FB On Road Again, Travels to Georgia Tech
GAME INFORMATION
Date / Time: Sat., Sept. 22, 2012 / 3:09 p.m. EDT
Site: Atlanta, Ga. / Bobby Dodd Stadium (55,000)
TV: RSN | Regional Network listings
Play-by-Play: Paul Kennedy; Analyst: Keith Jones; Sideline: Steve Byrnes
Local Radio: 560 WQAM
Play-by-Play: Joe Zagacki; Analyst: Don Bailey Jr.; Sideline: Josh Darrow
Spanish Radio: Caracol 1260 AM
Play-by-Play: Roly Martin; Analysts: Pepe Campos and Joe Martinez
Student Radio: 90.5 FM WVUM
Talent: Chris Wittyngham, Kyle Sielaff
Satellite Radio: Sirius 137, XM 192 (GT broadcast)
Live Stats: HurricaneSports.com
Twitter Updates: @HurricaneSports
Series: Georgia Tech leads, 10-7
Atlanta: Georgia Tech leads, 8-3
First Meeting: 1955- L, 6-14
Last Meeting: 2011 – W, 24-7
Streak: Miami, 3 wins
STORY LINES
* Miami will face Georgia Tech in the Canes’ third road contest in four games. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:09 p.m. EDT on several Regional Sports Networks. It will be the 18th all-time meeting between the programs, with the Yellow Jackets owning a 10-7 series edge. However, the Canes have won in each of the last three meetings.
* After defeating Bethune-Cookman, the Hurricanes are 7-0 following loss with in the Al Golden era.
* Since joining the ACC in 2004, the Hurricanes are a 34-31 in conference play and are 4-4 against GT during that span.
* Freshman RB Duke Johnson has 638 all-purpose yards through three games, putting him on pace for 2,552 yards in 12 games. The single-season all-purpose mark at Miami is 2,102 by Willis McGahee in 2002.
* True freshman DE Tyriq McCord collected the first two sacks of his career against Bethune-Cookman, giving him the team lead in that category and placing him in a fourth-place tie among ACC student-athletes.
* Miami has 14 different players that have at least one reception in the first three games of the season.
* Six of Miami’s 14 scoring drives this season have needed less than two minutes.
* Senior PK Jake Wieclaw has converted on all five FG attempts and has made seven consecutive field goals overall – tied for the fifth longest FG streak at Miami. He has also connected on all 11 of his PAT attempts and had converted on 50 straight in his career – the seventh-longest PAT streak in school history.
REGIONAL TELEVISION COVERAGE
* Saturday’s meeting with Georgia Tech will be broadcast regionally in several markets, including: FS Carolinas, FS South, Sun Sports, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, NESN, FS Tennessee, FS San Diego, FS Arizona, FS Prime Ticket, FS Houston, FS North Plus, FS Southwest and FS Wisconsin will each carry the 3 p.m. EDT contest.
* Miami’s Oct. 6 game against Notre Dame in Chicago will be televised nationally at 7:30 p.m. EDT on NBC.
QUICK HITS
* Through three games, 17 freshmen have seen action for the Miami Hurricanes, including 14 true freshmen.
* Five freshmen have started at least one game for the Miami Hurricanes – true freshman RT Ereck Flowers, true freshman RB Duke Johnson, true freshman WR Malcolm Lewis, true freshman S Deon Bush and redshirt freshman LB Eddie Johnson.
* In the first 15 games of the Al Golden era, Miami has used 11 different defensive starting lineups.
* Notable Miami ACC statistical rankings: 2nd in kickoff returns (28.86), 4th in rushing offense (154.33), 5th in net punting (38.85), 5th in turnover margin (.00) and 6th in scoring offense (30.67).
* Notable Miami NCAA statistical rankings: 15th in kickoff returns, 41st in net punting, t54th in turnover margin, 58th in scoring offense and 68th in rushing offense.
* Duke Johnson ACC statistical rankings: 1st amongst all-purpose runners (212.67); 1st in scoring (12.00); 2nd in kickoff returns (33.89) and 4th in rushing (82.67)
* Duke Johnson NCAA statistical rankings: 2nd amongst all-purpose runners; t9th in scoring; 11th in kickoff returns and 57th in rushing.
* Freshman DE Tyriq McCord is tied for fourth in the ACC and tied for 58th nationally in sacks per game (.67).
* Senior PK Jake Wieclaw is tied for third in the ACC and tied for 15th nationally in FG per game (1.67).
* Senior P Dalton Botts ranks fifth in the ACC and 51st nationally in punting (41.38).
* Sophomore WR Phillip Dorsett ranks fifth in the ACC and tied for 57th nationally in punt return average (6.33).
GEORGIA TECH SERIES HISTORY
* Saturday will mark the 18th series meeting, which dates back to 1955.
* In last season’s meeting, then-freshman LB Denzel Perryman recorded his career-first sack, a three-yard loss for the Yellow Jackets. In the fourth quarter, Perryman forced a fumble, also the first of his career. Perryman tied his then-career high of seven tackles.
* Miami has won the last three meetings by a combined score of 92-34.
A WIN BY MIAMI WOULD…
* Give the Hurricanes their fourth consecutive victory over Georgia Tech, taking the three meetings by a combined score of 92-34.
* Give the Hurricanes a 2-0 record in ACC play, with both coming on the road.
* Give the Hurricanes their first 2-0 ACC start since 2009.
* Give the Hurricanes their first 3-1 start to the season since 2010.
#ROOKIECANES
* In Miami’s third game of the season, 16 freshmen (14 true freshmen) played against Bethune-Cookman.
* True freshman OL Ereck Flowers made his third consecutive start at right tackle, while RB Duke Johnson started for the second time in three games. On the defensive side of the ball, redshirt freshman LB Eddie Johnson made his second start and redshirt freshman Deon Bush made his career-first start.
* WR Malcolm Lewis recorded two catches against B-CU and also returned a kick 39 yards.
* RB Duke Johnson is the first Miami player to score four TDs in a game since Tyrone Moss did in 2005 against North Carolina. Entering Week 3, only four players in the NCAA had recorded four TDs in a game in 2012.
* In the second quarter vs. B-CU, true freshman DE Tyriq McCord collected his first-career sack, a three-yard loss for the Wildcats. He added a second sack in the fourth quarter, a 12-yard setback to end the game. McCord ended the contest with five tackles.
* In his first start, S Deon Bush made three solo tackles and had a pass break-up.
A GAME OF FIRSTS
* True freshman S Deon Bush, former quarterback A.J. Highsmith (now S) and true freshman WR Malcolm Lewis each made their career-first starts against Bethune-Cookman.
* In the second quarter, true freshman DE Tyriq McCord collected his first-career sack, a three-yard loss for the Wildcats. He added a second sack in the fourth quarter, a 12-yard setback to end the game.
#DUUUKE NOT SLOWING DOWN
* True freshman RB Duke Johnson is the first Miami player to score four TDs in a game since Tyrone Moss in 2005 against North Carolina. Only four players in the NCAA had recorded four TDs in a game in 2012. Johnson is now averaging 14.5 yards per play.
* In the first quarter against B-CU, Johnson returned a kickoff 95 yards for Miami’s first score of the game. The return tied Tremain Mack (at Syracuse, 1996) for the eighth-longest kickoff return in Hurricanes history. It was Miami’s third kickoff returned for a touchdown since 2005. In 2005 against Temple, Devin Hester had a 100-yard kickoff return and Lamar Miller notched an 88-yard kickoff return at Ohio State, Sept. 11, 2010.
* Johnson ranks second nationally with 212.67 all-purpose yards per game. That total is 67 yards per contest more than Maryland’s Stefon Diggs, who ranks second in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
* Johnson’s 643 yards on the season account for 40 percent of the Canes’ 1,602 total all-purpose yardage. In FBS football so far this season, 833 players have at least one touchdown. Of those, only two have scored more than Miami’s Duke Johnson.
* In FBS football so far this season, 833 players have at least one touchdown. Of those, only two have scored more than Miami’s Johnson. Oregon’s De’Anthony Thomas Fresno State’s and Robbie Rouse each have seven.*
* Johnson is the second player to have a receiving, rushing and return TD in a game this season. Giovani Bernard (UNC) also did.*
* The 2011 Hurricanes’ offense/special teams scored a total of four touchdowns from 50 or more yards. After only three games, Johnson already has four 50-plus yard TDs.*
* Against Boston College in the season-opener, Johnson became the first UM freshman RB to rush for 100 or more yards in first college game since Clinton Portis in 1999.
* (thanks to AP writer Tim Reynolds, @ByTimReynolds, for the note)
PLENTY OF OPTIONS
* Miami has 14 different players that have at least one reception in the first three games of the season.
* Allen Hurns, Rashawn Scott, Phillip Dorsett, Clive Walford, Malcolm Lewis, Duke Johnson, Devon Johnson, Mike James, Asante Cleveland, Kendal Thompkins, Eduardo Clements, Dyron Dye, Maurice Hagens and Herb Waters each have at least one grab through two games.
* Junior Allen Hurns leads all receivers with 113 receiving yards on the season, while WR Phillip Dorsett leads UM with 12 receptions.
TWO-MINUTE OFFENSE
* Six of Miami’s 14 scoring drives this season have needed less than two minutes.
MIAMI SCORING DRIVES UNDER TWO MINUTES
at Boston College Du. Johnson 54-yard run, 1:51
at Boston College Du. Johnson 56-yard run, 1:17
at Boston College Wieclaw 24-yard FG, 0:46
at Kansas State Wieclaw 27-yard FG, 1:42
at Kansas State Walford 2-yard pass from Williams, 1:39
Bethune-Cookman Wieclaw 20-yard FG, 0:35
THE KICK IS GOOD
* Senior PK Jake Wieclaw earned placement on the Lou Groza Award Watch List (nation’s best placekicker).
* Wieclaw has converted on all five of his attempts this season with a season-long of 32 yards at Kansas State. He has made seven consecutive field goals overall – tied for the fifth longest FG streak at UM.
* The New Lenox, Ill., native has connected on all 11 of his PAT attempts and had converted on 50 straight in his career – the seventh-longest PAT streak in school history.
TURN ‘EM OVER
* Through three games, the Canes have forced five turnovers – three interceptions and two fumble recoveries – and are on pace for 20 on the season. In 2011, Miami forced on three turnovers through the season’s first three games and ended the season with only 15 takeaways.
