In Ohio’s quadruple-overtime win against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks, there were many times the Bobcats were on the ropes and had to look toward their rowdy student section to help rattle the Gamecocks.
Despite a 10-point fourth-quarter comeback by the Bobcats, the Gamecocks found themselves in a position to kick a 38-yard field goal as time expired and to walk off Ohio’s historic 13-game home winning streak.
The 38-yard field goal, while not automatic, is considered fairly easy for college kickers. As all hope seemed lost, a small group of students ran onto Victory Hill behind the south end zone, where the kick was taking place, to distract Jacksonville State’s kicker, Garrison Rippa.
This led to Rippa missing the field goal wide right by a good margin and sending the game to overtime.
“We were playing overtime because of the students and where they were at,” John Hauser, Ohio’s head coach, said. “That was such a big advantage for us, and I’m so grateful for them.”
While overtime was about to begin, over 100 students were inspired to help support their team on Victory Hill. People from all over the stadium ran to the Hill, some taking their shirts off and waving them around in the air to create a distraction.
As the game went on into the night and the rain kept pouring, the Ohio student section stayed fierce and loud while standing behind their football team.
“I’ve never seen a student section like it,” sophomore safety Darren James-Hamilton said. “Our record on the Frank is 21-1 now, and there is nothing like this atmosphere anywhere I’ve been.”
The overtime periods came and went with no winner, and while the teams were switching sides, the student section would sprint from one end zone to another to support the Bobcats.
This all came to a head in quadruple overtime when Ohio needed to stop Jacksonville State at the 2-yard line to be victorious. The rowdy Bobcat crowd behind the end zone caused a Gamecock offensive lineman to false start, which moved them 5 yards back.
Jacksonville State ended up just 1 yard short of tying the game, and Ohio won the game and immediately went to celebrate with the student section, who essentially helped them win the game.
“I’ve got to experience a lot of amazing games here, and that was one of the best,” Michael Molnar, redshirt senior linebacker, said. “The rain and the student section, and everyone staying. It means the world to us, and that really gives us a boost while playing.”
This come-from-behind win for Ohio marks its first win of the season, first home win of the season and 14th straight home win, which is the second-longest streak in all of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), behind the Indiana Hoosiers with 16 straight home wins.
“It was just such a great environment to get a win and keep the streak alive,” Coach Hauser said.
