 11-2 on the season and will enter this bowl game on a five-game winning streak. Running back Rashad Amos ran for two touchdowns in the MAC Title game while quarterback Aveon Smith accounted for 208 all-purpose yards in the victory over Toledo. The special teams were indeed special for the Redhawks in the game as well. Austin Ertl blocked a pair of kicks and Miami (OH) kicker Graham Nicholson drilled three field goals as the Redhawks claimed their first MAC title since 2019 but their 17th overall.
Despite all that, the Redhawks will be coming into this bowl game with a major change to its offense. Brett Gabbert, who started as the #1 quarterback and does plan to return next season, was lost for the year in October to a leg injury. Sm ith, how helped lead the team to the MAC title, has been the starter for much of the season as Gabbert dealt with injury but has departed the school via the transfer portal. Miami now will turn to two inexperienced quarterbacks on Saturday to lead the offense, Henry Hessen and Maddox Kopp. Hessen has appeared in just three career games and completed just two passes. Kopp, meanwhile, is playing for his third team in three seasons after spending time at both Houston and Colorado. He did start one game at Colorado and threw for 123 yards and a score.
Offensively, the two quarterbacks will lean on running back Rashad Amos with finished fifth in the MAC in rushing and wide receiver Gage Larvadain. Larvadain missed four games but still finished with 38 catches and six touchdowns. The Redhawks will be a bit short on the offensive line Saturday. Two offensive lineman, Rusty Feth and Caleb Shaffer, have decided to enter the transfer portal. Miami (OH) still has a very experienced line but those two are significant losses since the team started the same offensive line in all 13 games. Miami ranks 118th in total offense this season and 14th in the red zone.
Miami's defense has been the team's strength this season. They rank first in the MAC and 26th in the country with 34 sacks on the season. Defensive tackle Austin Ertl leads the way and will be making his 44th start on Saturday in his Redhawks' career. Keep in mind that, following his two kick blocks in the MAC Championship, Ertl has five kick blocks on the season. The Redhawks defense is experienced and tough on both the pass and run. They are ranked 28th in the country against the run and 20th against the pass. In the red zone, the Redhawks toughen up. They are 7th in the nation in red zone defense. Miami (OH) is 30th in the country in penalties per game and above average in turnover differential, ranking 49th in the country. If the game is tight and the Redhawks need to close it out, Nicholson is amongst the best kickers in the country going 26-of-27 on field goals this season.
Key Injuries: QB Gabbert (leg) and TE Jack Coldiron (lower body) are out. WR Joe Wilkins Jr. (undisclosed) is also out.