Tag: ohio

Ohio’s defense stifles UNLV in Frisco Bowl victory

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Sieh Bangura ran for 149 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries and Ohio kept UNLV out of the end zone until the final five minutes of a 17-10 win Tuesday in the Frisco Bowl in Frisco, Texas.

Bangura’s 23-yard scoring jaunt at the 11:04 mark of the third quarter, followed by a 2-point conversion pass from Parker Navarro to Chase Hendricks, gave the Bobcats (9-4) a 14-0 lead. David Dellenbach added a career-long 45-yard field goal with 10:49 left in the game for a 17-3 advantage.

The Rebels (10-3) closed within a score when quarterback Anthony Colandrea rushed for a 2-yard score with 4:45 remaining, but they never saw the ball again. Ohio melted the remaining time away with three first downs, sealing the outcome when Navarro ran for 7 yards on third-and-3 with 1:51 on the clock.

“Forty (wins) is the best we’ve ever had here in (four years),” Ohio interim coach John Hauser said. “It’s unbelievable.”

Navarro completed 11 of 15 passes for 143 yards with an interception and rushed for the Bobcats’ first score. Colandrea, the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year, hit 19 of 30 throws for 184 yards and an interception.

Ohio rushed for 207 yards and outgained UNLV 350-281, winning its seventh straight bowl game despite committing three turnovers. The Rebels were restricted to 97 rushing yards on 29 carries.

The pregame storyline was how the Bobcats would react to playing without Brian Smith, who was fired last week with cause by school administration after one season on the job.

“I’m just elated for these kids and coaches,” Hauser said. “Nobody flinched; they just came to work every day and they got it done.”

After a first quarter rife with mistakes — the teams combined for three turnovers and a blocked punt — Ohio managed to find some traction.

Navarro initiated scoring at the 10:02 mark of the second quarter with a 5-yard touchdown run for a 6-0 lead. The 10-play, 84-yard march was extended when UNLV was flagged for offsides to negate a fourth-and-2 incompletion at its 19. Dellenbach missed the extra point.

Meanwhile, UNLV’s offense never got untracked as the Bobcats kept Colandrea in check all night. The Rebels didn’t get on the board until Ramon Villela bombed a 50-yard field goal midway through the third quarter.

–Field Level Media

After fired coach’s scandal, Ohio tries to focus on UNLV in Frisco Bowl

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Much like the higher-profile situation at Michigan that cost Sherrone Moore his head coaching position, Ohio is enduring a similar plight as it prepares for its appearance in the Frisco Bowl Tuesday night against UNLV in Frisco, Texas.

Brian Smith’s first year as the Bobcats’ coach was his only year, as he was fired with cause by the school’s administration Wednesday. The school placed him on leave on Dec. 1 and then let him go, alleging that he participated in an extramarital affair with an Ohio student and also violated school policies regarding alcohol.

While Smith’s attorney disputes all the claims the university made in the termination letter, Ohio (8-4) has moved on. Defensive coordinator John Hauser is the interim coach and he has the task of getting the team to focus on a good opponent.

“Keeping them locked in, doing a ton of good-on-good where we can get better offensively and defensively,” Hauser said when asked how the Bobcats have prepared. “The guys have been giving us the effort we want.

“For us, it’s a reward to go to the bowl game. There’s a lot of seriousness to it but there’s also some fun. For our seniors, it’s our last game and everyone in our organization wants to send them out the right way.”

Unlike some interim coaches who have to navigate numerous departures via the portal, Hauser appears to have the depth chart intact for this game. That means Ohio can count on quarterback Parker Navarro and running back Sieh Bangura to do what they’ve done all year — produce.

Navarro threw for 2,232 yards and 14 touchdowns while adding 843 yards and eight scores on the ground. Bangura picked up 1,243 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground, while Chase Hendricks caught 67 passes for 950 yards and seven scores.

As for UNLV, first-year coach Dan Mullen continued the work Barry Odom did the previous two seasons before taking over at Purdue. The Rebels went 10-3 and played in their third straight Mountain West Conference championship game, losing 38-21 at Boise State on Dec. 5.

Mullen, who formerly ran the programs at Mississippi State and Florida, said his team is excited to get one more game.

“They want to get back out there and play again,” Mullen said. “The one thing that makes bowl games unique is the opportunity to travel and learn something new. There’s a lot of guys on our team that have never gotten to experience that part of the country.”

UNLV is led by Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year Anthony Colandrea, a Virginia transfer who threw for 3,275 yards and 23 touchdowns while adding 621 yards and nine scores on the ground. Colandrea set career highs in most categories as he adjusted nicely to Mullen’s spread attack.

Jai’Den Thomas starred on the ground with 985 yards and 12 touchdowns on just 137 carries, while 6-foot-4 receiver Jaden Bradley grabbed 54 passes for 869 yards and four scores.

If recent history is a guide, the Rebels will need to be at their best to win. Ohio has won its last six bowl games, the second-longest streak of its kind behind only Minnesota’s eight in a row.

–Field Level Media

Ohio fires coach Brian Smith, cites ‘serious professional misconduct’

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Ohio University announced Wednesday that it terminated the contract of head football coach Brian Smith following an administrative review of his actions while an employee.

The firing was for cause, the university said, after finding “Smith violated the terms of his employment agreement by engaging in serious professional misconduct and participating in activities that reflect unfavorably on the University.”

The university did not disclose any details.

He is the second NCAA head coach fired in the past week for cause. Michigan dismissed Sherrone Moore last Wednesday after an investigation by the school found “credible evidence” the coach engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.

Smith, 45, was put on an indefinite leave on Dec. 1 after the conclusion of an 8-4 season.

His tenure as Ohio’s head coach ends one day short of a year. The school announced Dec. 18, 2024, that Smith was being promoted from associate head coach with a very different tone to its statement.

“Brian Smith exemplifies the essence of the Ohio University community,” president Lori Stewart Gonzalez said that day. “He is a values-based coach with an incredible work ethic who is relentless in his pursuit of excellence. He has been an instrumental part of our football success in recent years and will be a tremendous leader of our program and representative of our University.”

He was hired to replace Tim Albin, who accepted the head-coaching job at Charlotte after leading the Bobcats to the Mid-American Conference title in 2024.

Ohio will face UNLV in the Frisco Bowl on Tuesday under the leadership of interim head coach John Hauser, who assumed the job when Smith was put on leave.

–Field Level Media

MAC Championship Preview: W. Michigan takes another shot at Miami

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Mid-American Conference Championship
Miami, Ohio (7-5) vs. Western Michigan (8-4)
Saturday, Noon ET (Ford Field, Detroit)

Western Michigan won the regular season conference title outright with a 7-1 record, ending a long absence in the championship game. The Broncos’ last appearance came during the 2016 season, when they defeated Ohio, 29-23.

Western Michigan has won eight of its last nine games after starting the season 0-3 against non-conference opponents.

Stout defense has been the key to the Broncos’ success. They only allowed 14.5 points per contest in MAC games, second best to Toledo (9.1). Offensively, they rely on a rushing attack that averaged 212 yards in conference play.

The RedHawks will be making their third straight appearance in the championship game. They defeated Toledo, 23-14, in 2023 and lost to Ohio, 38-3, last season. No team has gone to three title games in a row since Northern Illinois from 2010-15.

“There’s 18 teams that play this week. Fight for 11 months to be part of one of the nine games on Saturday,” RedHawks coach Chuck Martin said. “We lost 28 seniors, our top 15 offensive players and our whole entire offense, a ton of attrition during the year.”

Attrition is one word for what Miami has survived.

Quarterback Dequan Finn abruptly left the program with two games remaining to focus on the NFL draft. That pushed redshirt freshman Thomas Gotkowski to take over a backfield already hit hard by injuries.

“If you’d told me in August you’ll be playing Thomas Gotkowski, you’ll be down to your third, fourth, fifth tailback, (redshirt sophomore) Brock Uihlein is going to play the most snaps at linebacker in the two most pivotal games of the season,” Martin said, “I’d have said, ‘That’d be interesting. Not what we’re hoping for.’”

Miami (Ohio) handed Western Michigan its only conference loss on Oct. 25, scoring 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to notch a 26-17 victory.

The RedHawks tied for second place with Ohio and Toledo and lost to both teams but still snuck into the title game on a tiebreaker. Since Toledo and Ohio didn’t play each other, records against common opponents was used as the tiebreaker.

Ohio beat Miami in the championship game 38-3 last December.

Miami has a strong rushing defense (101.1 ypg in conference games) and held the Broncos to 3.7 yards per carry in their regular season meeting.

–Players to Know:
Miami (Ohio)
LB Jackson Kuwatch — Not only has Kuwatch made the second-most tackles on the team (87), he’s also second on the RedHawks in sacks (five).

RB Jordan Brunson — He’s led the RedHawks in rushing in each of the last seven games, including a 123-yard output against Buffalo on Nov. 19. 

Western Michigan
QB Broc Lowry — He’s a bigger threat as a runner than a passer. Lowry rushed for 875 yards and 14 touchdowns. He threw just seven touchdown passes but was only picked off twice.

DE Nadame Tucker — After playing sparingly for Houston in three seasons, Tucker took the MAC by storm, recording 12 sacks.

–MAC Championship Game history
Miami is 4-3 all-time in the MAC title game. Northern Illinois (nine times) is the only team to appear in more conference championship games than the RedHawks, who tie Toledo with their ninth appearance this week.

Western Michigan makes its fourth appearance in the MAC Championship. The Broncos last won the game in 2016.

–Field Level Media

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) looks to pass during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Grambling State Tigers at Ohio Stadium on Sept. 6, 2025.

Ohio not shying away from challenge at No. 1 Ohio State

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Ohio doesn’t have the resources to compete for a national title like its in-state brethren, defending champion Ohio State, but the Bobcats have the mindset that they can compete with the top-ranked Buckeyes when they play Saturday in Columbus.

The Bobcats (1-1) of the Mid-American Conference lost their opener 34-31 to a Big Ten school, Rutgers, then last week defeated West Virginia of the Big 12, 17-10.

“Our kids are extremely competitive,” Ohio coach Brian Smith said. “They’re very confident. They obviously know that this is a big challenge and we’re playing a really strong program that has obviously earned that right to be one of the top programs in the country and they’re excited for the challenge.”

For the Buckeyes (2-0), it’s another tune-up before opening Big Ten play at Washington on Sept. 27. They didn’t get any challenge in a 70-0 win over Grambling State and will look to improve on their pass rush and inconsistent running attack.

“Every play is an opportunity to get better,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “I think what we’re really trying to hammer home right now is that you can’t circle opponents on your schedule. You have to continually grow with the process and if you understand that it’s about us, it’s about our training, it’s not about the results.”

However, it will be almost impossible to improve the passing game with Julian Sayin coming off an 18-for-19 performance for 306 yards and four touchdowns against Grambling State. He completed a school-record 16 consecutive passes to open the game to earn the conference’s Freshman of the Week honors.

Sayin’s favorite target is Jeremiah Smith, whose 87-yard TD against Grambling State was the second-longest pass play in Ohio State history.

The Bobcats have an honoree as well in linebacker Michael Molnar, who earned the MAC Defensive Player of the Week award with seven tackles and 1.5 sacks against West Virginia.

“That’s a kid that’s long and that’s a really good athlete and cares a lot,” Smith said. “The more opportunities that he gets to get reps and play at full speed at a high level, the better he’s going to continue to get.”

The Buckeyes, under first-year defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, have allowed seven points in two games but will be tested by dual-threat quarterback Parker Navarro.

He has rushed 27 times for 180 yards (6.7 per carry) and one TD and completed 69.4 percent of his passes for 486 yards and four touchdowns this season, although he had three interceptions against West Virginia.

“You watch what he’s done against two Power (Four) opponents, one Big Ten opponent — he’s done some really good things,” Day said. “He’s spread the ball around. He can make plays off-schedule. He’s got good quickness. Competitive player. Ultimately, he’s a winner. He did that last week. It’s a good challenge for us.”

Day likes the in-state matchup.

“It’s good for the state. I think it’s great for their school. I think it’s great for our school,” he said. “When you’re from the state of Ohio, having a memory of playing in (Ohio Stadium) during your college career is significant. We know these guys are going to be playing with their hair on fire.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 6, 2025; Athens, Ohio, USA; Ohio Bobcats quarterback Parker Navarro (13) throws a pass during the second quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Peden Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Ohio survives sloppy game to knock off West Virginia

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After nearly pulling off a Power Four upset last week at Rutgers, Ohio pulled it off Saturday with a 17-10 win over West Virginia in Athens, Ohio.

Ohio quarterback Parker Navarro threw for 247 yards and ran for 87 more to lead the Bobcats (1-1) to their first-ever win against the Mountaineers (1-1) in the fifth all-time matchup/.

West Virginia struck first, scoring on a 32-yard rushing touchdown by Jahiem White at the 3:22 mark in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead.

Ohio responded on its next drive with a 37-yard field goal by kicker Brack Peacock with 1:07 left in the first to cut the lead to 7-3.

Ohio running back Sieh Bangura scored the Bobcats’ first touchdown of the game, capping off a 12-play, 71-yard, six-minute drive with a 1-yard rushing touchdown. Bangura finished the game with 20 rushing attempts for 66 yards and a touchdown.

The Bobcats padded their lead late in the first half with a 31-yard touchdown from Navarro to Chase Hendricks, who snagged eight catches for 121 yards, with 1:19 left on the clock.

A relatively clean first half turned into a sloppier one after the break. After combining for 24 points in the first half, the two teams only combined for three points in the third and fourth quarters.

After the Mountaineers ran for 393 yards last week, Ohio held West Virginia to just 72 yards on 28 carries.

Coming off being named the MAC offensive player of the week, Navarro threw three interceptions in the second half. West Virginia was not able to capitalize with a score off any of the turnovers.

West Virginia QB Nicco Marchiol was benched in the third quarter for former Texas A&M quarterback Jaylen Henderson. Henderson played two drives without completing a pass before Marchiol was brought back in the game.

The larger concern for West Virginia is the injury to White. The standout running back finished with six carries for 40 yards and a touchdown before being carted off the field late in the second quarter.

West Virginia wide receiver Jaden Bray also sustained an injury in the second half. He was the leading receiver for the Mountaineers, finishing with four catches for 69 yards.

Ohio outgained West Virginia 429-250 and dominated the time of possession 40:15 to 19:45.

–Field Level Media

Aug 30, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Rich Rodriguez sings “Country Roads” after defeating the Robert Morris Colonials at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images

West Virginia faces road test against Ohio

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West Virginia will take the field in Athens against Ohio on Saturday afternoon looking to build on a dominant Week 1 performance.

West Virginia routed Robert Morris 45-3 last weekend while running for 393 yards and five touchdowns. Eleven different players had at least one carry for the Mountaineers. Jahiem White led the attack with 93 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.

Despite the win, however, West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez said he wants to see a cleaner performance on Saturday.

“We obviously didn’t play well at all in the first half; West Virginia beating West Virginia,” Rodriguez said of his team, which was ahead only 10-3 at halftime. “There were some things we did OK, but we weren’t playing like we should have.”

Most experts picked West Virginia to finish toward the bottom of the Big 12 standings. A 2-0 beginning to the season would bring a positive start to the second Rodriguez era in Morgantown. He also coached the Mountaineers from 2001-07, going 60-26.

For Ohio, the Bobcats entered this season with high expectations and were picked to finish third in the MAC coaches preseason poll.

Ohio nearly upset Rutgers as a 15-point underdog in the opener on Aug. 28 but came up short, 34-31.

Despite the loss, Bobcats quarterback Parker Navarro was named MAC offensive player of the week. He finished the game 21 of 31 for 239 yards and three touchdowns. Rodriguez referred to Navarro as “one of the best quarterbacks in the nation.” But Ohio coach Brian Smith said he is aware of the challenges of going against a Power 4 conference team.

“Some of the tempo stuff on offense is going to be challenging,” Smith said. “Offensively for us, they are very multiple; they’re going to give you a lot of different looks. There’s a lot that they give you that you gotta handle at the line of scrimmage.”

–Field Level Media

Aug 28, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights wide receiver Ian Strong (9) is tackled by Ohio Bobcats cornerback Jaymar Mundy (8) during the first half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Athan Kaliakmani has all-around performance in Rutgers’ opening win over Ohio

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Athan Kaliakmanis threw a pair of touchdown passes as Rutgers nipped visiting Ohio 34-31 Thursday in both teams’ season opener in Piscataway, N.J.

Kaliakmanis finished without an interception going 18-of-23 for 252 yards, while Antwan Raymond chipped in 88 rushing yards and a touchdown for Rutgers (1-0). Ian Strong led the Scarlet Knights’ receiving corps with 100 yards on seven receptions, while KJ Duff and DT Sheffield each caught a touchdown for the hosts.

Parker Navarro went 21-of-31 for 239 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for Ohio (0-1). He added a team-high 93 yards and a TD on the ground, while Jake Bruno had two catches for two scores for the visitors.

After squandering a 17-point lead, Rutgers used a 14-play drive, spanning the third and fourth quarters, to break a 31-31 tie. Jai Patel’s 26-yard field goal with 11:11 remaining gave the Scarlet Knights a 34-31 edge.

Ohio punted midway through the fourth quarter and never saw the ball again. Kaliakmanis’ 10-yard completion to Sheffield on fourth-and-7 with under two minutes remaining sealed the win.

The game began with the Scarlet Knights uncorking a 12-play, 75-yard drive that Raymond capped with a 14-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-2.

Patel kicked a 23-yard field goal on Rutgers’ next possession. Then, on the first play after a punt by Ohio, Kaliakmanis found a wide-open Sheffield streaking down the left sideline for a 54-yard score to make it 17-7.

However, the Bobcats kept fighting, as Navarro’s 28-yard scramble eventually led to his 14-yard TD pass to Bruno to make it 17-14.

On the ensuing Rutgers possession, Kaliakmanis threw a 6-yard scoring strike to Duff as the lead increased to 24-14.

The Bobcats were set to punt on their next trip, but the snap was low and Magnus Haines’ attempt was blocked by Kaj Sanders. Cam Miller corralled the ball in the end zone to make it 31-14.

Ohio kicked a field goal in the waning seconds of the first half to get within 31-17. Navarro then ran for a score (17 yards) and threw for one (13 yards to Bruno) to draw the visitors even with 4:07 left in the third quarter.

–Field Level Media

Dec 26, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (16) against the Kansas State Wildcats during the second half of the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Rutgers, Ohio match potent, proven offenses

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After posting back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in more than a decade, Rutgers aims for greater success in 2025.

The Scarlet Knights open their season Thursday when they host Ohio in a nonconference matchup in Piscataway, N.J.

Rutgers went 7-6 last season while averaging 28.9 points — the program’s highest output since 2008. The team converted 44 percent of its third downs and threw only seven interceptions, both marks being the school’s best in years.

Athan Kaliakmanis, who transferred from Minnesota prior to last season, threw for 2,696 yards with 18 touchdowns in his first year at Rutgers. Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano continues to be pleased with the senior’s progress, on and off the field.

In fact, Kaliakmanis was named one of the team’s four captains, as disclosed by Schiano this week.

“Athan Kaliakmanis, our quarterback, has transferred in and has become literally the leader of our program,” Schiano said. “This is definitely his football team.”

Defensively, Schiano knows he can count on linebacker Dariel Djabome (team-high 105 tackles in 2024) and defensive lineman Jordan Walker, who had four sacks a season ago.

Meanwhile, the Bobcats went 11-3 in 2024, marking their third straight season with double-digit wins. Brian Smith coached the team to a win in the Cure Bowl after Tim Albin bolted for Charlotte, and he’s set to begin his first full season on the sidelines.

Ohio’s offense features quality players such as quarterback Parker Navarro, who accounted for 31 touchdowns (including 18 on the ground) last season. Sieh Bangura, who rushed for 1,982 yards and 22 touchdowns in three seasons for the Bobcats before spending last year at Minnesota, has returned to reclaim the starting running back position for Ohio.

“A really good back,” Schiano said. “Downhill runner. Tough runner. A guy that we’re going to have to strap it up (against).”

One player that Ohio will not have at its disposal Thursday is defensive end Bradley Weaver, who totaled 14.5 sacks for the Bobcats the last two years before transferring to Rutgers in the offseason.

“I’m excited to see (Weaver) because I love him as a person,” Smith said. “He was a joy to coach.”

This is the fifth meeting between the teams and the first since 2011.

–Field Level Media