The RedHawks watched the Bobcats take a 9-0 lead before reeling off 30 unanswered points on the way to a 30-16 win at Peden Stadium in Athens.
Junior outside linebacker Matt Salopek acknowledged during the program’s weekly media session on Monday that the three players were on the minds of their teammates.
“They mean a lot to the team,” said the 6-foot-1, 230-pound Salopek, who piled up 14 tackles, six of them unassisted. “To get the win there was huge, but winning for them means the world to us.”
Miami improved to 7-2 overall and regained sole possession of first place in the East with a 4-1 record, a half-game ahead of 3-5 and 3-1 Buffalo, which is scheduled to face West Division-leading Toledo (7-1, 4-0) at Toledo on Halloween night.
Tenth-year Miami coach Chuck Martin thrived on the hostile environment presented by Ohio fans, even as the Bobcats were losing, 30-9, in the fourth quarter on Saturday. The game drew 19,854 fans to the 24,000-seat facility.
“They had a big crowd,” Martin said on Monday. “They were yelling things that I didn’t mind, but I’m sure the wives and kids did. That was a raucous crowd.”
The RedHawks used a sturdy running game to help overcome the fervor of the crowd as well as the talent and experience of an Ohio team that was trying to defend its 2022 East Division championship and playing on its home field. Sophomore quarterback Aveon Smith threw just 11 passes, completing seven, and Miami ran the ball 46 times, led by sophomore Rashad Amos, who gained 163 yards and scored a touchdown on 21 carries. Smith also scored a touchdown and connected with junior wide receiver Kevin Davis on a swing pass that he turned into a 46-yard touchdown for Miami’s final touchdown.
“Rashad was huge,” Martin said. “He was a grown man. He was physical.”
While Martin was impressed with Davis’ play, he was at least equally appreciative of the blocking displayed by senior wide receivers Miles Marshall and Joe Wilkins on Davis’ score.
“They had no balls thrown to them all day, but they weren’t pouting” he pointed out. “Were they disappointed? Yeah, but they were really unselfish. We have a really unselfish group.
“This was a total team effort.”
“We settled in, got lined up and executed,” Salopek said. “We realized what type of game it was going to be.”
Martin also was pleased with Smith, who made his first start of the season after starting nine games in 2002 while Gabbert worked his way back from injuries.
“He was really good,” Martin said. “He settled in nicely and managed the game.”
Salopek said the ride back from Athens was particularly satisfying, but he added that he and his teammates quickly became aware that, even though they are bowl-eligible, the RedHawks still have three regular-season games to play, starting with 1-7 and 0-4 Akron on Nov. 8 at Yager Stadium in Oxford. They are scheduled to face Buffalo in Oxford on Nov. 15. Miami wraps up the regular season Nov. 25 at Ball State.
“It’s always good to win, but we have a lot of games to play,” Salopek said. “Our job isn’t done. The job won’t be done until we’re playing in Detroit.”
That would be at Ford Field for the MAC championship, scheduled for Dec. 2.
NEXT GAME
Wednesday, Nov. 8
Akron at Miami, 7 or 7:30 p.m., ESPN2 or ESPNU or CBS Sports Network, 980, 1450
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