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Ohio kick returner DL Knock returns a punt during the second half of the Ohio Bobcats football game against the Buffalo Bulls on November 14, 2018. (FILE)

Football: A look at the first half of Ohio's conference schedule

Ohio limped its way out of nonconference play with a less than stellar record. The schedule was tough, but the talent is there for Ohio. Now with the nonconference schedule finished, Mid-American Conference play will begin next week when the Bobcats travel to Buffalo.

Here is The Post’s examination of the first four of eight games in Ohio’s MAC schedule and a brief assessment of its opponents at this time.

@ Buffalo*, Oct. 5, 3:30 p.m.

After the bye week, the Bobcats will make the roughly six-hour trip to Buffalo to begin MAC play. Buffalo (2-2) will play its conference game this weekend when it travels to Miami.

Through the first month of the season, the Bulls have presented a mixed bag of results. It defeated FCS Robert Morris at home, lost two straight and then got back on track against Temple.

This is a team that lost significant offense muscle from a year ago including the MAC Offensive Player of the Year in quarterback Tyree Jackson.

With that loss in players, the Bulls are finding their way with redshirt freshman Matt Myers taking the snaps. So far this season he’s gone 45-for-89 with 543 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions.

Ohio hasn’t won in Buffalo since 2009, but it defeated the Bulls at home last season in a 52-17 rout.

Northern Illinois, Oct. 12, 3:30 p.m.

Ohio will welcome MAC West opponent Northern Illinois for homecoming and its first home conference game. The Huskies (1-2) have faced a tough nonconference schedule that features three road trips to three Power 5 schools – their last trip is this Saturday at Vanderbilt.

It’s tough to gauge how North Illinois will be since it hasn’t played an opponent as evenly-competitive as themselves, but there should be a clearer picture when it opens its MAC season on Oct. 5 against Ball State.

The last time the Huskies traveled to Athens was in 2014, and they left with a 21-14 win over the Bobcats.

Kent State*, Oct. 19, TBA

Ohio’s second MAC East Division game and last home game of October coincide with the arrival of in-state rival Kent State.

The Golden Flashes (2-2, 1-0 MAC) are coming off their 62-20 trouncing of division opponent Bowling Green. Much like Northern Illinois, Kent State has a nonconference schedule filled with Power 5 opponents, including No. 7 Auburn and No. 8 Wisconsin. That nonconference schedule might have been an advantage in its first conference game last Saturday against Bowling Green when it totaled 750 total yards.

In the midst of a rebuild with second-year head coach Sean Lewis, the Flashes appear as if they’re making strides in the right direction. They have their last nonconference game at Wisconsin on Oct. 5 before it resumes conference play.

Ohio defeated Kent State last year 27-26 in Kent. The last time Kent was in Athens, it lost 48-3.

@ Ball State, Oct. 26, TBA

Ohio will go to Mucie, Indiana, for the first time since 2012 where they’ll play Ball State.

The Cardinals came close twice upsetting Power 5 schools. It lost by 10 against Indiana on a neutral site field and lost by 11 at North Carolina State.

Quarterback Drew Plitt leads the MAC in overall passing stats as he’s gone 119-for-176 with 1,373 yards, 11 touchdowns and four interceptions. The Cardinals apparent pass-happy offense also has them with two receivers in the top 5 among statistic leaders in the conference.

Ohio’s passing defense through the first month of the season has allowed an average of 255.5 yards per game, just shy of 100 less than what Plitt averages per game.

* indicates a division game.

@matthewlparker5

mp109115@ohio.edu

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