The Ohio defense, which stifled Southeast Missouri St. a week ago, was not up to the challenge Saturday in Ames allowing Iowa St. 523 yards of total offense as the Bobcats suffered a 48-20 defeat.

Key Match-ups:

1. Ohio special teams v. Iowa State's special teams: Often, this is the difference between an upset and a loss when a MAC school takes on a BCS school. For example, K-State's 95-yard-punt return and two 50+-yard Martin Gramatica field goals were the difference in KSU's 23-20 win over Ohio in 1997, and most Bobcat fans painfully remember the botched fake punt v. Ohio State in 1999 that helped turn a 10-10 game into a rout. (We won't even bring up the blocked punt against NC St....

The hunted is now the hunter.

Last week, the 1-AA Southeast Missouri Indians came to Peden Stadium with something to prove?that they could defeat a 1-A program in the Ohio Bobcats. Now this Saturday the Bobcats (1-0 on the year after a 17-3 win), hauling a similar chip on their shoulder, take on the Iowa State Cyclones from the powerful Big 12 conference in Ames, Iowa.

Iowa State is also 1-0 after a similar victory over a 1-AA foe, winning 17-10 over instate rival Northern Iowa.

Ohio...

Ohio used a great defensive effort to beat Southeast Missouri State 17-3 Thursday night at Peden Stadium. The Bobcat defense forced five turnovers and kept the Division I-AA Indians from scoring on five of their six red zone possessions. Redshirt freshman outside linebacker Tyler Russ recovered a fumble and had an interception in his first action as a Bobcat. It was a night where Ohio needed its defense to shine as the offense would have four turnovers of its own.

A Stafford Owens 25-yard pun...

It was supposed to be a feel-good game, and the taste of victory was supposed to be sweet.

But the taste left in Ohio's mouth following last season's 31-0 loss in Ohio's home opener to Division 1-AA Northeastern was anything but sugary. In fact, even though the Bobcats rallied for a close-but-no-cigar finish in the MAC East standings, the early autumn defeat to the lower-division opponent is the game some Ohio fans recall as the most vivid?and acrid ?memory from the 2002 season.

The 2003...

The way Ohio inside linebacker Spencer Tatum sees it, there's no good reason for a football fan in southeast Ohio not to be at Peden Stadium Thursday night.

Another Division I football season season is on the horizon as Tatum and his Bobcat teammates prepare to tackle Southeast Missouri (ranked #16 in recent 1-AA poll) at 7 p.m. in a refurbished Peden Stadium. While the new video scoreboard is a nice touch, it's the action on the field that's the real draw. The Cats are out to make it a good...

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the 2003 Ohio Bobcats offense.

If an introduction is needed, it's because there are so many new faces from one season ago?only a handful of starters return from last year's team, and redshirt freshmen and JUCO transfers are scattered on the two-deep.

Even at quarterback, where senior Fred Ray returns, there's a new face. Ryan Hawk, who transferred from Miami, joins the rotation behind center.

Ohio coach Brian Knorr said the competition at quarterback has bene...

With the Ohio Football Opener just days away, some BobcatAttackers may have problems getting to sleep. BobcatAttack.com is here to help. Ohio Football previews from various sources for your bedtime reading.

Ohio Football has begun practice for the upcoming 2003 season. BobcatAttack.com's Rollie Merriman gives you a glimpse.

Ohio was picked to finish 6th in the MAC East by members of the media at the MAC Football Media Day today in Detroit. Last season, the Bobcats were also picked 6th but finished 4th in the division with a 4-4 conference mark. It was a close vote for top spot in the East with Miami, Marshall and UCF separated by just six points. But for the first time since 1997 Miami, not Marshall, was picked to finish first.

In the West, Northern Illinois was the clear favorite. The Huskies, who tied with Tol...