the wide receiver said. We're going bowling.
The Bobcats likely won't be at the local alley anytime soon, but they are going bowling.
In a game that all but guaranteed if Ohio was going to a bowl game, LaVon Brazill returned a punt and caught two touchdowns, leading the Bobcats to a 38-31 win over Northern Illinois Saturday afternoon.
This win means a lot to us the wide receiver said. We're going bowling.
The match up with the Huskies (7-4, 5-2 MAC) amounted to an elimination game, with the winner nearly guaranteed a spot in one of the three bowls the Mid-American Conference has tie-ins with.
And an obviously tense game was made even more nerve-racking with pressure-filled situation after pressure-filled situation.
The teams were tied at 14 at half, and from the third quarter on they traded scores like prizefighters trade punches.
But with 1:39 seconds left in the game, cornerback Julian Posey delivered the knockout punch when he turned a Chandler Harnish pass into an Ohio pick-six. Ohio took a 38-31 lead and, barring a miracle, had locked up a bowl berth.
Posey came up to me right before that play. He said 'bro
I got you
it's all love right now
I got you right here
' safety Patrick Tafua said. Boy
did he step up on that play.
Posey stepped up on that play, but he was just the latest in a string of Bobcats who came up with big plays.
One could argue they've been doing at all year. Ohio (8-3, 6-1 MAC) is second in the nation in forced turnovers, the offense's key to victory has been the big score and non-offensive touchdowns are a common occurrence.
No two plays were bigger than a pair of fourth downs - one on defense and one on offense - Ohio converted during this fourth quarter.
With 8:35 remaining in the game and Ohio trailing 28-24, Ohio faced a fourth-and-one on Northern Illinois' 38-yard line. No doubt many of the fans in Peden Stadium thought back to an eerily similar situation against Kent State when the Bobcats went for a fourth-and-two late in the game and failed before losing the game
This time, following a timeout, quarterback Theo Scott lined up under center, rolled to his right and hit wide receiver Taylor Price for a 4-yard gain. Six plays later, Scott found Price again, but this time he made his way to the end zone. Ohio led 31-28 with 5:38 left in the game.
What I liked about it was the offense wanted to go and the defense wanted us to punt
said coach Frank Solich. That showed that the offense coaches felt they could get it; the defensive coaches felt that if we could get them pinned down there
we'll hold them and get the ball back.
So we just went.
After the offense did its part
it was the defense's turn.
The Huskies were driving
