With just five seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, a 32-yard field goal from kicker Matt Lasher propelled the Ohio football team to a 20-17 victory over Illinois on Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill.
I hadn't made (a game-winning field goal) since my junior year of high school
Lasher said after the game. I just had to focus and do everything confidently.
It was Lasher's second field goal of the game. His first came in the third quarter, also from 32 yards.
The win is the Bobcats' fourth of the season, which matches the team's win total from 2005, and marks the first time since the 'Cats beat Minnesota on the road in 2000 that Ohio (4-3, 2-1 Mid-American Conference) has defeated a Big Ten program.
It's now six wins and you're bowl eligible Ohio coach Frank Solich said. We've got four now and we matched our total from last year. We have a lot of tough games to play coming down the stretch
so we'll face challenge after challenge
week after week
but this was good to build off of.
For Illinois (2-5, 1-2 Big Ten), the loss is especially hard to swallow, coming just a week after Indiana used a last-second field goal to defeat the Fighting Illini during their Homecoming weekend, 34-32.
Obviously we are not playing the way we are capable of playing
Illinois coach Ron Zook said. We had some costly mistakes and some special teams breakdowns and it's hard to win when those things happen.
Lasher was given the opportunity to win the game for the Bobcats when linebacker Tyler Russ recovered a fumbled forced by cornerback T.J. Wright on the Illinois 16-yard line with 1:03 remaining on the clock ' one of four lost Illinois fumbles on the day.
I was just going to secure the tackle
and I just felt that I had the ball
and just ripped it
Wright said.
Ohio then rushed tailback Kalvin McRae, who finished the day with 25 carries for 108 yards and 2 touchdowns, up the middle for a few plays to eat up the clock before Lasher was called upon to kick the game-winning field goal.
McRae's 100-yard performance was the ninth of his career and came a week after he broke the 100-yard rushing plateau for the first time this season against Western Michigan. He now has 20 touchdowns for his career at Ohio.
I think our offensive coaches did a great job calling the play
McRae said. Our offensive line did a good job blocking the defense. I have to basically give our offensive line all the credit.
Ohio quarterback Austen Everson finished the day 7-of-15 passing with an interception. His longest play of the day came when he hooked up with wide receiver Scott Mayle for a 58-yard gain early in the second quarter, which set up McRae's first touchdown run on the ensuing play.
Backup quarterback Brad Bower, who transferred to the Bobcats from Illinois, saw limited action in the game, going 2-of-4 on the day for eight yards.
The Fighting Illini's best offensive weapon was once again freshman quarterback Isiah Juice Williams, who went 16-of-34 for 182 yards and two touchdowns with an interception against Ohio. Williams was also dangerous on the ground, where he rushed for an additional 96 yards.
Ideally
