Scouting the RedHawks: Miami comes into Buffalo with its season essentially hanging in the balance. A loss to the Bulls, will, for all intents and purposes, eliminate the RedHawks not just from contention in the MAC East but also prevent the RedHawks from reaching bowl eligibility, not that Miami has played a like a bowl contender this season, especially on offense. The RedHawks made the switch to redshirt freshman QB Clay Belton as their starter but have still not been able to develop any consistency on offense. Belton has been steady but not overly effective, passing for 300 yards, two TD’s and two picks as a starter. Prior to his taking over the starting duties, the RedHawks’ passing offense had accounted for only four touchdowns in the first six contests. The running attack has seen life the past two contests with the emergence of freshman tailback JR Taylor who has stepped in for injured starter Thomas Merriweather (ankle) whose status is uncertain heading into Buffalo with the team indicating that Merriweather may return to the lineup. Taylor has rushed for 240 yards in two starts. But turnovers continue to plague the RedHawks who turned the ball over six times in a 54-21 loss to Kent State in their last outing Oct 25. Miami is 12th in the MAC in turnover margin at -8.0 which ranks them 106^th nationally. It’s hard to score points when you consistently give up the ball and the RedHawks are averaging an anemic 18.5 points per game and rank 12^th in the MAC in total offense…Miami’s defense has been stressed this season by an offense that can’t stay on the field and their numbers show the strain. The RedHawks, one of the MAC’s top defensive units last season, are allowing 30.5 points per game despite owning the MAC’s number two overall defense, allowing 344.2 yards per game. Miami has been tough to pass on this season, allowing only 171 yards per game but have given up 15 passing touchdowns, second-most in the MAC as Miami has had difficulty putting sustained pressure on quarterbacks, recording only ten sacks so far this season…Special teams have been a bright spot however for the underachieving RedHawks with P Jake Richardson among the nation’s leaders averaging 46.8 yards per attempt and PK Nathan Parseghian 12-13 on FG attempts.

 

 Scouting the Bulls: Buffalo will be playing before a national Tuesday night television audience for the consecutive week after traveling to Ohio and defeating the Bobcats 32-19 Oct 28. This game however will be the Bulls’ first-ever nationally televised home contest. The Bulls have won two straight games and currently find themselves tied atop the MAC East with Akron and have been getting it done with a productive offensive attack led by senior QB Drew Willy who is averaging a solid 231.4 yards passing per game and has been smart with the football, tossing fifteen touchdowns and only four interceptions. Willy has found two very reliable receivers this season in Naaman Roosevelt and Ernest Jackson. Roosevelt is second in the MAC averaging 86.9 yards per game and his six touchdown catches are also good for second in the MAC while Jackson has four TD’s and is averaging 12.3 yards per reception. But the Bulls are not a one-dimensional squad by any stretch, with RB James Starks one of the more dangerous backfield options in the MAC. Starks is coming off a 185-yard performance in the Bulls’ win over Ohio that earned him MAC East Offensive Player of the Week Honors. Starks is averaging 116.7 yards rushing per game, second-best in the MAC….Buffalo’s defense has been susceptible to the pass this year, giving up 250.4 yards per game while recording only six picks and giving up twelve touchdowns. The Bulls' rush defense has allowed only 142.5 yard per game and are one of only four teams in the MAC allowing fewer than 150 yards rushing per game. While overall the Bulls have been giving up just shy of 400 yards of offense per game they have seen the recent emergence of a pair of playmakers. LB Justin Winters leads the MAC in forced fumbles while teammate Domonic Cook tops the MAC in fumble recoveries. The Bulls’ opportunistic defense has recorded eighteen takeaways this season and forced twelve fumbles in their past two games against Army and Ohio. Buffalo tops the MAC in turnover margin at +9.0 which is also good for ninth nationally in that department.

 

Prediction: This game features two teams seemingly headed in opposite directions. The Bulls appear to be putting it all together just in time for the stretch run while the RedHawks have been on a slippery slope toward the basement in the MAC East and have been a major disappointment this season in defense of their 2007 MAC East title. A win here by Buffalo could set up a first-place showdown at Akron Nov 13. Miami’s offense has been a turnover machine this season, not a good sign heading into a game against one of the MAC’s top squads at causing turnovers.