From the time Greg Windham was named quarterback, there’s one statement he’s mentioned in every interview.
It’s all about winning a conference championship.
If Ohio wants to win one, the campaign to the first Mid-American Conference championship since 1968 begins Saturday at Miami.
Generally, conference play is greeted as a new welcome and a restart to the season. At 2-2, that applies to the Bobcats.
Their problem, however, is they can’t refresh the health of players.
With the running back position ravished by injury, Bo Hardy was brought over to play running back, as well as safety on defense and gunner on special teams.
Additionally, the Bobcats have injury concerns in their secondary. With Kylan Nelson, who sat out in the 37-21 win over Gardner-Webb, the secondary, just like running back, could suffer the most.
That's hardly reassuring as Hardy could be tasked to play on both sides of the ball.
The one thing Ohio has, though, is talent — and more of it than Miami.
While the matchup is a rivalry, it’s been lopsided and almost a guaranteed win for coach Frank Solich and his team. Solich is 9-2 when facing the RedHawks.
If only just to start conference play with momentum, Ohio must keep the lopsided rivalry against Miami in its favor, before MAC East rival Bowling Green comes to Peden Stadium next week.
The current group of Ohio players have never won a game against Bowling Green.
Hypothetically, if Ohio was to get upset this week in Oxford and fall to Bowling Green, Windham’s hopes will be shattered and the conference title drought will linger.
If Ohio plays to the level it can — an explosive offense with multiple weapons and a stout defense — then Windham’s goal remains within reach.
Either way, when the Bobcats line up against the RedHawks, it’s crucial they don’t beat themselves.
They’re the better team with the better batch of talent. They’re accustomed to winning. The RedHawks are 0-4.
It’s the kind of rivalry matchup that can instill fear. It’s a rival desperate to win against an Ohio team clearly not at full strength.
But if Windham can control the game, just as he’s managed the offense to this point, then there’s no reason to worry, and Miami will continue to be an almost automatic win.
And each interview will still have the same optimistic message.
