Middle Tennessee @ Miami (Ohio) preview

The Skinny: The RedHawks have been the nation's most improved college football team this year, going from one victory to nine victories and winning the Mid-American Conference championship. Miami coach Michael Haywood was named MAC Coach of the Year following the 9-4 season. Miami won its final five games of the season, which included three consecutive road wins against Buffalo, Bowling Green and Akron. But Haywood was hired away by Pittsburgh and subsequently fired after an arrest on domestic battery charges.

Miami-OH hired Michigan State assistant Don Treadwell as its next head coach on Dec. 31. Treadwell will be in attendance, but defensive backs coach Lance Guidry will coach the RedHawks against Middle Tennessee.

Middle Tennessee only has a 6-6 overall record, but the Blue Raiders won their last three games to become bowl eligible. MTSU has played a tougher schedule, with games against Minnesota, at Memphis and at Georgia Tech.

Point Spread: Miami -1. Over/under – 48.5.

Miami’s Edge: The strength for the RedHawks is their rushing defense, which allows only 121.38 yards per game, which ranks No. 19 in the nation. Only two of their last eight opponents have rushed for more than 100 yards again Miami. Jerrell Wedge (88 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss) and Evan Harris (85 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss) lead the RedHawks.

Middle Tennessee's Edge: The Blue Raiders have an outstanding running game that averages 178.50 yards per game (32nd in the nation) and score a respectable 27.5 points per game. They feature a solid group of runners, led by Phillip Tanner (841 yards, 11 touchdowns), who ranked fourth in the Sun Belt Conference. D.D. Kyles (390 yards, four TDs), Benjamin Cunningham (348 yards, four TDs) and quarterback Dwight Dasher (453, 7 TDs) round out a solid group of backs.

The Quarterbacks: This is a question mark for Miami, where Zac Dysert took a shot to the chest against Bowling Green and suffered a lacerated spleen. Although he finished that game – and led the team to a game-winning field goal – Dysert sat out the last three games. He had thrown for 2,406 yards and 13 touchdowns. Redshirt freshman Austin Boucher picked up the slack by throwing for 831 yards and four touchdowns in the last three games. Of course, it helps to have a receiver like Armand Robinson on the team. The senior caught 90 passes for 981 yards and six touchdowns and was named Miami's Offensive Player of the Year.

MTSU's Dwight Dasher made his first start in the fifth week against Troy. Since then he's completed 127 of 222 passes for 1,388 yards and seven touchdowns. But Dasher is really more of a runner and isn't the most accurate; he's been intercepted 14 times, although eight of those came in two games. MTSU isn't likely to win if Dasher is expected throw the ball 50 times. He's considered more of an on-field manager than a game changer.

NFL Prospects: Miami – WR Armand Robinson. Middle Tennessee – S Kevin Brown, CB Roderick Issac, OLB Jamari Lattimore, QB Dwight Dasher.

Bowl history: Miami will be going to its first bowl game since 2004, when it lost to Iowa State in the Independence Bowl. The RedHawks are 6-2 in bowls, including a three-year stretch of wins from 1973-75 in the Tangerine Bowl that included victories over Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Middle Tennessee is 1-1 in its short bowl history, including last year's victory over Southern Miss in the New Orleans Bowl.

Etc.: There is a possibility that Miami linebacker Ryan Kennedy will return for the GoDaddy.com Bowl. He tore his MCL in September and has not played since; he was leading the team in tackles at the time of his injury. MTSU may be without reserve receiver Jamar Brown, who missed the last four games with a leg injury.