Of Ohio’s various mantras and program expressions it tosses around, there’s one in particular that held true in Saturday’s 34-21 road win at Ball State.
“In the rain, in the snow, in the sleet, in the heat,” was mentioned throughout the postgame interviews from players made available and coach Frank Solich.
From the opening kickoff, until the final kneel down, the Bobcats played in a downpour and yet performed their most complete game of the season.
There’s plenty to digest, analyze and interpret. But, with nine days until its next game, Ohio has ample time to do all of those things.
With that, here are our final thoughts from Ohio’s win over the Mid-American Conference West Division leader.
Better late than never
Enough has been written and said about the inconsistencies that have plagued the Ohio defense. It’s strung by week-to-week either doing just enough or coming up just short. As a result, the Bobcats (4-4, 3-1 MAC) have lost games they should’ve won.
But after limiting the fast-paced Kent State offense a week ago and stopping the MAC’s top-scoring offense in Ball State to just 21 points – 12 less than its average – the defense looks like it’s hitting its stride and doing so at the right time.
It still has more to prove, but after two consistent weeks against some of the MAC’s top-tier offenses, defensive coordinator Ron Collins should feel some relief that his unit has turned things around and is on the incline down the stretch.
Offensive identity
For the last 14 seasons, Ohio has found its success offensively by running the football. The Bobcats relied on that philosophy heavily Saturday and totaled a season-high 316 rushing yards and had two 100-yard rushers.
Quarterback Nathan Rourke had a season-high 127 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Running back O’Shaan Allison boasted a career-high 104 rushing yards and averaged over five yards per carry in his first full game back from injury.
Running back De’Montre Tuggle also continued to be a touchdown machine for Ohio. His two scores against the Cardinals bumped his season total to seven touchdowns, which leads all Ohio running backs.
This is the best-case scenario for the Bobcats moving forward. They’ve shown they have the ability to win games by throwing the ball — Rourke threw for over 300 yards a week ago against Kent — but Solich and offensive coordinator Tim Albin have always relied on their run game. That is still arguably the Bobcats’ biggest strength this season.
Solich milestone
Ohio’s win over Ball State was Solich’s 110th, which ties former Central Michigan coach Herb Deromedi for most overall wins by a MAC coach.
Since he was hired in 2005, Solich has been responsible for turning around one of the least successful teams in the country into one of its most consistent programs.
He’s still working toward that vaunted MAC Championship, but Solich is still one of the most respected college coaches in the country. The improvements Ohio has displayed in the past two weeks show that.
How close is this team to Detroit?
The Bobcats have beaten conference division leaders in consecutive weeks. Earlier in the month, they went 1-1 against the two 2018 MAC Championship teams from a year ago.
Ohio is on the rise, and its road win in the poor conditions was big in terms of confidence. The talent on both ends of the ball is starting to come together. The offense appears to have finally found its identity and is capable of being more than just Rourke.
And after weeks of struggles and miscommunication, the defense has been impressive over the last two weeks.
Dare we say the Bobcats continue this streak and find themselves in Detroit for the first time since 2016?
They still have tough tests ahead. Their Nov. 6 game against Miami will likely decide who will win the MAC East. Then, Ohio hosts Western Michigan, a 3-2 team in the more competitive MAC West.
Ohio closes out the year with two road games against Bowling Green and Akron. Late season games have haunted Ohio in the past, and losses against teams it should’ve beaten have spoiled its chances of a title appearance.
But it has been passing the tests lately. Should it continue to pass them, it could have an opportunity it’s been working toward since the end of last season.
