With 55 seconds remaining in the first half of the game against Eastern Michigan on Thursday, Ohio redshirt junior quarterback Tyler Tettleton had the ball in his hands with a chance to make amends for Saturday’s befuddling final series against Miami.
It wasn’t even a two-minute drill, but a 55-second one that Ohio executed masterfully, extending its lead to 10 points heading into halftime. The Bobcats would build on the margin after the break, widening it to 45-14, but by halftime, the deed was done. The Bobcats had their confidence back.
The play was one for the highlight reels, but not even the most spectacular of the evening. Redshirt junior wide receiver Donte Foster, who was Tettleton’s top intended target with time winding down against Miami, hauled in a pass on the far sideline with less than 15 seconds remaining in the half. A couple strides and a felled defender later, he tiptoed into the end zone for six points for one of his two scores of the night.
“You don’t think about past situations,” said Foster, who had a season-high 164 receiving yards. “You’re just living in the moment and want to get down there and score and we did.”
The touchdown set the tone for the remainder of the game, during which the Bobcats led the Eagles in every major offensive statistical category.
The advantage wasn’t just on paper, though. Ohio dominated the game’s second half, from physicality to penalties and everything in between.
“We were able then to start clicking off some things and have some offense that was real productive and just kind of separated us in the second half,” said Ohio coach Frank Solich.
Little went Eastern Michigan’s way in the game, starting with a 39-yard field goal attempt that clanged off the left upright on its first drive of the game.
The Eagles’ strongest effort was put forth early in the game, though, as referenced by the score following the first quarter, which was deadlocked at seven.
On the Bobcats’ first play after redshirt junior running back Beau Blankenship scored the game’s opening touchdown, Tettleton dropped back and unleashed a 30-yard bomb down the right sideline, hitting redshirt sophomore wide receiver Chase Cochran with an on-point over-the-shoulder pass. It dropped to the ground, though, and on the next play, Blankenship relinquished his second fumble of the season.
The Eagles quickly made good of the miscue, and only four plays and 28 yards later, they brought the score to a tie on a 17-yard play-action pass from redshirt sophomore quarterback Tyler Benz to sophomore running back Ryan Brumfield.
Otherwise, there weren’t a lot of positives to pull from the first half for the Eagles.
Ohio went into the break having rushed for 150 yards — just less than half Eastern Michigan’s average allowance per game — and passed for 16 yards more. Redshirt junior running back Ryan Boykin ended the game with seven yards per carry and a total of 128 yards and a touchdown, while Blankenship had 72 yards and a score.
“Everything was clicking,” Boykin said. “Every hole was open. I can’t give enough credit to the line, but it seemed like we couldn’t miss. We were hitting everything.”
It was after the break when Ohio’s offense shone through, however.
Despite a stalled drive to begin the second half, Ohio took charge on its second possession, where it took only four plays to cash in another touchdown — making good of a simple return route for a 79-yard score. It was the Bobcats’ longest play of the season, which was more than 20 yards longer than Foster’s career-long reception, and capped Ohio’s longest drive of the year.
From there on out, momentum was tilted exclusively in Ohio’s favor. The Bobcats turned around an interception from redshirt junior linebacker Keith Moore deep in their own territory for seven points, courtesy of a 13-yard plunge from Boykin, and added a 29-yard dance from freshman running back Daz’mond Patterson to solidify the final score with two minutes remaining.
The one overwhelming negative taken away from Ohio’s victory was the loss of sophomore wide receiver Landon Smith, who was helped off the field in the second quarter with an ankle injury. Solich said after the game that the injury would require surgery.
Aside from the setback, Solich was able to draw many positives from the win. The Bobcats totaled four sacks in the game and converted eight of 12 third-down opportunities. They also had 559 yards of total offense — their highest total since their win against New Mexico State in week two.
With only five days remaining until their next game against Bowling Green, keeping players’ psyches positive is key for Solich and his crew.
“The momentum factor of winning a game like this the way we did is big and should really help us with our mindset,” Solich said.
jr992810@ohiou.edu
