MUNCIE, Indiana – Ohio has been looking for something it hasn’t had since Week 1: a full four-quarter performance where it’s proficient in all three phases of the game.
The Bobcats offense scored often and plenty in miserable, rainy weather. The defense held one of the Mid-American Conference’s best offenses in check. If there were any special teams’ miscues, they were minimal.
And because of that, Ohio defeated Ball State 34-21 in a division leaders’ showdown Saturday afternoon at Scheumann Stadium.
The Bobcats have had a season plagued with ups and downs, but as of late, they seem to be figuring things out.
And at the right time.
The defense, which has been the main suspect in Ohio’s roller coaster of a year, built off its performance against Kent from last week and turned it into something better against the top scoring offense in the MAC.
It showcased the ability that not only can it make the plays when it needs to, but now it’s turning into an every-down ability.
The Bobcats had multiple sacks against a veteran Ball State offensive line. Pass breakups happened in leaps and bounds. The lack of missed tackles was quite noticeable compared to past games when the defense gave up too many big plays.
It’s all leading up to something more, and the Bobcats are starting to hit their stride. With a win over the MAC West Division’s top team, Ohio is starting to prove that its rocky start was just that — a start.
“I thought coming off the Kent State game where we had played really well for that game, coming in here with the conditions being the way they were, things could get very sloppy very quick,” coach Frank Solich said. “They executed very well and took great care of the football. I was really proud of those guys.”
Solich, who coached his 110th win and tied Herb Deromedi for all-time wins by a MAC coach, has all the reason in the world to be proud of his team. The defense held the Cardinals to just 351 total yards, around 100 fewer than what they’ve averaged in their previous seven games.
A large part of the defense success occurred in its front seven. The defensive line made multiple substitutions, similar to the plan against Kent, and the substitutions paid off. With Ohio’s defensive line’s fresh legs, Ball State’s pass protection was in flux, and the pocket was rarely a safe space for quarterback Drew Plitt.
“We’ve always got something to work on, so we’re going to do that in practice but every week we work on something in practice and shows on Saturday,” defensive lineman Kai Caesar said.
The defense’s effectiveness allowed for the offense to, once again, be the better one on the field.
Quarterback Nathan Rourke knew the elements – the rain, the cold and the wind – coming into the game. The whole offense did, but the conditions fazed no one.
If anything, it allowed the Bobcats to return to its identity of being a run first, pass second team — an identity that has caused it to be one of the conference’s best programs over the course of a decade and a half.
That ground game was what they needed. Ohio played three different running backs and had four different ball carriers on Saturday. Its 316 total rushing yards were a season high, and they really only came on three of Ohio’s foundation plays: the speed option, the read option and the inside power run schemes.
“Our o-line today I think really asserted themselves as a dominant o-line in this league,” Rourke said. “We were able to run the ball (today).”
Rourke and running back O’Shaan Allison each had over 100 yards on the ground – the first time two Bobcats have passed the century mark on the ground this season.
Running back De’Montre Tuggle added two touchdowns, too, and the physicality of the Bobcats’ offensive line was unmatched by the Cardinals.
Now, a new challenge waits for Ohio. It needs to maintain its success for the long haul.
The Bobcats aren’t back on the field for 10 days in what will likely decide the MAC East Division when rival Miami comes to Peden Stadium for the Bobcats’ first midweek game of the season.
Ohio found what it was looking for. It only hopes to not lose it again.
