While many focus on making a list or getting on someone’s good list this time of year, it is getting off a certain list that the Bobcats are worried about.
Despite qualifying for a bowl game in three consecutive years, Ohio remains one of 11 Football Bowl Subdivision schools to have never won a bowl game.
With five tries and five failed attempts, only Ball State has as many appearances without a win.
While past struggles distance themselves in the rear-view mirror, coach Frank Solich’s squad said they are ready to get off the list once and for all in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl against Utah State on Saturday.
“It would mean everything,” cornerback Travis Carries said about the opportunity to bring home the school’s first postseason win. “It’s great to be a part of history. There’s only a few times that players get a chance to be a part of history, so this would be a big deal for everybody.”
With its one bowl win coming in 1993, Utah State has not faired much better in its six bowl berths. The Aggies have not played in a bowl since 1997.
In order for Ohio to finally find its first win, the Bobcats will have to slow down Utah State stud running back Robert Turbin.
The junior has amassed 1416 yards rushing and 23 all-purpose touchdowns this season.
“They run the ball as well as some of the best teams in the country,” Solich said. “Their top running back averages 6.2 yards per carry and has over 1,400 yards. They can also score through the air, which a lot of good running teams can do by setting up the play action pass.”
The Aggies rank sixth in the country in rushing yards per game and 95th in passing yards.
For Ohio, it will be important to capitalize on offensive opportunities against a Utah State defense that gives up an average of more than 28 points per game.
While Turbin has already eclipsed the 1,000 rushing yards mark, Ohio’s Donte Harden is 61 yards away from becoming Ohio’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Kalvin McRae.
The Bobcats and Aggies shared one common opponent during the regular season.
Ohio opened its season with a 44-24 win at New Mexico State while Utah State finished the regular season with a 24-21 win over the Aggies.
The same day the Bobcats won in New Mexico, Utah State was a kickoff recovery away from knocking off the reigning national champion Auburn Tigers.
The Tigers needed two scores in the final 2:07 to come away with the win.
With only 15 days between a heartbreaking loss in the Mid-American Conference championship game and Saturday’s game, Solich said the team has put the loss behind them.
“Coming off the loss to Northern Illinois was tough – there is no question about it, but good football teams are able to undertake the next game regardless of what happened in the previous game whether it was an exciting win at the end or a disheartening loss,” he said. “We consider ourselves a good football team and a good football program. I would expect that we would be on top of our game against Utah State.”
This season, Solich became Ohio’s second winningest coach in school history. Yet his Ohio resume, like every coach that came before him, lacks a postseason win.
As Solich continues to climb up the list in all-time wins, he will look to lead his team off the list of postseason ineptitude.
“We are getting some things done here at Ohio that have not been done before,” Solich said. “As we look at it program-wise we have a chance to reach one of the goals that we set prior to the start of the season and that was to take a step forward by winning a bowl game. There is a lot of drive and energy that will be tied into trying to reach that goal.”
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