Coming off a bye week in front of a large home crowd, the Ohio Bobcats (4-3, 2-1 MAC) dominated a tough, but outclassed, Northern Illinois Huskies squad (1-6, 0-2 MAC).
The game started on a dream scenario
for the Bobcats, with all phases clicking immediately for a 14-0 first quarter lead.
WR Chase Hendricks and the punt return team provided a big spark after NIU’s first drive with a 52-yard return, staking the ‘Cats to a great opening field position at the Huskies’ 14 yard line.
The Bobcats wasted little time converting its great field position, starting with a 12-yard run by Parker Navarro led by a sustained block from tight end Mason Williams around the left. Halfback Sieh Bangura punched it in on a two-yard run through a clear crease.
The Bobbies second drive was one of its best of the season. The Green and White mixed it up well between run and pass, inside and out, marching down the field on a crisp 11-play, 91 yard drive capped by Navarro’s nine-yard zone read scamper on a 3rd and 3.
As a theme on the day, someone else’s success was made possible by a strong team effort. On Navarro’s touchdown run, wideouts Dom Dorwart and Caleb Gossett sustained key run blocks.
Ohio’s third drive went much like the first two, an 11-play, 66-yard affair capped again by Bangura from five yards.
Unfortunately, the visitors’ offensive woes continued as the squad recorded 30 total yards and three punts to open the game. Quarterback Brady Davidson started the last two game for NIU, but it was previous starter Josh Holst who returned today to pilot the Huskies.
On the ropes early in the second quarter down 21-0, NIU’s kickoff return team provided a much-needed explosive play to give the Huskies life on a 67-yard return by cornerback Dev’ion Reynolds.
NIU’s offense covered the remaining yards, cashing in on a height advantage when six-foot-seven TE Devon Akers outreached Ohio’s five-foot-nine cornerback in the endzone for six. The Huskies added the two-point conversion to close the gap to 21-8 on a pass to wideout George Dimopoulos.
Ohio had some opportunities to increase the lead late in the second but were unable to put the nail in the coffin. During the last few drives of the first half, a long touchdown run by Bangura and long catch by wideout Caleb Gossett were both negated by holding penalties.
As action moved into the second half, Ohio’s running game took center stage to close out the contest.
The ‘Cats got the ball to start the second half with disastrous results for the visitors. On third-and-short on at the Bobcats 34-yard line, the Huskies sent the house to prevent a first down, but when RB Duncan Brune found a crease through the left side of the line of scrimmage, there was no one on the back end to prevent the 66-yard touchdown run.
Brune’s scamper seemed to take the wind out of the sails of the Huskies as they punted for the fifth time on six drives. The ‘Cats then completed its second 90-yard plus drive, this one a 97-yarder keyed by a 48-yard run by Bangura.
With the game largely in the bag, NIU was able to muster some much-needed vertical offensive production on a 50-yard touchdown pass from Josh Holst to DeAree Rogers. Holst and Rogers also closed out the contest with connections of 22 and 19 yards, which was too little, too late to impact the outcome.
NOTES:
Overall, Ohio played perhaps its best game of the year on offense and defense. When the game mattered on the scoreboard, the ‘Cats defense swarmed to the ball and tackled well in space. NIU had 78 total yards in the first half.
Offensively, the Bobcats probably played its most consistent game of the year, scoring on its first three drives with less self-inflicted wounds overall. Especially impressive was how Ohio dominated a quality NIU defense in the ground game, finishing with 316 yards rushing and 521 total yards offense.
Bobcat running backs had a field day, with Bangura leading the way with 147 yards and three rushing touchdowns. True sophomore Duncan Brune finished with career-bests in rushing yards (126) and a career-long 66-yard rush.
Captain and left guard Davion Weatherspoon made one of the most clutch plays of the game, alertly and aggressively diving to recover a fumble inside the Huskies 10-yard line which led ultimately to Ohio’s third touchdown.
NIU’s offense had a few positive plays in the vertical passing game late in the contest and needs to build on that to improve in the second half of the season. Wideout DeAree Rogers finished the contest with seven catches for 107 yards.
NIU’s TE Devon Akers touchdown catch was his first career catch as a Husky.
Northern Illinois Linebacker Quinn Urwiler led the squad with 12 tackles.
Next Saturday, Ohio travels to Eastern Michigan for a contest at noon on CBS Sports Network. Meanwhile, NIU host Ball State next Saturday in a battle for the Bronze Stalk at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
