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Miami University RedHawks vs Cincinnati BearcatsWhere: Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
One of the oldest rivalries in college football takes place when No. 23 Cincinnati hosts rival Miami (Ohio) in the annual battle for the Victory Bell.The Bearcats and RedHawks have the fifth-longest rivalry in the nation going as Saturday marks the 117th meeting.
Miami leads the series 59-50-7, but Cincinnati has dominated in recent years, winning six straight by an average margin of more than 28 points. The Bearcats have won the last two meetings by a combined 72-3, including 27-0 last year.
Miami University RedHawks(3-2): Quarterback Zac Dysert is coming off the best game of his career in last week’s 56-49 Mid-American Conference win at Akron when he posted career-highs in passing yards (516), touchdown passes (six) and rushing yards (108).
His 624 yards of total offense was a school record, as was the 705 amassed by the RedHawks. Dysert’s favorite target the past couple years – wide receiver Nick Harwell – is expected back after recovering from a leg injury.
Harwell, a first team All-Mid-American Conference selection last year, caught 11 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown in the first two games before missing the last three. Miami is 2-0 in the MAC.
Cincinnati Bearcats(3-0): The Bearcats rallied to stun ACC power Virginia Tech last week in Washington D.C. 30-27 as quarterback Munchie Legaux threw a game-winning 39-yard touchdown pass to Damon Julian with 13 seconds remaining.
Legaux, who passed for a career-high 376 yards and three second half touchdowns last week, is averaging 319.3 yards of total offense. Running back George Winn has 318 yards and two touchdowns in three games while averaging 6.1 yards per carry.
Walter Stewart leads the Bearcats’ defense with three sacks, five tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Cincinnati is 16th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing only 13.7 points per game. The Bearcats are 1-0 in the Big East.
1. Cincinnati is back in the Top 25 for the first time since last November. The Bearcats are 21-9-1 as a ranked team.
2. Dysert needs 57 yards passing to reach 10,000 for his career. He is third among active FBS quarterbacks in passing yardage, trailing only All-America candidates Landry Jones of Oklahoma and USC’s Matt Barkley.
3. Former Miami (Ohio) standout receiver and current coach Don Treadwell has the longest kickoff return in the history of this rivalry for the RedHawks when he went 100 yards for a touchdown against Cincinnati in 1980.
Vegas Prediction: Cincinnati 41, Miami 24
