The RedHawks Are National Champions, and Nadia Keeps the Ribbon
Cleveland State52
Miami (OH)61
- Game
- 2034 National Championship
- Site
- Neutral site
- Result
- Loss
- Record
- 15-2
Miami (OH) 61, Vikings 52. The RedHawks are national champions.
Nine points. A hundred and thirteen points between the two teams, the most ever scored in a national championship game I’ve covered. And Joe Snyderwine’s RedHawks, who went undefeated, who beat us twice, who have an offense I don’t have words for, are the best team in the country. I’ll say it plainly, folks, because they earned it: they were better. Twice.
Donna and Nadia watched together. In the RedHawks section. Donna wore the cape. Nadia wore red. When it ended, Nadia cried, and Donna held her, and then Nadia said something to Donna that Donna won’t repeat. When I asked, Donna said, “Michael, she said thank you for ten years.” That’s all Donna would tell me.
Fifteen and two. 9-0 in the Big 12 regular season. Kaleb DuBose threw for 5,977 yards and 83 touchdowns. Sam Fatafehi, in his last season, ran for 2,220. Titus Reece caught for 2,178. Stephen Baggs, Bobby Ervin and Romeo Ford made All-American. Bryce Schaffer had 14 sacks. Dalvin Osborne made 103 tackles. And our defense held an FBS team scoreless for the first time under Coach Dolan.
And we ended Ohio’s run.
Zero pierogi. But the year I almost wasn’t here for, I was here for all of it.
A nine-point loss to undefeated Miami (OH) in the national championship game. Fifteen and two. The Vikings beat the five-time defending champion and lost to the best team in the country.
I’ll write about Nadia. Ten years ago she poured me a beer and said, “Your team is better than mine,” and I laughed, because it was true and she said it like a woman who knew her day would come. Her day came. Her RedHawks are national champions. I called her after the game. She answered and couldn’t speak. I said, “Your team is better than mine.” She laughed through the crying. She said, “Ken, keep the bet going.” I said, “Forever.” She said, “The ribbon stays with me.” I said, “Until next year.”
I’ll write about this season once, and then stop. In April I visited a hospital every day for nine days. In May I ran a 10K. In November a dog I didn’t like for a decade died, and I miss him. In the semifinal, the Vikings ended a dynasty. In the final, another one began. I’ve covered football for twenty years. This is the first season I’ll remember mostly for the people.
My father: “Did we win?” “No, Dad. Miami.” “The RedHawks?” “The RedHawks.” “Good for them.” Notebook: “Good for them.”
Back and forth
“Thank you for ten years,” she said to Donna.
And “keep the bet going,” she said to me. We will.
The RedHawks win it all undefeated, the Vikings end Ohio’s run and fall one game short, Nadia keeps the ribbon, and a believer who almost wasn’t there was there for every minute.
Split Decision is fiction. Mickey Bridges, Ken Hogmanes and The Lakefront Ledger are invented; the games and scores are not.