Ohio in its up-and-down season had an up day at home against Kent State in its 45-38 win.
In a game that featured 1,047 combined total offensive yards, the Bobcats second half defense found a way to slow down the fast-paced Golden Flashes.
Here are The Post’s quick takeaways from Ohio’s final October home game.
Nathan Rourke show
The senior quarterback continues to play at his best as the Bobcats go down the Mid-American Conference gauntlet.
He started the game off with six completions before his first misfire, an intended post route to Ty Walton. Rourke finished the day 19-for-28 with 342 yards and two touchdowns.
One of the better dual-threat quarterbacks as well, Rourke was effective with his legs on 14 carries for 79 yards and two more touchdowns.
Walton, Cox among receivers to have a day
Walton, a redshirt freshman, has been trying to find his way in an offense that hasn’t established a clear-cut No. 1 guy. While Shane Hooks a week ago appeared to be that guy, it was Walton today who received plenty of looks from Rourke – including a key 21-yard reception to keep an Ohio drive alive.
Isiah Cox also had a marquee performance for the Bobcats. The redshirt sophomore was targeted early and often with his four targets and two catches. None more important, however, than his first catch – a 49-yard touchdown that gave Ohio its first of the game. Cox’s fumble on a punt in the third quarter, while it can’t be overlooked, was more than made up behind his 115 receiving yards.
Penalty concerns a plenty
Ohio heading into the game had the least penalties in the MAC with 28 for 248 yards. Its smart play went missing against the Flashes after it had nine penalties for 105 yards. Three of those occurred on a Kent drive that tied the game up at 31 just shy of halfway through the fourth quarter.
A relatively disciplined program, Ohio finished first in the conference last season with 64 penalties, but finished in second in terms of yardage with 652.
