The Miami Redhawks were thrust into the national spotlight this week after the abrupt departure of senior QB Dequan Finn. Finn was ruled out of last week's game against Toledo, due to what the team at the time called an “illness.”
Two days after the Redhawks’ loss to Toledo, Finn left the program to focus on the NFL draft. Forgive me if I find it laughable that a guy who has a 9-6 TD-INT ratio and a 55.8 QBR as a seventh year senior would leave his team in the middle of a conference title race to “focus on the NFL draft”, but that’s in the past now.
The Redhawks and Buffalo Bulls, both sitting just one game back from the conference-leading Western Michigan Broncos, will square off tonight.
Game Notes
Time and channel: 7:30, ESPN 2
Location: UB Stadium- Amherst, NY
What’s at stake: Both teams sit at 5-5 overall, and 4-2 in conference play. The winner of this game will not only clinch bowl eligibility, but will also remain in the mix to appear in the MAC title game. These two teams are two of the six teams that currently have either one or two losses in conference play, so it’s very much a wide open race. If Buffalo ends up reaching the MAC Championship game, it will be their first trip since 2020. It would be the third appearance in a row for Miami. Both teams have one game remaining after this matchup.
Miami notes:
Senior Henry Hesson will make his second start of the season, and really can only go up from last week. He turned in an abysmal performance in their loss to Toledo, finishing 11/38 for 147 yards, throwing three INTs. The Redhawks’ defense ranks a respectable fourth in scoring defense among MAC teams. It’s cliche to say, but they really need to play complementary football to have a chance to pick up a big road win.
How do they alter their play calling?
This offense was built on big plays with Finn under center. Their top three WRs average yards per reception are 25.0, 12.9, and 9.3. Kam Perry has been particularly explosive, averaging 25 yards per reception, which is first in the FBS among WRs with 20 or more catches. But can they get him the ball?
It feels like the screen game and the run game will have to be formidable for them to pull out a win with Hesson under center.
Buffalo notes:
The Bulls’ offense ranks fifth in total scoring in the MAC, and their defense ranks third in total scoring.
QB Ta’Quan Roberson has been okay this season, throwing for 1,947 yards with 13 TDs and 9 INTs, completing 59.1 percent of his passes. The Bulls’ three most dynamic offensive players are WR Nik McMillan (49 rec, 712 yards, three TDs), WR Victor Snow (49 rec, 622 yards, seven TDs), and RB Al-Jay Henderson (170 carries, 702 yards, five TDs). The matchup between McMillan and Snow versus a talented Miami secondary will be fun to watch.
Buffalo has reached just eight bowl games in program history, so getting to six wins and keeping their season alive would be no small thing.
Prediction: Miami’s season ended when Finn left. No disrespect intended to Hesson, but he simply didn’t look like an FBS QB last week, let alone a good one. Buffalo wins this game by a final score of 31-10, and will become bowl eligible and stay in the hunt to play in the MAC title game.