Ohio only has one Mid-American Conference loss this season. With six games left, there’s plenty of time to build a run to the MAC Championship in November.
Yet it feels as though Ohio is in a hole. A deep one.
The same problems that cost them wins in nonconference play returned last week in a loss to Northern Illinois, and the Bobcats (2-4, 1-1 MAC) will have another chance to correct them against Kent State (3-3, 2-0 MAC) on Saturday at Peden Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m.
The Golden Flashes don’t appear to be an easy win, but that’s what the Bobcats need if they want to win the MAC East and make the conference championship.
A loss to Kent, however, will confirm that the figurative hole is as deep as it seems.
Below you’ll find a guide to gameday with how to follow along, the depth charts, three things to watch for, who has the edge, a reading guide and predictions.
Following along
How to watch: The game can be watched on CBS Sports Network. Dave Ryan, Corey Chavous and Angel Gray 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
Ohio offense
Ohio defense
Kent offense
Kent defense
Three things to watch for
Ohio’s defense in the second half
Last week, Ohio was torched by NIU in the second half.
The Bobcats allowed 387 yards and 29 points in the last two quarters from the Huskies, who scored points on their last five drives of the game.
Coach Frank Solich and defensive coordinator Ron Collins plan to lower snap counts from starters to fix Ohio’s second-half struggles, which were prevalent in the nonconference season, too.
Maybe that’s what the Bobcats need to ensure that Kent’s offense, ranked eighth in the MAC with 22.8 points per game, doesn’t run wild in the second half.
“We're going to look at trying to sub out earlier and and try to keep little fresher guys on the field at times,” Solich said.
Julian Ross
The running back had his first dose of action since Week 2 last week and had nine carries for 29 yards. He wasn’t necessarily needed — Ohio still totaled 178 rushing yards — but should provide a bigger spark this week against Kent’s rushing defense, which is ranked last in the conference.
The Flashes have allowed an average of 247 rushing yards per game. With the Bobcats’ typical run-heavy approach, Ross should receive plenty of carries. Quarterback Nathan Rourke and running back O’Shaan Allison could cash in with big games, too.
Kent’s defensive line
Ohio’s offensive line certainly has the weight advantage at the line of scrimmage.
The Bobcats’ starting offensive line average 308 pounds. Kent, however, only has four defensive linemen over 250 pounds.
It should still be a battle for Ohio’s offense. Kent is fourth in the MAC with 16 sacks despite playing three Power 5 opponents, and its defensive line is quick and can storm the pocket.
The Bobcats will likely counter with a heavy rushing attack, but they could be in trouble if they need quarterback Nathan Rourke to pass more frequently in a tight game.
The edge
When Ohio has the ball: Rourke yet again led an impressive display in his senior campaign last week against NIU. He had 340 total yards against the Huskies, and offensive coordinator Tim Albin wasn’t afraid to get creative with the play calls. Even though the Flashes statistically rank at the bottom of the conference defensively because of their heavy Power 5 nonconference schedule, their two MAC wins came against Bowling Green and Akron – the 10th and 11th-ranked offenses in the MAC.
Edge: Ohio
When Kent has the ball: Kent has outscored its first two MAC opponents a combined 88-23 and hasn’t shown signs of stopping. Sure, it looked bad against the Power 5 schools but amongst an even playing field, dual-threat quarterback Dustin Crum should see success against a struggling Ohio defense.
Edge: Kent
Special teams: The Bobcats had a punt blocked last week on their first attempt early in the first quarter, but after the early snafu, the unit was fine. Punter Michael Farkas has quietly been one of Ohio’s most consistent players this season and has flipped the field on most of his punts.
Edge: Ohio
Reading guide
- News and notes from Solich's press conference
- A look at Ohio's last three games against Kent State
- Stock watch following Ohio's loss to Northern Illinois
- Defensive disconnect apparent
- Kent State preview
Predictions
Sports Editor Anthony Poisal: Last week’s loss was tough to swallow, and the Bobcats will be in big trouble if they can’t rebound against the Flashes. Ohio needs to win any way it can, but it has yet to play a quality four-quarter performance against an FBS opponent. It has a five-game winning streak against Kent, however, and I think that continues — barely. Ohio wins 27-26.
Sports Editor Matt Parker: It’s hard to win football games when you struggle to do the simple things. Ohio hasn’t won the turnover battle this season, it hasn’t generated the big stops and it hasn’t played a full 60-minute game where it looked like a complete performance. If that doesn’t change this week at home in a division game, it’s hard to say when it will. Ohio wins 17-6.
