Sometimes it isn’t how you win, it’s if you win.
That was the case tonight with Ohio’s offense, defense and special teams rising to the occasion when it needed to, capitalizing on multiple Marshall miscues for a 34-31 victory and keeping “The Bell” in Athens for a third straight season.
“I thought we did what we had to do to win it,” coach Frank Solich said.
Ohio (2-1) dominated the turnover battle, forcing three Marshall fumbles that resulted in 14 Bobcat points in the first half and a Cato interception in the second half, resulting in a plus four lead in turnover differential.
The first fumble was forced by Xavier Hughes and recovered by Brandon Purdum at the Ohio 47 and it didn’t take the Bobcats long to take advantage.
Quarterback Tyler Tettleton found a way to put the ball in tight end Troy Hill’s hands, as the redshirt senior’s first reception of the season came on a 30-yard gain that brought Ohio into Marshall (2-1) territory.
Hill followed up with two more receptions on the opening drive, including a four-yard touchdown catch, capping off a nine play, 53-yard drive that gave the Bobcats an early 7-0 lead with 9:14 remaining in the first quarter.
“I just came back into a rhythm,” Hill said. “I’m just trying to play my part, getting open as much as I can and (Tettleton) will find me. So I’m trying to stay consistent and do what I do.”
Marshall eventually responded as Marshall QB Rakeem Cato, who drew comparisons to Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater from Solich earlier in the week, went five-for-five during a drive that was culminated by Kevin Grooms’ one-yard run with 4:01 left in the first quarter.
Matt Green then kicked a 32-yard field goal that provided the Bobcats a 10-7 lead, but madness ensued on the following kickoff.
Thundering Herd return man Steward Butler couldn’t get a handle on the Josiah Yazdani kickoff, bobbling it and eventually kicking it toward his own goal line.
Just before it rolled out of the Marshall end zone, Toran Davis jumped on the ball, providing Ohio with a 17-7 lead.
“It was kind of wild,” Devin Bass said. “It was like a mad scramble. For us to get that when we did was huge.”
After halftime, each team’s offense rose to the occasion.
Ohio opened the second half on a blistering, nine-play, 79-yard drive that ended on a three-yard touchdown run from redshirt senior Beau Blankenship.
Marshall responded the very next drive with a three yard run by Essray Taliaferro and brought the Herd back to within a touchdown.
But as was the theme in the second half, the opposing offense responded, as a 17-play, 75-yard drive that ate up 8:31 of time was culminated on a two-yard from Blankenship.
Defensive miscues on the next drive allowed Marshall to bring themselves back to within a score, as miscommunications in the secondary led to Herd tight end Gator Hoskins to be wide open for a 38-yard touchdown.
After Ohio’s next drive flamed out at the Marshall 43, Cato took over at his own 17.
On first down, Cato was looking for Demetrius Evans, but found Bass instead, as Evans slipped on his route and gave Bass a clear route to the interception.
That play capped off a big day for the redshirt sophomore, who finished with 11 total tackles after being pushed into a starting role with the depth at the corner position being depleted by injury.
“I’m one of the newer corners out there, so a corner must be tried,” Bass said. “Tonight, I felt like I was just able to do my part and play to the best of my abilities.”
Another Green field goal put the Bobcats up 34-24 with 4:18 remaining, but Cato wouldn’t go quietly, as he drove the Herd 66 yards and eventually walked in the endzone on a one-yard touchdown run.
Marshall attempted an onside kick with 29 seconds left in the game, but the ball sailed out of bounds to clinch the Ohio victory.
It was a sharp second half for Tettleton who, after completing only six-of-15 passes in the first half, only missed on four attempts in the second half to finish 25-38, with 266 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.
ch203310@ohiou.edu
@c_hoppens
