(Photo Credit: Matthew OHaren/USA TODAY Sports)
Key Players Returning:
QB Kurtis Rourke, RB Sieh Bangura, WR Miles Cross, WR Jacoby Jones, WR/PR Sam Wiglusz, OC Parker Titsworth, OT Jay Amburgey, OT Shedrick Rhodes Jr., DE Vonnie Watkins, NT Rodney Matthews, LB Bryce Houston, LB Keye Thompson, CB Justin Birchette, CB Torrie Cox Jr., FS Ben Johnson, KR Keegan Wilburn and PT Jack Wilson.
Key Players Departing:
WR James Bostic, TE Ryan Luehrman, OG Bryce Ramer, OG Hagen Meservy, DE Bryce Dugan, NT Kai Caeser, LB Cannon Blauser, CB Zack Sanders, NB Alvin Floyd, FS Tariq Drake and PK Nathaniel Vakos.
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: WR Chase Hendricks (St. Louis, Missouri), RB Rickey Hunt Jr. (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), DL Kobi Gorman (Pickerington, Ohio), LB Andrew Marshall (Carroll, Ohio), CB Byron Pearson (Senatobia, Mississippi), TE Mason Williams (Mogadore, Ohio), CB Miles Fleming (Minnesota transfer), ATH Jayvian Crable (Akron, Ohio), CB Kendall Bannister (Woodridge, Virginia) and QB Jacob Winters (Jackson, Ohio).
2022 Results:
G01 FAU W 41-38
G02 @ Penn State L 10-46
G03 @ Iowa State L 10-43
G04 FORDHAM W 59-52
G05 @ Kent State L | OT 24-31
G06 AKRON W 55-34
G07 @ Western Michigan W 33-14
G08 NORTHERN ILLINOIS W 24-17
G09 BUFFALO W 45-24
G10 @ Miami (OH) W 37-21
G11 @ Ball State W 32-18
G12 BOWLING GREEN W 38-14
MAC TOLEDO L 7-17
BOWL @ Wyoming W | OT 30-27
Team Info:
2022 Overall: 10-4 (1st in MAC East)
Home: 6-0
Away: 3-3
Neutral: 1-1
MAC: 7-1
Non-MAC: 3-3
Head Coach: Tim Albin
Ohio: 14-13
Career: 39-21
Bowls: 1-0
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Kurtis Rourke (244-353, 3257 yards, 69.1%, 9.2 avg., 25 TD, 4 INT)
Rushing: Sieh Bangura (232 car., 1078 yards, 4.9 avg., 13 TD)
Receiving: Miles Cross (47 rec., 560 yards, 11.9 avg., 3 TD)
TD’s Scored: Sieh Bangura (15)
Sacks: Keegan Caeser/Bryce Houston (5.5)
Tackles: Keye Thomspson (96)
Interceptions: Torrie Cox Jr. (3)
Pass Deflections: Justin Birchette (8)
Tackles For Loss: Vonnie Watkins (14)
Forced Fumbles: Torrie Cox Jr./Juan Watkins (2)
Kick Returns: Keegan Wilburn (31 ret., 734 yards, 23.7 avg., 1 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: None
Punting: Jack Wilson (42 punts, 1566 yards, 37.3 avg., 15 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 7 Kurtis Rourke (RS SR)
RB: 5 Sieh Bangura (RS SO)
WR: 19 Miles Cross (JR)
WR: 8 Jacoby Jones (SR/TR)
WR: 12 Sam Wiglusz (GR/TR)
TE: 86 Tyler Foster (RS SR)
LT: 53 Jay Ambugey (RS SR)
LG: 72 Kurt Danneker (GR)
OC: 69 Parker Titsworth (RS SR)
RG: 72 66 Christophe Atkinson (RS SR)
RT: 64 Shedrick Rhodes Jr. (RS JR)
KR: 3 Keegan Wilburn (RS JR)
PK: 44 Gianni Spetic (FR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 17 Vonnie Watkins (GR)
DT: 97 Rayyan Buell (RS SR/TR)
NT: 55 Rodney Matthews (GR/TR)
DE: 28 Shane Bonner (GR)
LB: 38 Keye Thompson (GR)
LB: 32 Bryce Houston (GR)
NB: 22 Adonis Williams Jr. (SO)
CB: 8 Justin Birchette (GR)
CB: 7 Torrie Cox Jr. (RS SO)
FS: 26 Walter Reynolds (GR/TR)
SS: 21 Austin Brawley (SO)
PR: 4 Tyler Walton (RS SR)
PT: 24 Jared Wheatley (GR/TR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: A
Secondary: B
Special Teams:
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/26 @ San Diego State Aztecs | Ohio won (27-0) the only prior meeting between schools in 2018.
09/02 LIU SHARKS | First meeting between schools.
09/09 @ FAU OWLS | Last season’s 41-38 win was the first meeting between schools.
09/16 IOWA STATE CYCLONES | Ohio trails the series 0-8. Last season’s 10-43 loss was the first meeting between schools since 2003.
09/23 @ Bowling Green Falcons | Ohio trails the series 31-41-2. The Bobcats are 6-4 since 2013 and their last series loss (10-21) was in 2021.
10/07 KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES | Ohio leads the series 44-28-2. The Bobcats are 6-3 since 2013 and their last series win (45-38) was in 2019.
10/14 @ NIU Huskies | Ohio trails the series 11-13. The Bobcats are 2-3 since restarting the series in 2014 and their last series loss (36-39) was in 2021.
10/21 WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS | Ohio trails the series 30-34-1. The Bobcats are 2-4 since restarting the series in 2014 and their last series loss (34-37 OT) was in 2019.
10/28 MIAMI (OH) REDHAWKS | Ohio trails the series 42-54-2. The Bobcats are 7-2 since 2013 and their last series loss (21-24) was in 2019.
11/07 @ Buffalo Bulls | Ohio leads the series 17-11. The Bobcats are 5-4 since 2013 and their last series loss (26-27) was in 2021.
11/15 CENTRAL MICHIGAN CHIPPEWAS | Ohio trails the series 5-27-2. The Bobcats lost (27-30) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
11/24 @ Akron Zips | Ohio leads the series 25-13-1. The Bobcats are 9-1 since 2013 and their last series loss (34-37) was in 2017.
Predictions:
Home: 6-0
Away: 5-1
Neutral: 1-0
MAC: 8-0
Non-MAC: 4-1
Overall: 12-1 (1st in MAC East/MAC Champions)
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