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Kelsey Boeing
10/18/2018
Ohio and Bowling Green will meet in the Bobcats’ annual Homecoming game Saturday at 2 p.m. Bowling Green leads the all-time series 40-27-2, but the opponent is undermined by the Homecoming aspect. Ohio has won two of its past three Homecoming games.
Here are the results of Ohio’s past three Homecoming games:
In the 2015 installment of “The Battle of the Bricks,” Ohio pummeled rival Miami. Everyone got in on the scoring. Daz Patterson had a 2-yard touchdown run to open up the scoring. Derrius Vick found Sebastian Smith for a 6-yard score, and Josiah Yazdani added a field goal before the half. The Bobcats enjoyed a comfortable 17-3 lead at the break.
On Miami’s opening drive of the second half, Quentin Poling picked off a Billy Bahl pass and returned it 25 yards for an Ohio touchdown. From there, Yazdani tacked on another field goal, and Maleek Irons put the frosting on Ohio’s Homecoming cake, scoring from a yard out to finalize the scoring at 34-3.
It seemed as if Ohio would roll in another easy Homecoming victory when it jumped out to a 10-0 lead behind a Louie Zervos field goal and Maleek Irons 17-yard touchdown run. By halftime, Ohio led 23-7. And deep into the third quarter, Ohio looked to take control for good after Greg Windham’s touchdown run.
But Bowling Green adjusted. The Falcons scored a touchdown late in the third quarter to cut the deficit. It was 30-17. After a monotonous first few minutes of the fourth quarter, the Falcons scored a touchdown with fewer than two minutes left. The Bobcats were clinging to a six-point lead. The ensuing onside kick attempt was recovered by the Bobcats, who ran the remaining time off the clock and secured a win.
Mijana Mazur | FOR THE POST
CMU's Tyler Conklin (top) is taken down by OU's Kylan Nelson as Conklin attempts a touchdown during the 2017 homecoming game on October 7.
In last season’s Homecoming game, the Bobcats jumped out to an early lead. They led 7-0 and 14-7 behind a pair of Nathan Rourke touchdown runs. But the Chippewas blocked a Louie Zervos field goal attempt just before the half — and missed the proceeding extra point. Ohio led 14-13 at halftime.
Central Michigan opened the second half with a scoring drive, marching 65 yards in 10 plays. The Bobcats couldn’t find ways to respond. On the next drive, Rourke threw an interception. He fumbled on Ohio’s next drive. He coughed the ball up early in the fourth quarter, too. Rourke had a bad day, and Ohio’s offense sputtered. With good field position, Shane Morris and the Chippewas stretched their lead. Ohio made things interesting in the final minutes; Rourke scored with five minutes to play. But the Chippewas never gave the ball back to the Bobcats.
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