DEKALB, Ill. — Holding on to a small lead, Nathan Rourke was sacked with 10:38 to go in the game by Sutton Smith, who also forced the Bobcats’ quarterback to fumble the ball. The forced fumble allowed Northern Illinois to piece together a six play, 53-yard drive, which resulted in a touchdown.
The touchdown and following two-point conversion put the Huskies on top for good Saturday, as the Bobcats lost 24-21 at Huskie Stadium.
The loss marked the Bobcats’ first of Mid-American Conference play, dropping them to 1-1 and making their path to Detroit much more difficult.
Trailing at halftime, Ohio opened the second half with back-to-back turnovers. The first one resulted in an A.J. Ouellette fumble, which was forced by Trayshon Foster. It was his second fumble of the season and the second straight game where he’s fumbled the ball. On the ensuing Ohio drive, Nathan Rourke rolled out of the pocket and threw an interception to Foster.
The Bobcats (3-3, 1-1 MAC) scored on their next possession, though. With a defender chasing him down, and trying to evade his second straight sack, Rourke rolled out of the pocket and found a wide open Isiah Cox for a 56-yard touchdown. It was Cox’s second touchdown of the season.
The Bobcats committed three turnovers. Rourke was accountable for two of them.
Ohio found trouble trying to start the game, a storyline that’s played out throughout all of its games this season. Its defense held NIU to just a 3-0 lead, and the Bobcats first score game with 13:55 to go in the second quarter, capping a nine-play, 92-yard drive which was finished off by a 2-yard Ouellette touchdown off the speed option pitch.
NIU (4-3, 4-0 MAC) quarterback Marcus Childers found success all afternoon running the ball on quarterback draws, with 169 yards and a touchdown. He was also 17 of 33 for 145 yards.
