Ohio’s first game of its Mid-American Conference schedule appears to be a must-win.
Buffalo should be a perfect test to see if the Bobcats did enough over their bye week to improve from the mistakes that brought them a 1-3 record. Missed tackles have been, perhaps, their biggest problem. The defense has forced just two turnovers. The offense has been solid, but it doesn’t appear strong enough to win games without better defense.
So, if the Bobcats can’t beat the Bulls — who possess one of the most aggressive rushing attacks in the nation — Saturday at UB Stadium, will they be able to do enough in the next two months to win the MAC East Division and land a trip to the MAC Championship?
It’s only one game, but it certainly feels as though Ohio needs a win Saturday to assure it will be in the running for Detroit come late November.
Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m.
Following along
How to watch: The game can be watched with a subscription on ESPN+. Michael Reghi and Dustin Fox will be on the call.
How to listen: The game can be heard on the Ohio IMG Sports Network. Russ Eisenstein and Rob Cornelius will be behind the mic. The broadcasts are available online through OhioBobcats.com and TuneIn.com/OhioBobcats.
Depth chart
Three things to watch for
Healthy running backs
The bye week allowed extra time for Julian Ross and O’Shaan Allison to recover from injuries that sidelined them Week 4 against Louisiana-Lafayette. Offensive coordinator Tim Albin was optimistic that both players will return against Buffalo, and they should provide a spark for a rushing attack that totaled 103 yards against Louisiana.
Ohio will likely return to a three-back rotation, too. De’Montre Tuggle has averaged six yards per carry and leads all running backs with three touchdowns. He’s too effective to not receive carries.
Tackling
Coach Frank Solich believes Ohio’s tackling problems in nonconference play were a result of facing talented running backs. That might be true, but the Bobcats won’t face anyone easier this weekend.
Jare Patterson and Kevin Marks rank in the top four of running backs in the MAC and have combined for 5.1 yards per carry and six touchdowns. Buffalo leads the country with 256 rushing attempts.
Limiting missed tackles against the Bulls is, without question, the biggest key if the Bobcats want to snap their three-game losing streak.
Shane Hooks
The redshirt freshman has arguably been Ohio’s best receiver after four games, yet he only has seven receptions.
Albin wants to change that, and that could happen against Buffalo. Hooks leads all Ohio receivers with 22.4 yards per reception and has been featured in most of the Bobcats’ biggest gains thus far. He deserves more chances, and Albin wants to give them to him.
“He’s made plays. He’s shown up,” Albin said. “We need him to do that in a tough environment in Buffalo.”
The edge
When Ohio has the ball: Two weeks ago, Ohio looked lost on offense to start against Louisiana. Slow starts have been a common theme for the Bobcats this season, but there is optimism after having a week off to improve. The bye week also gave time for the running backs room to heal, and while there hasn’t been a formal game status, Ross and Allison both practiced this week. If one of them returns, the Bobcats can try to find their ground game to start the conference season.
Edge: Ohio
When Buffalo has the ball: The Bulls are fifth in the nation in rushing attempts with 52.2 per game. Two of their running backs are ranked second and fourth in the conference in rushing yards. Ohio’s rush defense ranks ninth in the conference. With its noted tackling woes and struggles to create turnovers, Ohio will need the work it put in during the bye week to show quickly.
Edge: Buffalo
Special teams: If there’s an area where Ohio will more likely than not hold the edge over its opponent for the rest of the season, it’s in its special teams unit. Punter Michael Farkas has averaged 41.7 yards per punt and kicker Louie Zervos is a perfect 11-for-11 on PATs and 6-for-7 on field goals. Returns for both teams have been somewhat pedestrian, as the two rank in the middle of the conference both on punt and kickoff returns.
Edge: Ohio
Reading guide
- News and notes from Frank Solich's weekly press conference
- A look at the last three times Ohio has played Buffalo
- Meet Shane Hooks, Ohio's next big-play wide receiver
- On Nick Sink, his family bond and the plug-in-play of the Ohio offensive line
- Buffalo scouting report
ICYMI:
- How Devin King has brought attention to one of the most overlooked positions in football
- Ohio's starting linebackers are a tight-knit group
Predictions
Sports Editor Anthony Poisal: For the third consecutive game, Ohio’s defense will face an aggressive rushing attack capable of breaking tackles and wearing down defenses. The Bobcats have yet to prove they can handle that task, and there’s not much reason to believe that will change against the Bulls. Buffalo wins 35-23.
Sports Editor Matt Parker: Ohio is set to face arguably one of the best rushing teams in the MAC this weekend and will do so away from the comfort of Peden Stadium. The noted defensive woes had a week off and time to get fixed, but optimism is low when the issues are strategy-based. Buffalo wins 41-27.
