Feb. 21, 2002

Six 2001 bowl teams, three nationally-ranked teams, eight Mid-American Conference games, the first Big Ten school to visit Miami and the 107th Victory Bell match-up versus Cincinnati highlight Miami University's 2002 football slate.

Miami opens the 2002 season Aug. 31 at North Carolina, which is coming off a 9-3 record that included a 16-10 victory over Auburn in last year's Peach Bowl. The RedHawks last played the Tarheels in Chapel Hill to open the 1998 season, upsetting the then-No. 12 ranked team, 13-10. The second week of the season, Miami opens up at home, hosting its first Big Ten team in school history as the University of Iowa comes to Oxford. The RedHawks are hoping to avenge last year's, 44-19, loss to the Hawkeyes in Iowa City.

Miami ends its season-opening three-game stretch vs. non-conference foes on Sept. 14 at defending Southeastern Conference champion, Louisiana State. The Tigers, who finished the year 9-3 and ranked No. 7 by the Associated Press, won last year's Sugar Bowl, beating Illinois, 47-34. The last time Miami and LSU met, the Red and White pulled off the biggest upset in school history, knocking off the then-No. 8 ranked Tigers, 21-12, in Baton Rouge on Sept. 20, 1986.

"As an athletic director, I work with our head football coach to put together a schedule that continually challenges us and provides our fans and alumni with a point of pride," says Miami University director of athletics Joel Maturi. "We have a schedule that is as difficult as anyone in the country and it's a compliment to our program and the university that we could bring in a team like Iowa this year."

The RedHawks' other non-conference game is at longtime rival Cincinnati on Oct. 5 at Nippert Stadium. Miami reclaimed the Victory Bell last year from the Bearcats in Oxford, winning 21-14 in a match-up of freshman all-America quarterback Ben Roethlisberger from Miami and Cincinnati's Gino Guidugli, two of the nation's top freshmen passers.

The RedHawks' MAC schedule does not get any easier as they take on both of the reigning division champions on the road. Miami travels to MAC West Division champ Toledo on Oct. 26 before heading to Marshall, the East Division champion, on Tuesday, Nov. 12 for the RedHawks' first nationally televised game on ESPN. The Marshall game will feature two of the nation's top 15 passers from a year ago as Roethlisberger faces off with the MAC's two-time leading passer, Byron Leftwich. Miami's other MAC games include home contests vs. Kent State on Sept. 21, Northern Illinois on Oct. 12, Ohio University on Nov. 2 and first-ever meeting with new MAC football member Central Florida on Nov. 23. The remaining MAC road games include trips to Akron on Sept. 28 and Buffalo on Oct. 19. Special dates, such as Parents' Weekend and Homecoming will be announced shortly.

"Our schedule speaks volumes for who we are and the caliber of football we play," says head coach Terry Hoeppner. "You can't beat the best unless you play the best. From our non-conference schedule through our MAC schedule, we have to play 12 of the best teams you can find anywhere in Division I football."

Miami begins its 2001 spring drills on Saturday, March 23. The four-week session commences with the Annual Red-White game on Saturday, April 20. For single-game ticket information or to receive a season ticket brochure, call the athletic ticket office at 513-529-HAWK.