![]() ![]() The Falcons earned a résumé-boosting victory at Purdue in Week 2, and although they fell to No. Bowling Green hung onto a spot in the rankings at 6-1. 12 after a 7-0 start which featured non-conference wins over Maryland, Alabama, and Iowa State. In fact, at the time of kickoff, it marked the second game in history between ranked MAC opponents, and the first in 30 years. ![]() 12 Northern Illinois in a rare matchup between ranked MAC teams. In ESPN College GameDay’s 11th season of broadcasting its iconic pregame show on college campuses, the program made its first arrival on Mid-American Conference soil.Ĭollege GameDay selected a suitable location to host its pregame celebration, as No. On the morning of October 25, 2003, the center of the college football universe resided in Bowling Green, OH. The 13 victories tied a MAC single-season record - a record still in existence, also held by the 1999 Marshall Thundering Herd and 2016 Western Michigan Broncos. 10 in the nation in the final rankings with a 13-1 record. ![]() Roethlisberger picked apart Louisville with a career day and the RedHawks flourished. The triumphant MAC champion earned a bid to Mobile, AL for the GMAC Bowl to square off against Louisville. The RedHawks throttled the Falcons at the first meeting in Oxford by 23 points and again in the MAC Championship Game by 22 points, proving to be the clear-cut deserving winner of the conference. Over that nine-game span, Miami faced two ranked opponents, both of them being Bowling Green. In their nine games against conference opponents, they won eight of them by 20+ points. MAC play arrived, and it resulted in sheer domination by the RedHawks. Miami rode the wave from the Northwestern victory and ended non-conference play 3-1, surging past Colorado State and Cincinnati in the following two weeks. A one-sided 44-14 affair allowed the RedHawks to shake off the rust from Iowa and gain momentum for the long season ahead. 500 in Big Ten play, were no match for Miami. In Week 2, the RedHawks remained in Big Ten country for an appointment at Ryan Field to face Northwestern. What transpired next was one of the most impressive streaks in MAC history. Meanwhile, Miami’s early setback would be its final. 8 in the nation with a 10-3 record and 37-17 Outback Bowl win over Florida, proving to be a more-than-worthy opponent for the RedHawks. The Hawkeyes were unranked at the time of the meeting but finished the 2003 season No. On Week 1, Iowa’s defense held Miami out of the end zone completely and won in decisive 21-3 fashion. “Big Ben” ranked among the top four in the nation in passing yards, completion percentage, passing touchdowns, and passer rating - ranking ninth in Heisman voting that December.īut the RedHawks’ season did not launch off to an ideal start. ![]() Miami’s offense was commanded by arguably the best quarterback in the nation in junior phenom Ben Roethlisberger. The 2003 Miami (OH) RedHawks were that team. For the MAC to rise to the forefront of national recognition, it needs a team that breaks barriers, upends non-conference competition, and ranks among the nation’s elite in the AP Poll. The number one qualifier for a great MAC season is a team that stands above the rest. The 2003 campaign was an unforgettable season for Mid-American Conference football, and we relive the moments which made it the best in league history. The conference housed one of the best quarterbacks in college football, finished as the only league with a perfect bowl record, and recorded five ranked upsets in non-conference play. The other landed among college football’s elite in the top 10. Two of them clashed in the first ranked MAC matchup in 30 years. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |