Category: MAC Sports

Ohio offense explodes in Myrtle Beach Bowl victory over Georgia Southern

The Bobcats started the game with 27 unanswered points to build an insurmountable lead over Georgia Southern in 2023’s first bowl game.

The Myrtle Beach Bowl kicked off the 2023 bowl season in college football, and the Ohio Bobcats wasted no time putting up a tour-de-force performance, beating Georgia Southern 41-21 for their 10th win of the season.

Ohio scored the first 27 points of the game powered by a huge day by running back Ricky Hunt. The freshman scored all five of Ohio’s touchdowns on the day, rushing for 115 yards and four touchdowns on just 17 carries and adding an 18-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter.

When Hunt wasn’t bulldozing his way through the Georgia Southern defense, the Ohio defense was stifling Georgia Southern on the other end. The Bobcats forced five Eagles turnovers, picking off Georgia Southern quarterback Davis Brin three times and forcing two fumbles.

The Eagles ended the day with more offensive yards than the Bobcats, outgaining Ohio 383 to 352, but the Bobcats never surrendered the ball and converted 10 of their 15 third downs.

Georgia Southern finally got on the board with a 3-yard touchdown run by David Mbadinga in the third quarter, but Hunt answered again with a 40-yard scoring rumble just five minutes later to stretch the lead back to 27.

Ohio’s lead never shrunk below 13 points for the entire second half, and Hunt’s last touchdown in the final three minutes cemented the final margin.

Here are the best images from the Bobcats’ dominant day.

Best images from Miami of Ohio’s upset win for the MAC crown

The RedHawks came into Saturday’s game against Toledo as 6.5-point underdogs with a backup quarterback. They left with a 23-14 victory.

Miami (Ohio) came into Saturday’s MAC Championship game as 6.5-point underdogs. Starting quarterback Brett Gabbert was lost for the season in October after a right leg injury. The RedHawks’ opponent, Toledo, came into the game with 11 straight wins with its only loss to a Power 5 opponent.

The RedHawks left with a 23-14 victory.

Backup quarterback Aveon Smith, who scored three total touchdowns and threw two interceptions in his last five games of work, came through with multiple hero plays down the final stretch. In the final minute of the third quarter, with Miami down a point, he converted a long third down to keep the drive alive and set up a go-ahead 40-yard field goal.

Two drives later, with the RedHawks still clinging to that 1-point lead, he rumbled free for a 50-yard run on another third down to carry Miami deep into Toledo territory. The RedHawks found the end zone three plays later, and after a blocked Toledo field goal and an interception, the conference crown belonged to Miami.

Smith threw for 109 yards and led both teams with 99 yards on the ground. The victory gives the RedHawks an 11-2 final record and their first conference title since 2019.

Here are the best images from Miami’s stunning victory.

MAC releases complete 2023 football schedule

Find out when you can get in on the MACtion in the 2023 season.

The Mid-American Conference, most commonly known as the MAC released the complete 2023 master schedule for the conference and its’ 12 members on Wednesday morning.

Notable non-conference matchups on the schedule include Ohio helping open the 2023 college football season in week zero on August 26 on the road against San Diego State. Then in week one, Buffalo takes on the Wisconsin Badgers in the Badgers’ first game under new head coach Luke Fickell. Toledo, the defending MAC champions travel to Champaign to battle the Illinois Fighting Illini who look to build upon a first successful year under Bret Bielema. Also, Kent State will open the Kenni Burns era by making a trip to the Bounce House in week one to play UCF.

In week two, Ball State will travel to Athens to take on the defending back-to-back Georgia Bulldogs. Week three of the season features Bowling Green traveling to Michigan, Miami (OH) taking on Cincinnati, and Central Michigan traveling to Notre Dame. Last season, the then No. 8 ranked Fighting Irish were upset by the Sun Belt Conference’s Marshall Thundering Herd 26-21.

Other intriguing non-conference matchups include; Northern Illinois vs Nebraska and Western Michigan vs Iowa in week three. Akron taking on Indiana in week four as well as Bowling Green vs Georgia Tech in week five.

Key in-conference matchups on the schedule this year include;  Buffalo versus Bowling Green on October 14, both programs were among the top in the conference last season and will have a chance to once again be at the top in 2023.

Ohio and Buffalo, the top two teams in the MAC East last season face off on November 7 in what could possibly decide the East Division in 2023. Toledo and Eastern Michigan were separated by one game in 2022 and their matchup just one day later on November 8 could also be another decisive game this upcoming season in the MAC’s West division.

Finally, one of the conference’s best rivalries, the Battle of I-75 between Bowling Green and Toledo is scheduled to take place in week 12 on November 14. Both teams should be battling for bowl eligibility in 2023 and the mid-November matchup could have even more on the line with potentially sending one team bowling and the other home for the offseason.

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