Bobcat football seniors have chance to go 4-0 against RedHawks

The last four years the Ohio football team has seen just about everything. The current seniors have gone through some of the program's highs and lows - including a bowl berth in 2006 and a four-win season last year - and now the Bobcats have the chance to do something special this weekend against Miami of Ohio.

Ohio has won three straight against the RedHawks, and the Bobcat seniors can become the first class since 1964 to never lose to Miami.

"I'm kind of baffled at that," senior safety Patrick Tafua said. "That's pretty amazing. But we can't think about that too much."

In the three previous victories against Miami, the Bobcats have won convincingly, and a quick glance at the game on paper makes Saturday look like another sure victory. Ohio (4-2, 2-0 Mid-American Conference) has opened MAC play with two wins, while Miami (0-6, 0-2) is still searching for its first victory on the season.

"You have to push that to the side and prepare every week like it's another game," senior wide-receiver Taylor Price said. "It's a rivalry, so there's just an added excitement."

This year's game will also have a different feel to it because of where it falls on the schedule. For the first time during coach Frank Solich's tenure with Ohio, the Bobcats will not play Miami at the end of the season when the students are not in session.

With the mid-season placement on Homecoming weekend, Ohio expects a big crowd in Peden Stadium.

"Everybody wants to see the rivalry game," senior running-back Chris Garrett said. "This game means a lot to both teams."

Earlier this week, Solich downplayed the importance of the rivalry aspect. He emphasized maintaining a week-to-week approach, and that the Miami game is just another chance for the Bobcats to stay in the hunt for the MAC-East title.

During Solich's tenure, Ohio has handled Miami with relative ease, and the Bobcats are 3-1 against the RedHawks under his watch. But even with Ohio's recent success over Miami, the Bobcats know that victories in the "Battle of the Bricks" never come easy.

"If nobody understands what Ohio football is about, or what Miami football is about, they just know that one game where Miami versus Ohio is a pretty good game," Garrett said. "Every game is a tough, physical battle."

Garrett's status for Saturday's contest is not certain. He injured his ankle in the first half against Akron, and expects to play Saturday as long as this week's therapy goes well.

"I want to play in it so bad," Garrett said. "(The injury) is definitely something I have to think about, and try to push through for the rest of the season."

Garrett put up big numbers against Miami last year, and his role in the offense has proven critical this season. With his production limited during the 19-7 victory over Akron last week, the Bobcats offense sputtered, and Ohio relied on strong defensive and special-teams play to get the victory.

The offensive struggles served as something of a wakeup call to the offense.

"I think we need those kind of build-up games along the season to prove that we really can pull it out when we're not clicking on all cylinders," Price said.

Last week's win over Akron puts the Bobcats a half game behind Temple (3-2, 3-0) for first place in the MAC-East. Ohio and Temple are the only teams in the East with winning records, and a win Saturday would put the Bobcats in a tie for first place in the league. Temple plays a non-conference game.

Miami is desperate for a win, but the RedHawks have played one of the toughest schedules of any team in the MAC. Their schedule includes games against potential BCS-Bowl bound Cincinnati and Boise State.

"They're nothing to just look over," Tafua said.

A win Saturday would give Ohio a three-game winning streak and put the Bobcats in prime position to compete for a MAC-East title, which they have not won since 2006.

And for the seniors, beating Miami again would make them just the fifth group in the 101-year history of the rivalry to never lose a game to the RedHawks.

"That would definitely be a great story for the ages for us," Tafua said.