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Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Miami University Football Preview 2025: Can the RedHawks Return to Another MAC Title Game?
The RedHawks keep rolling MAC programs have it figured out. Despite the transfer portal losses, and a lack of talent compared to the Power Four, these MAC schools know how to keep winning while others need everything to break the right Ohio, and for the most part, Northern Illinois have been in that mix. Miami University has done a better job than most of maintaining that winning consistency under Chuck Martin. It was a rough start, going 5-19 in 2014 and 2015, but since then, there's just been one season with fewer than six wins. There have been three MAC title appearances in the last six years, two championships, and six bowl appearances - 2020 was the only this run might be challenging. The Miami University offense loses almost everyone, the defense has to replace almost all of the top players, and yet all appears to be and his staff were able to bring in a whole new receiving corps, a fantastic veteran quarterback in Dequan Finn, and the depth developed over the last few seasons should step in and not surprisingly, the RedHawks should in the mix for a third straight MAC Championship appearance. Miami University RedHawks Preview 2025: Offense X CFN, Fiu | CFN Facebook | Bluesky Fiu, CFN- Last year's attack wasn't quite good enough. It didn't turn the ball over, and it hit the big shots down the field, but it was 96th in the nation in scoring, 98th in total yards, and went 1-5 when scoring 20 points or fewer. That included the 38-3 loss to Ohio in the MAC Championship, but …- The RedHawks have their quarterback. Dequan Finn was outstanding in his last three years at Toledo, didn't get on the field much in his one year at Baylor, and now he's back in the MAC. When he's right, he's one of the best all-around Group of Five playmakers. - The receiving corps is starting over in the portal. Deion Colzie (Notre Dame) is going into his fifth season, but he only has 21 career catches. He's for the outside, Keith Reynolds (Washington) is for the inside, and Darion Williams (Florida State) is a 6-3 option going into his sixth transfer portal brought in the tight ends, too, in Grant Leeper (Iowa) and Brody Kosin (Indiana) - both are looking for their first college catch.- The fantastic line is undergoing an overhaul. It got whacked by the portal, losing star left tackle Will Jados to Texas Tech. Somewhere up front, transfers Austin Uke (Stanford) and Payton Kirkland (Colorado) will fill in around backups and untested options. There's talent, but it all might need a little bit to come together.- The top running backs are gone, but Jordan Brunson returns after finishing third on the team with 299 yards and four scores. He's a big power back, and so is Kenny Tracy, who's back after missing all of last year hurt. Miami University RedHawks Preview 2025: Defense - The defense came up with a whole slew of takeaways, the secondary was strong, and the team ended up 15th in the nation, allowing just 18.8 points per game. Unlike the offense, the defense isn't doing much through the transfer portal.- The pass rush has to come from somewhere. Getting Bai Jobe from Kansas will help, and Kameron Wilson has five years of backup experience at Cincinnati. They'll be turned loose, and veteran Adam Trick should take on a bigger role after making 37 tackles and 4.5 sacks last tackles aren't big, but Roosevelt Andrews and Nasir Washington will produce. Washington should take a step up as the main man on the line. - All-star tackling machine Matt Slopek is gone, but Corban Hondru made 70 stops in the rotation, and Oscar McWood is a solid veteran on the other side. Malcolm McCain is a big banger who should be a statistical star in the middle.- Saving the best for last, the secondary should be the team's biggest strength. The safety combination of Silas Walters and Eli Blakey were second and third on the team in tackles, respectively, and Luke Evans is a big corner with all-star potential. Koy Beasley (Purdue) is an untested, but promising, option for the other side. Miami University RedHawks Key to the Season Keep running always with Miami, the team wins when it runs well. It went 5-0 when running for yards or more two years ago, and 8-1 when getting to 100 yards. Last season, the team was 8-0 when getting past 110 yards, and only lost to Notre Dame when getting to 100. Miami University RedHawks Key Player Adam Trick, EDGE several key losses came on the D line. The tackles will be okay, but the great secondary will struggle if there isn't any pressure. Trick started to rise up in his third season, but he has to crank up more than 4.5 sacks. Miami University RedHawks Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss Top Transfer In: Dequan Finn, QB good was he at Toledo? In his last three seasons, he threw for close to 7,000 yards with 63 touchdown passes and 23 picks. He'll add more of a rushing element for the MU attack - he ran for over 1,800 yards and 25 scores with the Rockets. He got in a little work last year at Baylor, but now he'll shine in the RedHawk Transfer Out: Will Jados, OT hard to find left tackles in the MAC. Jados is a 6-8, 307-pound pass protector with three years of starting experience. Now he'll be showing off for the NFL scouts at Texas Tech. Miami University RedHawks Key Game at Ohio, November 4It's a rematch of the MAC Championship that went so very, very wrong for the RedHawks. With Toledo to follow, and a nasty date at Buffalo after that, a loss in Athens could keep Miami from going back to the title game.- 2025 Miami University Schedule Breakdown Miami University RedHawks Top 10 Players 1. Dequan Finn, QB Sr.2. Silas Waters, S Sr.3. Corban Hondru, LB Sr.4. Eli Blakey, S Sr.5. Nasir Washington, DT Sr.6. Dom Dzioban, PK/P Sr.7. Oscar McWood, LB Sr.8. Deion Colzie, WR Sr.9. Luke Evans, CB Soph.10. Malcolm McCain, LB Soph. Miami University 2024 Fun Stats - Field Goals: Miami 27-of-31, Opponents 15-of-21- Passing TDs: Miami 23, Opponents 10- Fumbles: Opponents 20 (lost 10), Miami 13 (lost 6) Miami University RedHawks 2025 Season Prediction, Win Total, What Will Happen The RedHawks won't roll over in the early games, but they'll lose at Wisconsin and Rutgers. The date with UNLV is telling - it's a winnable home game coming off a two-week Kent State and UMass in MAC action is a killer - those would be two layup wins that were on last year's slate - but the conference season isn't bad … until RedHawks will go bowling for a fifth-straight season, but getting back to the MAC Championship will come down to run of at Ohio, Toledo, at Buffalo, and Ball State. They'll be in the title hunt, but to get in they'll have to win two of the three against the Bobcats, Rockets, and Bulls, and they'll come up just The Miami University RedHawks Win Total At … 7.5Likely Wins: at Akron, Lindenwood50/50 Games: Ball State, at Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, at Northern Illinois, at Ohio, Toledo, UNLV, Western MichiganLikely Losses: at Rutgers, at Wisconsin © 2025 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Efforts by Georgia lawmakers to legalize sports betting fizzle again
It turns out 2025 isn't the year for legalized sports betting in Georgia. Efforts to send a state constitutional amendment to voters failed Thursday in the state legislature, as neither the amendment nor a bill laying out details ever came to a vote in the House. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Voters in Missouri narrowly approved sports betting in a 2024 referendum, making it the 39th state to legalize the practice. But like in Georgia, legalization faces high hurdles in the 10 remaining states that bar sports gambling. Thursday was the deadline for each Georgia chamber to pass its own legislation to the opposite chamber. The measures still could be revived in the last month of the session, but it much less likely. Lawmakers could still consider the measures in the 2026 half of Georgia's two-year session. 'It came in late and I guess people just weren't there yet,' said House Higher Education Committee Chairman Chuck Martin, an Alpharetta Republican, referring to a bill and constitutional amendment that were introduced only last week. 'We'll keep working with people and trying to do what's in the best interest of the state,' Martin said, saying a referendum was still possible in on the November 2026 ballot. TRENDING STORIES: Kemp signs $40.5 billion 2025 budget Georgia student phone, tablet ban passes House vote, heads to state Senate Ban on school traffic cameras passes Georgia House Sports wagering is backed by Atlanta's professional sports teams, business groups and Republican Lt. Gov Burt Jones. But those powerful proponents have struggled to pass a law in the seven legislative sessions since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 struck down a federal law that banned commercial sports betting in most states. In Minnesota, a proposal failed on a 6-6- tie vote in a Senate committee on Feb. 13, even though the sponsor said his bill was supported by the state's 11 Native American tribes, which operate casinos, the state's two horse racing tracks, charitable gambling operations and local sports teams. California voters rejected wagering in 2022. A proposal to legalize sports betting passed the Texas House in 2023, but the state Senate spurned the proposal. One state where the issue is making progress is Hawaii, where the state House on Tuesday passed a bill that would legalize online sports betting. Missouri is currently making rules and taking applications from sportsbooks, with the launch of legal betting delayed until late summer or early fall. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Without Democratic votes in Georgia, a constitutional amendment couldn't achieve the two-thirds majorities needs to pass the state House and Senate. Republicans in the state are far from unified. Some GOP lawmakers oppose sports betting, warning that legalizing sports betting will provide a pathway to addiction, especially for younger gamblers. House Minority Whip Sam Park, a Lawrenceville Democrat, said Wednesday that his party wants to prioritize use of any tax money for prekindergarten. That was part of the constitutional amendment proposed by Martin's committee. Supporters have argued that Georgians should get a chance to vote, arguing many already bet on sports illegally. 'I believe strongly — and Georgians by wide margins agree with me — that this change will not only bring in much needed revenue to educate our youngest learners but also provide consumer protections that don't exist in today's black market,' State Rep. Marcus Wiedower, the Watkinsville Republican who sponsored the measure, said in a statement Of the 38 states that currently allow sports betting, some allow only in-person bets, although most allow electronic betting from anywhere.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Efforts by Georgia lawmakers to legalize sports betting fizzle again
ATLANTA (AP) — It turns out 2025 isn't the year for legalized sports betting in Georgia. Efforts to send a state constitutional amendment to voters failed Thursday in the state legislature, as neither the amendment nor a bill laying out details ever came to a vote in the House. Voters in Missouri narrowly approved sports betting in a 2024 referendum, making it the 39th state to legalize the practice. But like in Georgia, legalization faces high hurdles in the 10 remaining states that bar sports gambling. Thursday was the deadline for each Georgia chamber to pass its own legislation to the opposite chamber. The measures still could be revived in the last month of the session, but it much less likely. Lawmakers could still consider the measures in the 2026 half of Georgia's two-year session. 'It came in late and I guess people just weren't there yet,' said House Higher Education Committee Chairman Chuck Martin, an Alpharetta Republican, referring to a bill and constitutional amendment that were introduced only last week. 'We'll keep working with people and trying to do what's in the best interest of the state,' Martin said, saying a referendum was still possible in on the November 2026 ballot. Sports wagering is backed by Atlanta's professional sports teams, business groups and Republican Lt. Gov Burt Jones. But those powerful proponents have struggled to pass a law in the seven legislative sessions since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 struck down a federal law that banned commercial sports betting in most states. In Minnesota, a proposal failed on a 6-6- tie vote in a Senate committee on Feb. 13, even though the sponsor said his bill was supported by the state's 11 Native American tribes, which operate casinos, the state's two horse racing tracks, charitable gambling operations and local sports teams. California voters rejected wagering in 2022. A proposal to legalize sports betting passed the Texas House in 2023, but the state Senate spurned the proposal. One state where the issue is making progress is Hawaii, where the state House on Tuesday passed a bill that would legalize online sports betting. Missouri is currently making rules and taking applications from sportsbooks, with the launch of legal betting delayed until late summer or early fall. Without Democratic votes in Georgia, a constitutional amendment couldn't achieve the two-thirds majorities needs to pass the state House and Senate. Republicans in the state are far from unified. Some GOP lawmakers oppose sports betting, warning that legalizing sports betting will provide a pathway to addiction, especially for younger gamblers. House Minority Whip Sam Park, a Lawrenceville Democrat, said Wednesday that his party wants to prioritize use of any tax money for prekindergarten. That was part of the constitutional amendment proposed by Martin's committee. Supporters have argued that Georgians should get a chance to vote, arguing many already bet on sports illegally. 'I believe strongly — and Georgians by wide margins agree with me — that this change will not only bring in much needed revenue to educate our youngest learners but also provide consumer protections that don't exist in today's black market,' State Rep. Marcus Wiedower, the Watkinsville Republican who sponsored the measure, said in a statement Of the 38 states that currently allow sports betting, some allow only in-person bets, although most allow electronic betting from anywhere. Jeff Amy, The Associated Press
Associated Press
07-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Efforts by Georgia lawmakers to legalize sports betting fizzle again
ATLANTA (AP) — It turns out 2025 isn't the year for legalized sports betting in Georgia. Efforts to send a state constitutional amendment to voters failed Thursday in the state legislature, as neither the amendment nor a bill laying out details ever came to a vote in the House. Voters in Missouri narrowly approved sports betting in a 2024 referendum, making it the 39th state to legalize the practice. But like in Georgia, legalization faces high hurdles in the 10 remaining states that bar sports gambling. Thursday was the deadline for each Georgia chamber to pass its own legislation to the opposite chamber. The measures still could be revived in the last month of the session, but it much less likely. Lawmakers could still consider the measures in the 2026 half of Georgia's two-year session. 'It came in late and I guess people just weren't there yet,' said House Higher Education Committee Chairman Chuck Martin, an Alpharetta Republican, referring to a bill and constitutional amendment that were introduced only last week. 'We'll keep working with people and trying to do what's in the best interest of the state,' Martin said, saying a referendum was still possible in on the November 2026 ballot. Sports wagering is backed by Atlanta's professional sports teams, business groups and Republican Lt. Gov Burt Jones. But those powerful proponents have struggled to pass a law in the seven legislative sessions since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 struck down a federal law that banned commercial sports betting in most states. In Minnesota, a proposal failed on a 6-6- tie vote in a Senate committee on Feb. 13, even though the sponsor said his bill was supported by the state's 11 Native American tribes, which operate casinos, the state's two horse racing tracks, charitable gambling operations and local sports teams. California voters rejected wagering in 2022. A proposal to legalize sports betting passed the Texas House in 2023, but the state Senate spurned the proposal. One state where the issue is making progress is Hawaii, where the state House on Tuesday passed a bill that would legalize online sports betting. Missouri is currently making rules and taking applications from sportsbooks, with the launch of legal betting delayed until late summer or early fall. Without Democratic votes in Georgia, a constitutional amendment couldn't achieve the two-thirds majorities needs to pass the state House and Senate. Republicans in the state are far from unified. Some GOP lawmakers oppose sports betting, warning that legalizing sports betting will provide a pathway to addiction, especially for younger gamblers. House Minority Whip Sam Park, a Lawrenceville Democrat, said Wednesday that his party wants to prioritize use of any tax money for prekindergarten. That was part of the constitutional amendment proposed by Martin's committee. Supporters have argued that Georgians should get a chance to vote, arguing many already bet on sports illegally. 'I believe strongly — and Georgians by wide margins agree with me — that this change will not only bring in much needed revenue to educate our youngest learners but also provide consumer protections that don't exist in today's black market,' State Rep. Marcus Wiedower, the Watkinsville Republican who sponsored the measure, said in a statement
