The stakes couldn’t be any higher for this year’s version of the “Battle of the Bricks.”
Ohio and Miami are tied at the top of the Mid-American Conference East Division standings, and the winner will take a giant leap toward punching a ticket to the MAC Championship.
It will also be the only game played on the 150th anniversary of the first college football game, and the two teams will play in front of a national audience on ESPN2.
The Bobcats have to do well. In recent memory against the RedHawks, they have.
Here’s a look at the last three games against Miami:
2018
The RedHawks defeated the Bobcats 30-28, a result that ultimately kept Ohio out of last year’s MAC Championship.
Ohio’s second half comeback fell short after quarterback Nathan Rourke was tackled in the end zone for a safety with six minutes left.
Even though the Bobcats scored a touchdown three minutes later, they failed to recover the onside kick, and the game ended.
After it scored on its opening drive, Ohio was blanked until near the end of the third quarter. The defense allowed 28 consecutive points.
2017
Rourke set a then-personal record with 294 passing yards and went 21-for-33 with three touchdowns as the Bobcats defeated the RedHawks 45-28 in Peden Stadium.
Rourke threw his touchdowns to three different receivers in Brendon Cope, Papi White and Jerrid Marhefka.
On top of his three passing touchdowns, Rourke also had three rushing touchdowns, all of which came inside the 10-yard line.
The defense allowed nearly 450 yards of total offense, but it shut out Miami in the fourth quarter to preserve the 35-28 lead before Ohio scored 10 more in the final quarter.
2016
The Bobcats failed to tally 200 yards of total offense, but they still managed to leave Yager Stadium with a 17-7 win on their resume that opened up conference play.
Ohio clung onto a 10-7 lead as the clock dwindled. Former defensive lineman Kevin Robbins recovered a Miami fumble in the end zone and scored what was the game-winning score.
Former quarterback Greg Windham scored Ohio’s lone offensive touchdown on a 9-yard run near the halfway mark of the second quarter.
The Bobcats defense had two fumble recoveries, two interceptions and sacked the quarterback seven times for 53 yards.
Ohio’s win over Miami was the first of six conference victories. The Bobcats made the MAC Championship — their most recent championship appearance — but lost 29-23 to Western Michigan.
