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FootballGame PreviewSeptember 30, 2026

By Hype & Honor

Miami Survived September. Now It Needs to Take Control.

The RedHawks reached MAC play at 2-2 after four games that tested nearly everything. Against winless Bowling Green, surviving is no longer the assignment.

Miami’s nonconference schedule felt like a season of its own. The RedHawks endured a blowout at Pittsburgh, responded against Holy Cross, lost a 21-point lead and the Victory Bell against Cincinnati, then climbed out of a 14-point hole to beat UConn.

They reached MAC play at 2-2 with a talented young quarterback, a resilient roster and enough emotional swings to fill a much longer season. Now the expectations change.

Bowling Green arrives at Yager Stadium with an 0-4 record and the lowest-scoring offense in the country. Miami is favored at home, has won 22 of its past 27 MAC games and still plans to compete for another conference championship. This is not a game Miami should need to survive. It is a game Miami should control.

Sorry, Eddie

I grew up in an Ohio State family, so Eddie George is loved in my house. The Heisman Trophy, the No. 27 jersey and everything he represented at Ohio State made him one of those players my family will always root for.

I genuinely hope he succeeds as Bowling Green’s head coach. Just not against Miami.

On Saturday, he can get stuffed.

George inherited a difficult rebuilding job, and Bowling Green’s record does not mean the Falcons have quit on him. They led unbeaten South Florida 6-0 entering the fourth quarter last week and made the Bulls uncomfortable for most of the afternoon.

The Falcons still lost 14-6, remained winless and finished without an offensive touchdown. They are averaging 8.3 points per game, last in the country. I want George to turn Bowling Green around eventually. Miami does not need to help him start this weekend.

McComb Meets the MAC’s Best Pass Defense

The most interesting matchup is significantly better than Bowling Green’s record suggests.

Miami enters Saturday averaging 289.3 passing yards per game, 23rd nationally. Bowling Green is allowing only 170.5 passing yards per game, the best mark in the MAC and 30th nationally.

David McComb has thrown for 1,121 yards, seven touchdowns and only one interception while leading the country at 17.3 yards per completion. George called him “outstanding” Monday and said McComb “could be the best quarterback in the Conference.”

That is a remarkable compliment for a redshirt freshman preparing to make his fifth college start.

Bowling Green’s defense also produced six sacks against South Florida. Myles Bradley accounted for 4.5 of them, earning MAC Defensive Player of the Week honors after one of the most disruptive performances in program history.

His availability is uncertain. When George was asked Monday for an update on “Myles,” an apparent reference to Bradley, he said the player remained doubtful after undergoing a procedure.

What Miami’s offense must do
Protect McComb
Why it matters
Bowling Green just recorded six sacks against a South Florida team that had allowed one through its first three games.
What Miami’s offense must do
Attack without becoming predictable
Why it matters
Miami’s passing game is its greatest advantage, but Bowling Green’s pass defense is the strongest part of its team.
What Miami’s offense must do
Punish lighter boxes
Why it matters
George expects Miami’s passing threat to create running lanes. No RedHawk running back has reached 100 rushing yards this season.
What Miami’s offense must do
Start faster
Why it matters
An early lead would force the country’s lowest-scoring offense to chase the game.
What Miami’s offense must do
Avoid empty possessions
Why it matters
Turnovers and negative plays are Bowling Green’s clearest path to keeping this close.

Miami does not need to transform into a dominant rushing team overnight. It needs enough production on the ground to prevent Bowling Green from treating every important snap like an obvious passing situation. If the Falcons devote extra attention to McComb and his receivers, Miami has to make them pay for it.

Do Not Give Their Offense Help

Bowling Green has produced 33 points in four games. Its offense averages approximately 232 yards and has not scored a touchdown since the loss at Iowa State.

George did not hide from those problems Monday. He said the quarterback play must improve and acknowledged that Bowling Green may have to find someone else if it does not. He also admitted that protection issues have limited how aggressively the Falcons can use their passing game.

What Miami’s defense and special teams must do
Force Bowling Green to drive the field
Why it matters
The Falcons have struggled to sustain possessions and finish scoring opportunities.
What Miami’s defense and special teams must do
Pressure the quarterback
Why it matters
George acknowledged that protection has affected Bowling Green’s play calling.
What Miami’s defense and special teams must do
Keep Winn Sharp in front
Why it matters
Sharp has led the Falcons in receiving for two consecutive games and owns their most dangerous explosive reception.
What Miami’s defense and special teams must do
Win early downs
Why it matters
Bowling Green wants manageable situations that allow it to lean on the running game.
What Miami’s defense and special teams must do
Protect the football on special teams
Why it matters
Short fields could keep an overmatched offense alive.

Miami’s defense showed its resilience against UConn, but it should not require another comeback to feel good about Saturday. Bowling Green has not scored more than seven points in any half this season. If Miami tackles cleanly, avoids coverage breakdowns and forces the Falcons to earn every yard, this offense should not suddenly discover itself at Yager Stadium.

The MAC Standard Starts Here

Miami’s 2-2 record is understandable considering the schedule and everything that happened inside those four games. The RedHawks proved they could create explosive plays, compete with Cincinnati and recover from adversity against UConn.

That portion of the season is over. Miami has reached three consecutive MAC Championship Games and owns a 22-5 record in its past 27 conference contests. If the goal is another undefeated run through league play, an 0-4 opponent at home is where that pursuit needs to begin decisively.

The Cradle of Coaches uniforms will look great, McComb has earned praise from the opposing coach and the irrational hype survived September. Now Miami needs to make the football match the expectations.

Eddie George can start winning next week.

Hype in 30 Seconds

  1. 1

    Miami opens MAC play at home against an 0-4 Bowling Green team averaging 8.3 points per game, the lowest mark in the country.

  2. 2

    The matchup to watch is Miami’s 23rd-ranked passing offense against the MAC’s best pass defense. Bowling Green’s Myles Bradley produced 4.5 sacks last week, but his availability is uncertain.

  3. 3

    Miami survived a chaotic nonconference schedule at 2-2. Against Bowling Green, the standard changes from resilience to control.

Sources

  1. Miami University Athletics: RedHawks Open MAC Play Saturday Versus BGSU
  2. Miami University Athletics: RedHawks Hold Weekly Press Conference
  3. Bowling Green Athletics: Bowling Green Bound for MAC Play at Miami
  4. Bowling Green Athletics: Eddie George Press Conference, September 28
  5. Bowling Green Athletics: Fourth-Quarter Rally Lifts USF Past Falcons
  6. Bowling Green Athletics: South Florida Box Score