Miami (OH) football: Will Redhawks repeat as MAC champions in 2020?

How will Miami (OH) football fare in 2020?

These predictions are being made with the assumption of no injuries to the team. The MAC has not made a decision on whether or not to move to a conference only schedule, like the Big Ten and the Pac-12 have.

That would obviously make a big impact on these predictions.

• Game 1: at Pittsburgh (L) — The Redhawks start the season with a loss to a Pitt team that could be sneaky good in the ACC.
• Game 2: vs. UAPB (W) — This should be as easy of a win as you can ask for if you are Miami (OH), as UAPB is not a very good FCS team.
• Game 3: vs. Cincinnati (L) — The Bearcats will be a top 20 team with a very good defense and will be a bad matchup for the Redhawks.
• Game 4: at Akron (W) — Akron was infamously 0-12 last year and may not be very good again in 2020.
• Game 5: vs. Army (W) — The Black Knights will be tough to beat with their option attack, but the Redhawks have a good enough defense to win a close one.
• Game 6: at Bowling Green (W) — Miami (OH) opens up conference play with wins against the two worst teams in the conference.
• Game 7: vs. Ohio (L) — The Bobcats were the opposite of the Redhawks in 2019, losing nearly every close game they could. Ohio gets a big division win here.
• Game 8: at Central Michigan (L) — The Redhawks go on the road and lose the rematch of last years MAC title game.
• Game 9: vs. Ball State (W) — The Cardinals will sport a really good offense, but the Redhawks outscore them in shootout.
• Game 10: at Buffalo (L) — The Bulls are one of the favorites in the East and this game may decide the division. Tough road loss for the Redhawks.
• Game 11: vs. Kent State (W) — The Golden Flashes were one of 2019’s surprise teams, but they may come back down to earth this season.
• Game 12: vs. Eastern Michigan (W) — Eastern Michigan maybe going through a rebuild this season and won’t be able to hang with Miami (OH).

Final Record: 7-5, 5-3 MAC

The Redhawks will probably have two losses to Pitt and Cincinnati, but the rest of the schedule is very manageable. They will face some tough conference road games with trips to Buffalo and Central Michigan, but they will get Ohio and Ball State at home. Their record in those four games may decide whether the Redhawks will go back to the conference championship game for the second straight season.