CINCINNATI — Nathan Rourke and the Ohio offense got the ball down by four points with 3:18 remaining Saturday. Ohio had blown a 21-point first half lead. Rourke was tasked with taking Ohio down the field and winning the game.
But on third and goal from the 1-yard line, Rourke scrambled right and threw an interception at the goal line with just less than a minute remaining, which sunk the Bobcats' comeback attempt in their 34-30 loss at Nippert Stadium.
The interception at the goal line was the final chapter of a crazy fourth quarter. Ohio kicker Louie Zervos knocked in a 47-yard field goal to open the fourth quarter, but Cincinnati responded with a quick two-minute drive that resulted in a 26-yard touchdown pass to cut the Ohio lead to just two before Michael Warren II's game-winning score, a 3-yard run, with under four minutes to go.
Nathan Rourke seemed to have returned to the quarterback he was last season before the goal line blunder. The signal caller was 12-for-27, throwing for 178 yards and a touchdown.
He dazzled in the first half, when Ohio's offense was clicking, and it jumped out to an early lead. Rourke was 7-of-13 for 83 yards and a touchdown, and he added 61 yards and another touchdown on the ground. His usual favorite target, Papi White, was blanketed for much of the day, but Rourke found Cam Odom five times for 114 yards, a new career high for the receiver.
Ohio’s defense, which was averaging nearly 600 yards against per game coming in, showed signs of life, allowing just 424 yards of total offense. The Bobcats also gave up a season low in points.
Ohio struck first, using two 15-yard penalties on Cincinnati to extend its second drive. A Bearcats’ roughing the kicker penalty on a punt gave Ohio a new set of downs, and a personal foul later in the drive set the Bobcats up inside the 10-yard line. A.J. Ouellette scored from 9 yards out, and the Bobcats grabbed an early lead.
The second score of the afternoon came after Rourke drove Ohio down the field with ease, and he capped the series off with a touchdown pass.
Cincinnati couldn’t find the end zone until it had already spotted Ohio a 21-point lead. Trailing 24-7 at the end of the half, the Bearcats had a field goal attempt blocked in the final seconds.
Ohio hasn't defeated Cincinnati since 1979, when the Bobcats beat the Bearcats at Nippert, 27-7.
