If Ohio were looking to paint a picture of its athletic success, Saturday evening would have been a good time to set up an easel.
An incessant clap of thunder-sticks and the roar of a record-breaking crowd under the lights welcomed the Bobcats to Peden Stadium for their first home game of the season, a 51-24 win against New Mexico State.
The victory, which marked the first time Ohio (2-0) scored more than 50 points since 2008, was far from perfect. Special-teams blunders, including a 91-yard Aggie kickoff return with only seconds remaining in the third quarter and a blocked 28-yard field goal attempt to close the first half, marred an otherwise solid performance.
Still, Ohio, a 21.5-point favorite, was less than dominant in the first half. The Bobcats went into the break leading by only seven points before breaking the game open by more than doubling their point total in the third quarter.
Ohio coach Frank Solich said the team was slightly frustrated with its play heading into halftime but did not make any major adjustments for the third quarter.
“We have to work better at being a whole-game team, not just a second-half team,” said redshirt sophomore safety Nathan Carpenter, who returned an interception for a touchdown in the third quarter.
The one gear in Ohio’s offensive machine that was cranking on high from the kickoff well through crunch time was redshirt junior running back Beau Blankenship, who pounded his way to a career-high 168 yards and two touchdowns.
Blankenship was a force in the trenches Saturday, tirelessly breaking down the Aggies (1-1) interior and averaging 6.2 yards per carry.
In his 93 touches last season, Blankenship rushed for 462 yards. Through two games, he’s already well eclipsed the halfway point of both marks.
Blankenship has said time and again he was mentally and physically prepared to handle a heavy workload heading into the season, and Solich said he has proved up to task.
“You get that many carries, and odds are that maybe a ball will be knocked loose, but that hasn’t been the case,” Solich said. “He’s done a great job holding on to the football, and he shows his (physicality) every time he runs.”
Blankenship was relieved of his duties in the fourth quarter in lieu of redshirt freshman Kyle Hammonds and freshman running back Daz’mond Patterson, who gained 57 all-purpose yards — third on the team — out of the backfield.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Derrius Vick led Ohio under center for the first time during the fourth quarter, as well.
The introduction of both players to Peden Stadium game action was perhaps the most exciting of any current Bobcats’. The official attendance was announced as almost 2,000 more than listed capacity, though aided by more than an estimated 2,000 High School Band Day participants and family members.
Ohio has hosted 24,000 or more five times since 2001, the largest of which was when 24,617 packed Peden for the Bobcats’ 2009 loss to the University of Connecticut.
Ohio players were pleased with the crowd’s size and energy and did not disappoint.
“I think we kept a level head, not getting too high on the limb from last week and just focusing on this game,” Blankenship said. “I think we came out, and we executed and did our jobs, and I think it showed.”
jr992810@ohiou.edu
