Miami at Northwestern: What to know about Saturday’s game

Where: Ryan Stadium (47,130), Evanston, Ill.

Television/Radio: BTN/980, 1450

Series: Miami leads, 6-3, including 6-2 at Northwestern.

Last meeting: Quarterback Mike Kafka ran for two touchdowns in a 16-6 Northwestern win on Oct. 10, 2009, at Evanston. Quarterback Zac Dysert led the RedHawks with 176 passing yards and 63 rushing yards.

Coaches: Miami’s Chuck Martin is 40-54 in nine seasons at Miami and 114-60 in 15 overall season; Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald is 110-92 in 17 seasons, all with the Wildcats.

Miami: Rushing – 5-foot-9, 164-pound sophomore running back Kevin Davis, 14 carries, 92 yards, 0 touchdowns; Passing – 6-1, 203 redshirt freshman quarterback Aveon Smith, 25-of-47, 284 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT; Receiving – 5-11, 190 redshirt senior Mac Hippenhammer, 15 catches, 199 yards, 3 TD; Tackles: 6-2, 221 senior LB Ryan McWood, 31 tackles, 13 solo.

Northwestern: 5-11, 210 junior running back Evan Hull 64 carries, 308 yards, 3 TD; 6-3, 225 junior quarterback Ryan Hilinski, 90-of-141, 962 yards, 5 TD, 3 INT; Hull 27 catches, 301 yards, 1 TD; 6-2, 240 junior LB Bryce Gallagher, 25 tackles, 11 solo; Northmont grad Jaiden Cameron is a junior defensive lineman for the Wildcats.

Next game: Miami is scheduled to travel to Buffalo to open Mid-American Conference play against the Bulls on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Northwestern is scheduled to open its Big Ten schedule at Penn State, currently ranked 14th in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. Kickoff is set for 3:30.

Fitzgerald on the special relationship between Miami and Northwestern: “Everything’s special about this game. Obviously, my time with Randy (Walker), that staff – there was a lot of his players and teammates that were with us here. The list goes on and on of the great Miami players I’ve gotten to know over the years, and obviously, the rich tradition that program has speaks for itself. There’s a lot of memories that came back when I woke up this morning.”