Miami (OH) 2026 Preview
The College Football Experience (@TCEonSGPN) on the Sports Gambling Podcast Network continues its 138 college football team preview series with the Miami (OH) RedHawks 2026 Season Preview. Pick Dundee aka (@TheColbyD) & Ryan McIntyre (@Moneyline_Mac) break down Chuck Martin’s 2026 RedHawks and MAC outlook. How will the new-look Miami (OH) offense look with a new OC and former RedHawks quarterback Gus Ragland calling plays? Will Thomas Gotkowski take the next step at quarterback after a 7-7 season a year ago? Is Rodney Nelson a name to watch at running back after dominating the FCS at Monmouth? Will the offensive line be the nucleus of this team with four starters back?
Will Bill Brechin have the Miami (OH) defense playing the best in the MAC yet again, and which unit ends up the best for the RedHawks in 2026? Should the secondary be among the tops in the conference with Kaleb Martin and Mychal Yharbrough? Can Miami be better in the close games than it was a season ago? How do the opener at Pitt, the rivalry bell game with Holy Cross, and the MAC run through UConn, Buffalo, Ohio and Kent State set up the win total and futures? We talk it all and more on this episode of The College Football Experience.
Chuck Martin Is Anything But On The Hot Seat
This Miami (OH) 2026 preview starts with a safe head coach. Chuck Martin enters at 72-74 in Oxford. The deck rates his seat a 2 out of 10, one of the coolest marks in the MAC. First, the RedHawks finished 7-7 a season ago. Then close games defined that .500 year. Because Martin’s tenure buys him patience, his job looks secure. So 2026 reads like a season to climb, not a referendum.
The Offense Looks To Climb Under Gus Ragland
The Miami (OH) offense has room to climb. It ranked 108th nationally in total offense in 2025. The scoring offense sat 96th, the passing game 106th, the rushing attack 78th. First, new coordinator Gus Ragland takes over the play-calling. He is a former RedHawks quarterback shaping the system in Oxford. Then quarterback Thomas Gotkowski returns to run it. Also the group returns just 45 percent of its production. So Ragland leans on returning pieces up front. Because the line brings back Kris Manu, Jacob Schorsch and Greg Smith Jr., Gotkowski should have time to grow.
Bill Brechin’s Defense Is The Strength
Bill Brechin’s defense looks like the strength of this Miami (OH) team. First, the unit ranked 36th nationally in total defense a season ago. That top-40 number anchors the roster. Then the scoring defense finished 41st, the passing defense 39th, the rushing defense 46th. Because the group returns 52 percent of its production, Brechin has real pieces. Roosevelt Andrews III returns up front. Malcolm McCain anchors the linebackers. Also the secondary leans on Kaleb Martin and Mychal Yharbrough. Meanwhile the defense carries the higher floor.
The Schedule And The Win Total
The Miami (OH) schedule opens on the road at Pitt. First, the rivalry bell game against Holy Cross follows. Then Cincinnati and UConn round out the early slate. After that, Toledo, UMass, Akron and Central Michigan fill the MAC grind before the bye. From there, Buffalo, Ohio, Kent State and Western Michigan close the year. What does a Saturday feel like at Yager Stadium when the MAC race tightens? The deck sets the Miami (OH) win total at 7.5. The RedHawks sit plus 360 to win the MAC and plus 20000 to make the College Football Playoff. So the hosts weigh the over against real swing games.
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Podcast Chapters
00:00 Download the SGPN App Today!
02:19 Show Intro and Hosts
06:25 Chuck Martin Era Overview
09:59 Last Season Close Games
14:19 Hot Seat and Rivalries
19:01 New OC Gus Ragland
23:23 Portal Adds and Offense Outlook
31:01 Defense Breakdown
36:01 Miami Football Legacy
38:22 Mac and Joes Tradition
41:46 Program Rating Debate
45:07 Week 1 at Pitt
48:47 Holy Cross and Rivalry Bell
52:40 UConn and MAC Opener Run
56:06 Bye Week and Buffalo
57:33 Ohio Kent State Western Finish
1:00:38 Win Totals and Futures
1:03:43 Who Should They Play
1:06:08 Wrap Up and Bonus Song
