It's the score many Ohio fans predicted. The Bobcats were coming off, if there is such a thing, a momentum-building 27-14 loss to Pitt last week and looked to get very healthy against a Division 1-AA opponent that was predicted to finish 11th out of its 12-team conference.

But mistakes were the key. Ohio made a lot of them, and Northeastern made few as the Bobcats stumbled to arguably their worst loss in the sometimes not-so-glorious history of the Ohio football program Saturday night at Peden Stadium. Coming into the season 456-460-48 all-time, Ohio hardly looked like it even belonged on the same field as a lower-division opponent as Atlantic 10 member Northeastern - not Northwestern, Northwestern State nor even Southeastern Louisiana - cruised to a dominating 31-0 win in Athens. Playing from the outset as if it had something to prove, Northeastern began playing back-ups midway through the second half in the rout.

How bad was it? Getting shut out by Northeastern should speak volumes, but Ohio had fewer rushing yards after the game than it did going into the second half. Since beating Marshall in the 2000 season finale, Ohio has now lost six consecutive home games at Peden Stadium on two playing surfaces under coach Brian Knorr.

"It was a terrible loss," said Knorr. "There are no excuses. We were outperformed in every phase of the game."

William Griffin scored on a 5-yard touchdown run as Div. 1-AA Northeastern rammed an 80-yard touchdown drive down the Ohio defense throats for a 14-0 lead to begin the third quarter. The Huskies then tacked on two quick defensive scores. After forcing the Huskies to punt, quarterback Fred Ray's pass was deflected twice into the hands of Huskie Gavin Potter for a five-yard touchdown. On Ohio's very next offensive play, Ray was sacked and fumbled. Northeastern scored on a 7-yard touchdown pass to cap a 25-yard drive as Ohio fell behind 28-0.

The beleaguered Ohio defense, beset by poor field position because of a languid offense, finally gave way to one of its few sustained drives on the young season, as the Huskies tacked on a late field goal after a time-consuming drive for the final 31-0 score.

Huskie Art Smith returned a fumble 49 yards for the first half's only score, as Northeastern limped to a 7-0 lead. The first 30 minutes featured less than 200 yards of total offense as the Huskies gained 108 yards and Ohio only 83 yards before the marching bands provided relief for the Peden Stadium faithful. The Huskies nearly matched Ohio's total first-half offensive output on the third quarter's opening drive.

Quarterbacks Dontrell Jackson and Fred Ray, both hampered by ankle injuries, combined for an anemic 1 of 3 passing for 6 yards in the first half. Senior tailback Chad Brinker lugged the ball 17 times for 82 yards during the first two quarters, one yard less than the Bobcats' comprehensive offensive output during the first 30 minutes.

The Bobcats were bitten hard by the injury bug during the first half, losing standout lineman Dennis Thompson for the year with a broken leg and starting inside linebacker Ricky Cherry for the year with an unspecified knee injury, in addition to having Jackson and Ray hobbled. Ohio also lost reserve offensive lineman Shane Yates to a severely sprained ankle in the second half.

The Bobcats look to get their first win of the season next Saturday against the Florida Gators, which suffered a high-publicity loss to No. 1 Miami-FL on Saturday.