With Saturday's win against Eastern Illinois, the Bobcats finished non-conference play with two straight victories.
The Bobcats didn’t dominate an inferior Football Championship Subdivision opponent, but at the end of the day, it didn’t matter.
Ohio won a second consecutive home game, topping FCS opponent Eastern Illinois 34-19 in a game led by a young offense.
Because quarterback Derrius Vick was out with a knee injury, left tackle Mike McQueen was serving a team-issued one-game suspension and running back Daz Patterson has struggled holding on to the ball, Ohio used its depth to top Eastern Illinois.
Three freshman linemen saw time Saturday, including a pair who started. They had the task of protecting redshirt sophomore JD Sprague in his first career start.
“It put quite a bit of pressure on those freshman linemen,” coach Frank Solich said. “We put 34 points on the board, so they must’ve done something at some point.”
Solich’s joking aside, the offensive line stopped Eastern Illinois (1-4) from recording sacks or forcing fumbles.
Ohio (3-2) was outgained 432-387, mainly because of the 289 yards and touchdown through the air, plus another 112 yards and a score on the ground by Panthers quarterback Jalen Whitlow.
However, Ohio out-rushed Eastern Illinois 229-143 thanks to 92 yards and two touchdowns from freshman running back A.J. Ouellette, who left the game in the second half with a rolled ankle and didn’t return as a precaution. Patterson then took over the backfield and carried five times for 39 yards, despite not starting for the first time this year.
Although they were outgained in total, the Bobcats cruised to victory despite a pair of Panthers scores in the fourth quarter.
Solich said flashy running plays, like Ouellette’s 65-yard touchdown dash in the second quarter, have been key to Ohio’s success over the past two games.
“In the past we were only getting explosive plays out of the throwing game,” Solich said. “Now we’re getting them out of the running game as well. That’s enabled (us to) eat up a lot of yards very quickly on drives.”
Sprague finished with 143 passing yards and another 69 yards on the ground, plus a pair of rushing touchdowns. However, his two interceptions will be ingrained in his mind until he has the chance to redeem himself.
He said his first career start was “very average.”
“I think I made some plays but I left a lot out there,” Sprague said. “I hold myself to a higher standard and I feel like I could’ve made those plays.”
With the non-conference schedule completed, Ohio will set its sights on Mid-American Conference play this week — beginning with an away game against Central Michigan on Saturday. The Bobcats already sit atop the MAC after defeating Kent State in the season opener.
“We’re starting to pick it up on offense and big plays are starting to happen,” Ouellette said. “I feel like the offense has a rhythm out there now.”
@Alex_Busch91
ab109410@ohio.edu
