Miami Upsets Toledo In MAC Football Championship

After being labeled as underdogs against the defending champion Toledo Rockets, the Miami Redhawks claimed the 2023 MAC championship on Saturday afternoon with 23-14 victory. The win marks the Redhawks' first league title since 2019.  Miami improve to 11-2 on the season, their best record since they won 13 games in 2003. Toledo also finish 11-2 with the loss, still with a bowl game to play. Here's what stood out from the championship performance from Chuck Martin's group. Smith had a difficult task in the later part of the season, assuming the starting role in place of the injured Brett Gabbert. However, he led the Redhawks to five straight victories since Gabbert went down in a loss to toledo on October 21.  The South Carolina native played well again in the championship game, completing six passes for 109 yards and rushing 21 times for 99 yards. That included a 50-yard run that Smith broke off on Miami's final scoring drive of the night. Smith was named the Offensive MVP of the game. Running back Rashad Am