Eric the Red
Team HuskerBoard
Bobcats Subdue Buffalo, 42-7
Ohio uses huge first half field position advantage to take control of game
Jeff Bublavi
ATHENS, OH – Ohio University took full advantage of a huge discrepancy in field position in the first half to build a big lead en route to a 42-7 win over Buffalo in a Mid-American Conference game on Saturday at Peden Stadium.
“We just have to learn from our mistakes,” said head coach Turner Gill. “Everyone is disappointed, if you're not disappointed and a little bit ticked off than there is something wrong with you. I don't want any of our players or coaches to get used to losing. When you start to get used to that, you've got problems. We'll come back and we'll fight hard. We'll try to get things corrected and come back and play with more effort and desire.”
For the fifth time in seven games, the Bulls (1-6, 0-5 in the MAC) allowed a touchdown on the opposition’s first drive as the Bobcats opened the scoring with 10:06 remaining in the first quarter. Ohio (5-3, 3-1 in the MAC) traveled 75 yards in six plays capped off by a five-yard touchdown run from Kalvin McRae. The key play was a 53-yard run by Chido Nwokocha.
On the ensuing possession, sophomore quarterback Drew Willy (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) was injured while throwing out of his own end zone. He was able to return the next series.
The Bulls' defense rose up, however, after Ohio started its drive at their own 46. Cornerbacks Kendric Hawkins (Upper Marlboro, PA/DeMatha Catholic) and Sherrod Lott (Plant City, FL/Plant City) each made tackles for loss and senior linebacker Jeff Bublavi (Norwood, PA/Interboro) sacked quarterback Austen Everson to end the drive.
However, the Bobcats downed Buffalo at the one-yard line with the ensuing punt, and after UB went three and out, started its next drive at the Buffalo 18-yard line after a punt return and unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Bulls. Ohio took advantage of the great field position, when Everson hit William Norwood with a three-yard touchdown pass on third and goal.
Ohio took command of the game by not only converting a fourth down and three, but springing McRae for a 33-yard touchdown to take a 21-0 lead with 7:13 left in the first half. Buffalo suffered from horrendous field position the entire first half. The Bulls' drive starts were at their own 17, 5, 1, 20, 1 and 14. Meanwhile, Ohio’s average start was their own 48-yard line. That played a huge role in the Bobcats’ 28-0 halftime lead.
Kareem Byrom
On their first drive of the second half, the Bulls converted a third-and-22 on a 28-yard pass from Willy to freshman tailback James Starks (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls) and a third-and-11 on a career-long 22-yard rush by Willy. Starks finished the drive by scoring from four yards out for his third touchdown of the season to cut the lead to 28-7. However, that was as close as the Bulls would get as the Bobcats would tack on two more touchdowns.
Willy would finish the game 14-of-25 for 129 yards. Starks had a career-best six catches for 55 yards.
Defensively, Bublavi had 13 tackles, including a sack, while junior safety Kareem Byrom (New Brunswick, NJ/New Brunswick) had nine tackles, a forced fumble and a pass breakup. Redshirt freshman cornerback Kendric Hawkins also had a strong game with eight tackles, two tackles for loss (matching his career high) and a pass breakup.
Buffalo will step out of conference play as it travels to Boston College for a 1 pm game next week.
BULL-etins: True freshman offensive tackle Jordan Jerrold (Fairless Hills, PA/Pennsbury) made his second consecutive start at left tackle for the Bulls...the Bulls lost senior linebacker and leading tackler Ramon Guzman (Bronx, NY/DeWitt Clinton) to a leg injury after the first series...quarterback Drew Willy had a career-long 22-yard run on UB’s third quarter touchdown drive...sophomore tight end Robert Yealu (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) had a career-best two receptions for 35 yards...true frosh defensive tackle Anel Montanez (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) had a career-high five tackles (he had just three coming into the game) and forced a fumble that was recovered by Kareem Byrom...junior linebacker Todd Robertson (Amherst, NY/Sweet Home) had a career-best seven tackles and a half-tackle for loss...defensive end Trevor Scott (Potsdam, NY/Potsdam) had another tackle for loss (his sixth of the season) and broke up a pass...punter Ben Woods (Hermitage, PA/Hickory) had an excellent day, averaging 44.1 yards per kick on seven punts, including a long of 51. The Bulls’ punt coverage team limited Ohio's MAC leading punt return team to 11.7 yards per return.
Ohio uses huge first half field position advantage to take control of game
Jeff Bublavi
ATHENS, OH – Ohio University took full advantage of a huge discrepancy in field position in the first half to build a big lead en route to a 42-7 win over Buffalo in a Mid-American Conference game on Saturday at Peden Stadium.
“We just have to learn from our mistakes,” said head coach Turner Gill. “Everyone is disappointed, if you're not disappointed and a little bit ticked off than there is something wrong with you. I don't want any of our players or coaches to get used to losing. When you start to get used to that, you've got problems. We'll come back and we'll fight hard. We'll try to get things corrected and come back and play with more effort and desire.”
For the fifth time in seven games, the Bulls (1-6, 0-5 in the MAC) allowed a touchdown on the opposition’s first drive as the Bobcats opened the scoring with 10:06 remaining in the first quarter. Ohio (5-3, 3-1 in the MAC) traveled 75 yards in six plays capped off by a five-yard touchdown run from Kalvin McRae. The key play was a 53-yard run by Chido Nwokocha.
On the ensuing possession, sophomore quarterback Drew Willy (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) was injured while throwing out of his own end zone. He was able to return the next series.
The Bulls' defense rose up, however, after Ohio started its drive at their own 46. Cornerbacks Kendric Hawkins (Upper Marlboro, PA/DeMatha Catholic) and Sherrod Lott (Plant City, FL/Plant City) each made tackles for loss and senior linebacker Jeff Bublavi (Norwood, PA/Interboro) sacked quarterback Austen Everson to end the drive.
However, the Bobcats downed Buffalo at the one-yard line with the ensuing punt, and after UB went three and out, started its next drive at the Buffalo 18-yard line after a punt return and unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Bulls. Ohio took advantage of the great field position, when Everson hit William Norwood with a three-yard touchdown pass on third and goal.
Ohio took command of the game by not only converting a fourth down and three, but springing McRae for a 33-yard touchdown to take a 21-0 lead with 7:13 left in the first half. Buffalo suffered from horrendous field position the entire first half. The Bulls' drive starts were at their own 17, 5, 1, 20, 1 and 14. Meanwhile, Ohio’s average start was their own 48-yard line. That played a huge role in the Bobcats’ 28-0 halftime lead.
Kareem Byrom
On their first drive of the second half, the Bulls converted a third-and-22 on a 28-yard pass from Willy to freshman tailback James Starks (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls) and a third-and-11 on a career-long 22-yard rush by Willy. Starks finished the drive by scoring from four yards out for his third touchdown of the season to cut the lead to 28-7. However, that was as close as the Bulls would get as the Bobcats would tack on two more touchdowns.
Willy would finish the game 14-of-25 for 129 yards. Starks had a career-best six catches for 55 yards.
Defensively, Bublavi had 13 tackles, including a sack, while junior safety Kareem Byrom (New Brunswick, NJ/New Brunswick) had nine tackles, a forced fumble and a pass breakup. Redshirt freshman cornerback Kendric Hawkins also had a strong game with eight tackles, two tackles for loss (matching his career high) and a pass breakup.
Buffalo will step out of conference play as it travels to Boston College for a 1 pm game next week.
BULL-etins: True freshman offensive tackle Jordan Jerrold (Fairless Hills, PA/Pennsbury) made his second consecutive start at left tackle for the Bulls...the Bulls lost senior linebacker and leading tackler Ramon Guzman (Bronx, NY/DeWitt Clinton) to a leg injury after the first series...quarterback Drew Willy had a career-long 22-yard run on UB’s third quarter touchdown drive...sophomore tight end Robert Yealu (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) had a career-best two receptions for 35 yards...true frosh defensive tackle Anel Montanez (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) had a career-high five tackles (he had just three coming into the game) and forced a fumble that was recovered by Kareem Byrom...junior linebacker Todd Robertson (Amherst, NY/Sweet Home) had a career-best seven tackles and a half-tackle for loss...defensive end Trevor Scott (Potsdam, NY/Potsdam) had another tackle for loss (his sixth of the season) and broke up a pass...punter Ben Woods (Hermitage, PA/Hickory) had an excellent day, averaging 44.1 yards per kick on seven punts, including a long of 51. The Bulls’ punt coverage team limited Ohio's MAC leading punt return team to 11.7 yards per return.