2016 ST. PETERSBURG BOWL
Miami (6-6, 6-2 MAC) vs. Mississippi State (5-7, 3-5 SEC)
Monday, December 26, 2016 • 11:00 am ET
St. Petersburg, Fla. • Tropicana Field (28,453)
ESPN: Dave LaMont (play-by-play), Rene Ingoglia (analyst), Chris Doering (sideline)
Watch Live
Miami Notes; MAC Notes;
• Miami enters the bowl game with a 6-6 record after beginning the season with six straight losses. The RedHawks are the first team in NCAA history to begin a season 0-6 and finish the regular season at 6-6. Miami finished 6-2 in the Mid-American Conference, good enough for a tie for first in the East Division. The RedHawks were picked to finish fifth in the MAC East in the preseason poll.
• Miami quarterback Gus Ragland is 6-0 as a starter. The sophomore suffered an ACL injury in April and was cleared to play prior to the Kent State game on Oct. 15, which began Miami’s current win streak.
• This is Miami’s first bowl appearance since 2010. Back in 2013 the RedHawks finished the season 0-12. Head Coach Chuck Martin was hired on December 3, 2013, and has improved Miami’s record in all three seasons. Miami was 2-10 in 2014, 3-9 in 2015 and 6-6 in 2016.
• The RedHawks have never played Mississippi State and are 11-18-1 all-time versus teams from the Southeast Conference. Miami has not played a team from the SEC since facing Kentucky in 2013, a contest Miami lost 41-7.
• Miami football ranks first all-time in the Mid-American Conference in wins (679), MAC Championships (15) and bowl wins (7).
• In 127 years of Miami football, the RedHawks have had just 33 losing seasons. Since joining the MAC in 1948 (67 years), Miami has had just 16 losing seasons.
About Miami:
Offensively, Miami averages 23.4 points and 361.4 yards per game under sophomore quarterback Gus Ragland. Defensively, they rank as the top unit in the conference, allowing 354.6 yards per game and are second in rush defense at 139.7. The RedHawks finished 6-2 in MAC play to claim a share of the MAC East Division title.
Bowl Game History:
The St. Petersburg Bowl will be Miami’s 11th bowl game in school history. Overall, the RedHawks are 7-3 in bowl games, last playing in the GoDaddy Bowl in Mobile, Ala., in 2010.
Seniors Experience First Bowl Game:
Miami has 11 seniors playing in their final game: Collin Buchanan, Sawyer Dean, Jordan Diamond, Austin Gearing, JT Jones, Matt Smallbone, Spencer McInnis, Buchi Okafor, Sam Shisso, TJ Williams and Rokeem Williams. These 11 seniors were 5-37 overall in their career prior to Miami’s current six-game win streak.
Win Streak:
In 2016, Miami’s six-game win streak ranks eighth in the nation, behind only Alabama (13), Western Michigan (13), Oklahoma (9), Penn State (9), USC (8), Temple (7) and Western Kentucky (7).
NCAA First:
With the win over Ball State to close out the regular season the RedHawks moved to 6-6 overall after opening the season 0-6. No team in NCAA history had ever accomplished that feat. Two teams came close. Illinois in 1971 and Tennessee in 1988 opened seasons 0-6 and won its final five games to finish the season 5-6. Both teams only played 11 games that season. The Elias Sports Bureau is responsible for this info.
Fast Start:
WIn each of Miami’s last four games they have scored touchdowns on their opening drives. Versus Eastern Michigan, the RedHawks went 10 plays for 75 yards, against Central Michigan, Miami marched 70 yards in seven plays, went 75 yards in six plays at Buffalo and traveled 74 yards in four plays versus Ball State -- all touchdowns on Miami’s first possession on the contest. The RedHawks also scored touchdowns versus Central Michigan and Ball State on their first drives of the second half.
