As the 2012 football season nears its close, Ohio is not sure where it will end up in terms of a bowl berth. Predictions from two weeks ago had Ohio playing in either the BBVA Compass Bowl or the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl.
But after losing three of the last four contests, the Bobcats are left hoping their compass pointed more to the north. Ohio needs a win to stabilize a bowl berth but faces the best team in the Mid-American Conference — No. 23 Kent State.
"I've not tracked anything in terms of the bowls," Ohio coach Frank Solich said. "What we're after is to finish our regular season with a win and that would make us feel fairly good about things."
The Golden Flashes feature one of the most electric players in the conference with running back Dri Archer. He currently ranks fourth in the NCAA with 2240 all-purpose yards.
Solich said he has not seen a player as dynamic as Archer in his tenure as a coach in the MAC.
"(In the MAC) we've had some really good playmakers, but Archer is special," he said. "I think you could place him in any conference in the country and he would be special."
He added that a key to the game is limiting the potential for big plays from Archer as well as making sure no other offensive weapons make big plays around him.
After senior Carl Jones and redshirt senior Neal Huynh were carted off the field in the second quarter of the Ball State loss, Solich said one has a good shot of being in the back in the mix to try and slow Archer down. He would not clairfy who it was Monday, opting to make it a game-time decision.
Big plays on the defensive side of the ball are just as important for the Golden Flashes.
The lead the nation in turnovers gained (33) and interceptions (21).
"They get you to do things that are out of the ordinary in terms of batting down balls, forcing you to scramble, and doing a lot of things that cause interceptions," Solich said.
After being on the losing end of three of the last four tilts, Solich said the team has responded well and was reenergized this week in practice.
"We're hoping we will have the energy to play four quarters, it's going to have to be that way," Solich said.
nr225008@ohiou.edu
