The Miami RedHawks' first Tuesday night MACtion game is being flexed into primetime on the big stage.
Miami's Mid-American Conference game against Buffalo will be televised nationally on ESPN, now set for an 8 p.m. kickoff on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The game was originally set to begin an hour earlier at 7 p.m. on either ESPN2 or ESPNU.
The RedHawks and Bulls are tied for second place in the conference standings, each 3-1 in league play and on three-game winning streaks. A Miami victory on election night would give the RedHawks a leg-up in the quest for a fourth consecutive MAC title game appearance.
Nov. 3 marks the shift for MAC schools from Saturday night games to Tuesday and Wednesday midweek games, part of the conference's MACtion slate to get better
television timeslots. The final four games of the Miami's regular season will be played on Tuesdays.
Miami has been resilient after losing its top two quarterbacks to season-ending injuries, securing three straight wins with backup Caleb Heavner under center. The RedHawks' latest 28-27 win against Central Michigan saw Heavner shrug off a scary hit before running for a touchdown and throwing the game-winning score with just 1:41 remaining.
"I've never stayed down ever on a football field," Heavner said. "It was a good shot, but unless they're like, 'You absolutely can't play,' I'm going to do everything I can to play."
The Buffalo Bulls enter the matchup with Miami as the No. 3 rushing attack in the conference, gaining 176 yards per game. The RedHawks' defense, on the other hand, ranks first in the conference and 14th nationally, as they allow just 94.9 ground yards per game.
"They do a great job of running the football and they're physical," Miami head coach Chuck Martin said. "Whoever can control the line of scrimmage is going to have a great opportunity to win the game."
When Miami takes the field against Buffalo, it will mark a step-up in competition over the back-half of the conference schedule. Miami's first four MAC opponents currently hold a combined 4-12 conference record, while it's final four opponents are a combined 12-4.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Miami Redhawks' first Tuesday night MACtion game headed to ESPN
