With the end zone inches away and an improbable comeback within sight, quarterback Boo Jackson had a potential victory slip through his fingertips.
With his team trailing 31-28, Jackson fumbled the ball as he approached the goal line. The Chippewas recovered it in the end zone and the Bobcats (0-3, 0-1 Mid-American Conference) were forced to stomach their third straight gut-wrenching loss.
I scrambled out and I got one guy on the juke and I thought I was free for the end zone
Jackson said. I knew someone was going to come and hit me and right as I was going to put the ball away I was diving forward and I got hit and it just popped out.
Ohio had another chance following a Central Michigan punt, but Jackson fumbled again, sealing its fate.
You can't take those plays back ' they're there coach Frank Solich said. We just have to do a better job taking care of the football.
In his first Division I start, the junior-college transfer totaled a school-record 413 yards, including 365 through the air, the fourth-best passing performance in Ohio history. Jackson, though, focused on what could have been.
Records don't matter right now; the only record that matters is that we are 0-3
Jackson said. It's a bit of a disappointment on my behalf. Losing a fumble on the goal line is not acceptable.
The game featured 944 yards of total offense. Ohio jumped out to an early 14-0 lead on its first two drives, thanks to the play of Jackson. Running back Chris Garrett, who added 215 total yards in the game, scored the first two touchdowns for Ohio, the first time he's done that in his career.
Honestly
the play I scored on
the receiving touchdown
I wasn't supposed to be receiving
Garrett said. I was supposed to be blocking
but Boo told me on the sideline that if I was open
he was going to give it to me.
After coming out with two consecutive touchdowns, though, the Ohio offense was scoreless during the next two quarters. In that period of time, Central Michigan scored 24 points, including a punt return for a touchdown by Central Michigan wide receiver Antonio Brown.
It was the second consecutive week Ohio has had a breakdown on its punt return coverage.It's obvious that we missed tackles and that we didn't cover in our lanes well
Solich said. That was a big play in the ball game.
Ohio's first points of the second half came during the fourth quarter on a 43-yard pass from Jackson to running back Donte Harden.-
