UB Road Trips 2019: Miami at Oxford

I was rather pleased with the comments from the article about EMU, if you’re planning on the trip to Ypsi, it’s well worth a read for more ideas on what to do.

continuing with our rankings, from worst to first, of UB’s road trip experience for fans this year. We land in Oxford Ohio.

None of these are scientific, it’s just my opinion. I’d love to hear in the comments if you feel differently.

#5, Miami of Ohio - Oxford

Going to Miami was a horror show for UB back in the early MAC days. The Bulls struggled everywhere, but Miami really seemed to make us pay. It was a late season trip to Miami that cost the UB Bulls the outright 2007 MAC East title.

But since Turner Gill and the 2009 Bulls broke the curse UB is 3-2 in Oxford. Should you make the trip this year?

Affordability 4/5:

In the grand scope of college football this is a very affordable game. The only things that stands out is the $15 for parking. So they get dinged one point for extracting $5 from you for parking in their lots.

You’ll also have to drop a few dollars for tolls in Both New York, and Ohio (but you don’t have to ride the whole Ohio Turnpike. Once again an EZ Pass will save you a few dollars.

So overall, ignoring gas, you’re looking at $10, $15 to park, in travel and about $20-30 per person at the gate.

A very affordable game with a drive time of 7 hours.

Atmosphere 1.5/5:

Miami has a “tailgating lot” but charges you $20 to park there, and it’s not a huge lot. To be honest I expected more from Miami given the tradition of the program but if you drop the 20 you’ll have an experience a lot like EMU. You can enjoy some food trucks, and some other amenities.

Tourism 1/5:

I’m sure Oxford is a great place to live / go to school. But it looks really mundane from the “drop into town for a day or two”. The “Tour Oxford” site list things like pottery classes, a bowling alley, and a yoga studio.

If you’re a “local history buff” it looks like there are some neat things to see, and you might as well get your picture by their covered bridge, but those are not great weekend trip thigs.

Opponent 2/5:

I have Miami as a two, a team that isn’t known as a powerhouse lately but one that has been trending the right way. 2011 to 2015 was rough on Miami but since then they are a solid middle of the pack MAC team who can be really good in the mid to late season.

They have a lot of tools returning and could be sneaky good this year. Or, they could disappoint again.

Competitiveness 4/5

A four star game, to me, is one that the Bulls should be slight favorites in. Both teams will be trying to upend Ohio, who I expect to be the favorite in the East, but this game is early in the season which has not been Miami’s strength in recent years.

Overall 2.4/5

Miami is a school with some Amazing football tradition, perhaps the best in the MAC historically speaking. Now they find themselves now an average East team who, like Buffalo is hoping to come out on top of a crap shoot in the MAC east.

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So Thoughts? Where am I wrong and why should a UB fan make the trip?