The Redhawks visit Columbus Saturday looking to add their school's name to the list of MAC (Mid American Conference) upsets of Big Ten schools so far this season, most notably Toeldo's 24-6 victory at Penn State. Miami must be taken seriously by OSU as anything can happen, there are almost no guaranteed wins anymore in Division IA football.

The REdhawks are a MAC title contender every year and have the most "giant-killing" wins in the MAC in the last two decades. Three examples are: Miami 30 Northwestern 28 in 1995, NW's Rosebowl season; Miami 24 highly ranked Virginia Tech 17 in 1997; Miami 13 #11 North Carolina 10 in 1998; Miami 28 Northwestern in 1999; this season Miami beat Vanderbilt 33-30. The last two being mild upsets at best.

The offense is led by senior QB Mike Bath in head coach Terry Hoepner's West Coast offense. Bath has put up some big numbers in his career at Miami, including 2,523 yards passing last season on only a 46.9 completion percentage, but with 24 touchdown passes and 13 INT's, an excellent ration. WR Sly Johnson (16 receptions for 498 yards and four TD's in 1999) is a game-breaking receiver with his speed and is Bath's favorite target, despite standing only 5 feet 9 inches, 182 pounds. Johnson tore his ACL in the fourth game last season and was out for the year. He's back and healthy, which is good news to Miami. Last Season, Johnson averaged 31.1 yards per catch, at truly awesome average. WR/KR Eddie Tillitz is another good receiver in the REdhawks' pass-happy offense. Tillitz and Miami are well-known for outstanding special teams play. Tillitz returned two punts for scores in the E. Michigan victory.

Miami will not likely have to concentrate on passing more this season due to the loss of Division IA's all-time leading scorer and No. 5 career rushing leader TB Travis Prentice. Two players are battling to replace him, they are: Steve Little (257 yards rushing in the last two years combined; 13-77 rushing and one touchdown in the EMU game) and Cal Murray, Jr. (son of former OSU starting TB Cal Murray - late 1970's and early 1980's; 15 - 48 rushing and one score in the EMU game). Presently, Murray is the starter.

The top returning defensive players are: SS Brandon Godsey (70 tackles in 1999); LB Nick Monk (58 tackles) and DT Andy Aracri (89 tackles, 9 sacks). This unit is without 1999 MAC Defensive Player of the Year and three-time all-league LB Dustin Cohen. This unit could improve some as they gave up 374 yards a game and 24 points even with Cohen. This season, Miami is giving up 363 yards a game and 23.5 points.

Even coming into Ohio Stadium, no doubt a very hostile environment for opposing teams, the offense could be in very good hands with outstanding senior QB Mike Bath (word has it he wasn't offered a scholarship to OSU, so you know he wants to show Ohio Stadium what they are missing), who is 17-5 as a starting QB for the REdhawks. He ranked third nationally a year a go in yards-per-completion average at 18.3. Seventeen of Miami's 43 scoring drives in 1999 took less than 6 seconds. This is a quick-strike offense.

PREDICTION: The Hawks are good on offense and improving defensively and have a lot to gain in this game. They will be psyched beyond belief to try and upset the State's Big School (many Miami players are from Central Ohio that weren't offered to play at Ohio State), but if OSU plays defense the way they did in the second half at Arizona, the REdhawks might not have any hope of pulling the big upset. OSU will win not by a blowout or a close game, but somewhere around 31 - 22.