Ohio University dropped its season opener in Lincoln, Nebraska, today as it took on the Nebraska Cornhuskers for the first time in program history. Despite a very tough fight from the Bobcats for most of the game, the skill gap between the two teams was a little too much for Ohio to overcome as it lost 49-21.
This game was very close early on. Ohio got the ball first and scored in just three plays as quarterback Nick Poulos connected with wide receiver Riley Neer for 68 yards on the first play.
“It’s a great opener, hard to beat,” Poulos said. “First play of the game you see a little bit of that hard work that you’ve been putting in.”
Poulos would connect with Neer again two plays later for the touchdown to go up 7-0. Nebraska easily marched down the field on its first drive, while also converting some tough third downs along the way and scoring to tie the game at seven apiece.
Ohio then formed another good drive and ended it with a 42-yard field goal by kicker Will Hryszko to give the Bobcats the lead at the end of the first quarter, 10-7.
After a defensive stop for Ohio, it constructed another strong drive down the field, and Hryszko would kick another field goal, this one for 45 yards, to give Ohio a 13-7 lead.
The Bobcats offense played very strong early despite struggling to establish a run game, which is something they were not able to do at all during the game.
“I think they did a good job of loading the box at times, and they’re big and strong up front,” Ohio Head Coach John Hauser said about the team's struggles with establishing a run game. “We didn’t always block them to the right place. So, we have to get the run game going, because it's in our DNA.”
Nebraska went on to score a touchdown through the air with eight minutes left in the first half, as the half ended with the Cornhuskers leading 14-13 over the Bobcats.
The third quarter started very well for Ohio, as it forced a quick punt from Nebraska and then marched into field goal range. After starting 2-for-2, Hryszko missed the go-ahead 49-yard field goal as the Bobcats weren’t able to capitalize.
After the missed field goal, Nebraska easily ran down the field as its running game effortlessly tore apart every piece of Ohio’s defense, while scoring a touchdown to add eight points. From this point on, the Bobcats' defense could do nothing against the Cornhuskers' running game, as Nebraska was able to do whatever it wanted on the ground.
“In the second half we got schemed up a little bit, and outmatched physically,” linebacker Jack Fries said. “A lot of that falls on me. I’ve got to be better at communicating, getting more knockback on my block construction and leading the defense better.”
In the second half, the Cornhuskers rushed for 176 yards and three touchdowns, which ended up being the driving factor in what became an offensive explosion for them after halftime.
Ohio was no stranger to a talented rushing game today, despite never being able to establish the run. Poulos surprisingly led Ohio in rushing yards with 70 on 10 carries and a rushing touchdown.
“I wouldn’t say I came in expecting to rush as much as I did,” Poulos said. “I pride myself in taking what the defense gives me. A lot of those runs weren’t necessarily designed for me, but plays break down. I believe in myself and my ability to use my legs to get first downs.”
Eventually, early in the fourth quarter, Ohio would give up on trying to establish the run game, as Poulos either passed or ran it himself on eight of the 10 of the plays on this drive. That led to Ohio putting together a beautiful drive ending in a touchdown and a successful two-point conversion to make it 28-21 with 12 minutes remaining.
Nebraska just kept pounding the Bobcats' defense by running the ball over and over again as Ohio couldn’t do anything about it, which would lead to the floodgates opening as Nebraska would score three straight touchdowns to send Ohio packing with a score of 49-21.
Poulos put on a great show in the air and on the ground with little help from the running game, and the defense showed flashes of great play throughout the game.
The Bobcats will try to put it all together and polish some areas of the team for their home opener next week against Jacksonville State University to protect its historic home winning streak.
