This year's Mid-American Conference championship game will be different than any of the six previous championship games before. The main reason: the Marshall Thundering Herd won't be playing.
This year's game won't feature Marshall, Toledo or Western Michigan (the only teams to ever play in the game).
Instead, two newcomers will play for this year's trophy, Miami of Ohio and Bowling Green State University. BGSU won the West Division of the Mid-American Conference with a record of 10-2 overall and 7-1 in the MAC, while Miami of Ohio won the Eastern Division crown with a record of 11-1 overall and 8-0 in the MAC.
The game should be an offensive battle, as two of college football's best offenses go head to head. The RedHawks had the MAC's top offense, averaging 42 points per game and 487 yards per game. Bowling Green was almost as good, averaging 34.6 ppg and a league leading 506 ypg on the year.
The teams were just as good on defense, as both allowed an average of less than 20 ppg. Miami led the MAC by allowing just 323 ypg and the Falcons weren't far behind, with 338 ypg.
The game will be the rematch of the game that these two teams played earlier in the season, at Miami of Ohio, when BGSU lost 33-10.
Gregg Brandon is in his first year as the head coach of Bowling Green and he is the only Bowling Green coach to defeat two nationally ranked opponents in the same season. The Falcons won 27-26 over No. 16 ranked Purdue, and they won against then No. 12 NIU.
BGSU has three players that were named player of the week by the MAC in their rousing victory over Toledo last week 31-23.
"I can't even celebrate this win, we want to win the MAC," stated Harris in a school press release.
Josh Harris, quarterback for Bowling Green, was named West Division MAC offensive player of the week, as he was 21-of-26 for 256 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught a 48-yard touchdown pass and scrambled for another 75 yards in the win over Toledo.
"The offense is always in my hands. I get the ball every snap, and that's the way I like it," stated Harris.
Strong safety Keon Newson was named West Division MAC defensive player of the week for his performance against Toledo. Newson recorded 10 tackles, including one for a loss of yards, and broke up a pass play.
Shaun Suisham was the West Division Special Teams Player of the Week. Suisham kicked a 41-yard field goal in windy conditions to tie the game at 17 against Toledo and also made all of his PAT attempts.
Miami is coming off of a big win last week against UCF, 56-21, and has two players who were named East Division MAC players of the week for their performances.
Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback for Miami, was the East Division MAC offensive player of the week for his performance against UCF. Roethlisberger completed 24 of 29 pass attempts, including 14 in a row to start the game. He also had 327 yards and five touchdowns against the UCF defense.
Roethlisberger, who is mentioned in the same breath as other prolific MAC quarterbacks Chad Pennington and Byron Leftwich, will be extremely tough for the Falcons to stop. After the season, Roethlisberger also has to make a decision to either go into the NFL, where he will most likely be a first round pick, or stick around for his senior year to go for the Heisman Trophy.
Miami place kicker Jared Parseghian was named East Division MAC special teams player of the week for his performance against UCF.
Parseghian was 8-for-8 on extra point attempts and set a school record for most extra points made with 119.
The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
