I'll add a little to both teams scores. The trend is that our defense isn't that good.

Ohio 41
Kent 24

Ohio 24-17 unless defense scores a TD or 2

Optimistically ... 49-14

Realistically .... 27-16

BOBCATS. 58
Flushes 14

The steamroller gets going and OHIO prepares for MACtion, as Rourke scores three rushing TDs.

Ohio 48
Kent 7

Cats are due to demolish someone - Kent's time of possession will be absurdly low - Frank keeps the ball on the ground almost all day.

Ohio - 21
Kent St. - 13

Attendance - 22,313

OUr team 34
Kant 14

Ohio 41
Kant 27 - Largely due to late/H2 scores as we give starters rest for next 2 games

Kudos to those who predicted a blowout. I wasn't quite thinking an EMU type game but I thought it might look more like that at times (and it really was for 2.5 quarters)

The Good: Our (complete) running game really took over and dominated today. once we took the lead it never seemed like we would relinquish it, even as the offense struggled for the first half of the day. Somehow putting up nearly 50 points again AFTER getting shut out for the opening quarter.

Defense: Did what they should have against a terrible offensive team. Got some turnovers, shut em down, suffocated them, gave the offense great field position all day.

The Bad: Passing game and pass protection is still a concern. This is starting to feel like the 1997 team. I think we're just going to roll lesser teams, but once someone figures out the run (or just slows it down a bit), I'm worried we won't be able to adjust. This is three straight weeks of very subpar passing. We did have a few drops that didn't help as well. This was still a game until Kent roughed the punter halfway through quarter 3. The final score looks great, but the slow starts are troubling and may cost us against better teams.

We did extend a drive with a roughing the passer penalty. I know a few penalties will happen and it didn't matter against Kent, but who wants to see us give Woodside a few extra possessions?

Think of it like the boxer, who goes to the body in the early rounds. Not much seems to be happening, but the other boxer is absorbing a lot of punishment, and eventually it shows.

Of all the Ohio games I've seen, this game was by far the most like the old Nebraska games when Solich was there with Osborne. The style in those days was to pound at teams, wear them down, run them side to side with options and reverses to tire them out. You would get a preview of what was to come in the late minutes of the 2d quarter, when the other team would start to run out of gas, but they would rest a bit during halftime. It wouldn't last long, though. Mid-way through the third quarter, the other team was done, and the end result was a total destruction.

That is exactly what Ohio did to Kent Saturday. In a very workmanlike performance, they wore Kent down, and put their best drive together late in the second quarter, though it ended with a field goal. Kent didn't recover much in the 3rd quarter, and Ohio just took them apart, scoring easily on four consecutive possessions until they put in the reserves.

Yes, this strategy can get messed up if a team falls behind too quickly. The defense has to hold things together until the offense takes it's toll. Toledo should be a tired team, playing 3 games in 11 days, so I tend to think it will work on November 8, but it will be another matter altogether in the MACC, if Ohio faces them again. For that reason, I'd rather see Ohio face NIU.

Edit - Before someone jumps on me, no, I'm not saying this Ohio team is on the same level as those Osborne teams, only that they play with the same physical style.