Entering the game Thursday, all four of Ohio’s Mid-American Conference wins were decided by less than a touchdown, which coach Frank Solich found somewhat alarming.
But there were no alarms or head scratches in the 34-10 win over Buffalo at Peden Stadium. Instead, Ohio completely dominated an opponent for the first time since the non-conference portion of the schedule in September.
With the win, the Bobcats are 7-3 and 5-1 in the MAC. They also hold a two-game lead in the East Division with only two regular season games remaining.
Ohio only needs one more win, or for Akron to lose once more, to secure a spot in the MAC Championship Game for the first time since 2011. The two teams will meet Nov. 22 at Peden.
But that matchup doesn’t matter now.
What mattered Thursday was Ohio's dominant play. Scoring on the first play of the game — a 73-yard pass to Papi White — Ohio had a 10-0 lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked threatened.
By halftime, the score was 27-10 and Buffalo couldn’t score again.
Offensively, quarterback Quinton Maxwell went 13-of-23 for 236 yards and two touchdowns. He also had his first career rushing touchdown.
White finished with 113 receiving yards and Maleek Irons, who was injured at Toledo last week, had 12 carries for 64 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, Tarell Basham had 1.5 sacks, which puts him at nine this season. That ties him for the Ohio single-season record set by Jason Carthen in 1992.
Ohio will now have a by week — its first of the season — with its next game Nov. 15 at Central Michigan. By then, the East Division title could already be wrapped up.
