The 2023 Ohio Bobcats football team represented Ohio University as a member of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by third-year head coach Tim Albin and played their home games at Peden Stadium in Athens, Ohio. The Bobcats drew an average home attendance of 19,005 in 2023.
Ohio entered the season coming off of their first 10 win season since 2011 as the defending division champion and favorite to repeat in the MAC East and the second favorite to Toledo to win the conference. Ohio entered the season returning 9 of 11 starters from the highest scoring offense in the MAC including the defending conference player of the year in quarterback Kurtis Rourke who was returning from a torn ACL that he suffered in the eleventh game of the previous season against Ball State.
Ohio finished non-conference play with a record of 3–1. Rourke was not cleared to play until the Monday before the Week Zero game with San Diego State. He suffered an undisclosed injury and was removed from the game in the first quarter. The Bobcat offense struggled in a 20–13 loss. C.J. Harris and Parker Navarro split time at quarterback in a win against Long Island. Ohio's running game held the ball for over 37 minutes. The following week, Ohio kept the ball on the ground 45 times in a 17–10 win at Florida Atlantic. Iowa State came to Peden Stadium where both offenses struggled in a game that featured 11 punts. The Bobcat's offense was unproductive but almost mistake free and held the ball for over 35 minutes. The Bobcat defense, led by Bryce Houston's 15 tackles, forced some key mistakes that made the difference in a 10–7 victory.
Ohio opened conference play with a 38–7 over Bowling Green. Ohio's defense again ruled the day forcing four turnovers and scoring two touchdowns. Rourke was 14 of 16 with three touchdown passes. For their Homecoming, they opened up their offense in a 42–17 win over Kent State. Rourke threw for 300 yards and 3 touchdowns of which 125 yards and 2 touchdowns had Miles Cross on the receiving end. The Bobcat's five game winning streak was snapped the following week with a 23–13 loss on a windy day at Northern Illinois. The Bobcat offense had 460 yards against Western Michigan without a turnover but only managed to score 20 points as Ohio held on to win by 3. Ohio dropped out of a first place tie in a 30–16 home rivalry loss to Miami the following week. They rebounded with a 20–10 win over Buffalo in their first midweek game of the season. Ohio completed their home schedule with a 34–20 win over Central Michigan but were eliminated from MAC contention when Miami won on the same night. The Bobcats fell behind Akron in the season finale but outscored the Zips 22–0 in the second half to finish MAC Play at 6–2 and finished the regular season 9–3 overall for the second straight season. Ohio's defense led their way for much of the year with the fifth best scoring defense in the FBS at 15.4 points per game, while allowing 96 rushing yards (8th) and 168 passing yards (7th) per game. Ohio accepted a bid to play Georgia Southern in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. Prior to the game Ohio's offense took a huge hit as Rourke, starting receivers Miles Cross and Ty Walton, and their top two backs Sieh Bangura and O'Shaan Allison all entered the transfer portal. It mattered little as the Bobcats scored 41 points with the aid of five forced turnovers by the defense to cruise to a 41–21 victory. Freshman Rickey Hunt set an Ohio program record and tied the record for touchdowns in bowl games by finding the endzone five times. He was named the game's MVP. It was Ohio's second straight 10 win season.
Offseason
Transfers Source:
Outgoing Cannon BlauserLBSouth DakotaJamison CollierATHEast Tennessee StateTyler MullinsSUT MartinNathanial VakosKWisconsinKyle KellyLBEastern KentuckyDenzel DaxonDLIllinoisNigel DrummondWRCJ HankinsLBSiena Heights UniversityKylen McCrackenDTMarshallKadin BelerQBJeremiah BurtonDLSlippery RockVance Van EveryOLUT Martin
Incoming Walter ReynoldsSHoly Cross Jack KeneallyTEYoungstown State Christian Hilton WRCitadelDane JacksonOLNorth TexasKaci SeegarsLBLibertyTristan CoxDE/LBPurdueJared WheatleyP/KVanderbiltMiles FlemingCBMinnesotaKwame SuttonDLAustin PeayChes JacksonOTColorado State
Recruiting class
Preseason
Preseason polls
Coaches Poll On July 20 the MAC announced the preseason coaches poll. Ohio was picked to finish first in the East. They received four votes to win conference which was second only to defending champion and West favorite Toledo.
East 1 Ohio 63 (9) 2 Miami 52 (2) 3 Buffalo 51 (1) 4 Bowling Green 35 5 Akron 26 6 Kent State 19 West 1 Toledo 66 (11) 2 Eastern Michigan 55 (1) 3 Northern Illinois 38 4 Central Michigan 37 5 Ball State 27 6 Western Michigan 23
Coaches poll (MAC Championship) 1 Toledo 7 2 Ohio 4 3 Buffalo 1
Preseason Award watch lists Maxwell AwardKurtis RourkeQBGr. Davey O'Brien AwardKurtis RourkeQBGr. Biletnikoff AwardSam WigluszWRGr.Doak Walker AwardSieh BanguraRBR-So. Walter Camp AwardKurtis RourkeQBGr. Manning AwardKurtis RourkeQBGr. Johnny Unitas Golden Arm AwardKurtis RourkeQBGr. Comeback Player of the Year AwardO'Shaan Allison RBR-5thWilliam V. Campbell TrophyBryce HoustonLBGr.
Schedule
Game summaries
At San Diego State
Statistics Ohio San Diego State First downs 25 15 Total yards 390 318 Rushes/yards 31/111 31/154 Passing yards 279 164 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 26–51–3 18–28–0 Time of possession 32:36 27:24 Team Category Player StatisticsOhio Passing CJ Harris 18/42, 203 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT Rushing Sieh Bangura 15 rushes, 65 yards Receiving Sam Wiglusz 10 receptions, 103 yardsSan Diego State Passing Jalen Mayden 17/27, 164 yards, 2 TD Rushing Jaylon Armstead 8 rushes, 78 yards Receiving Mark Redman 5 receptions, 62 yards, 2 TD
Ohio traveled across the country to take on San Diego State in Week 0 game that was the earliest start to a football season in Bobcat history. Defending MAC Player of the Year Kurtis Rourke, who was coming off of an ACL tear, was not cleared as the starting quarterback until the Monday prior to the game. The teams exchanged field goals of their first two drives including a 49-yard connection by SDSU kicker Jack Browning on the opening drive of the game. After an 8 for 10 start, Rourke was pulled from the game for precautionary reasons late in the first quarter after he got up with a limp after being hit in the pocket. He was replaced by backup CJ Harris. Harris threw an interception on his first pass of the season but a missed field goal by Browning left the score tied. Ohio took the lead on a 40-yard FG by Gianni Spetic on a drive led by the running of Sieh Bangura. After an Aztec punt, Harris moved the Bobcats in position to take a two score lead going into halftime but was intercepted by Cedarious Barfield. After the return, San Diego State marched 71 yards in 44 seconds to take the lead on a Mark Redman touchdown reception on the final play of the half.
Ohio used up most of the third quarter on a 19 play drive to open the half but it resulted in a missed field goal. Another Browning field goal and another touchdown catch by Redman gave SDSU a two score lead with 6:20 left in the fourth quarter. Harris led Ohio on a 15 play drive that concluded with a touchdown pass to Miles Cross. Ohio's defense stopped the Aztecs on fourth down with 59 seconds remaining to give their offense a chance. After driving to the SDSU 33, New Zealand Williams intercepted Harris and returned it 40 yards to run out the clock.
Vs. LIU
Statistics LIU Ohio First downs 13 18 Total yards 206 303 Rushes/yards 22/34 45/199 Passing yards 172 104 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21–33 12–15 Time of possession 26:51 33:09 Team Category Player StatisticsLIU Passing Luca Stanzani 21/33, 173 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT Rushing Pat Bowen 5 rushes, 16 yards Receiving Quincy McDuffie 3 receptions, 43 yardsOhio Passing Parker Navarro 5/7, 60 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT Rushing Sieh Bangura 19 rushes, 107 yards Receiving Tyler Walton 4 receptions, 36 yards, 1 TD
In a game in which the Bobcats were heavily favored the staff chose to sit several starters Ohio played conservatively and kept the ball on the ground much of the game. CJ Harris started at quarterback. He and Parker Navarro combined to complete 12 or 15 pass attempts. Ohio ran the ball 45 times with Sieh Bangura getting 107 yards on 19 attempts to win MAC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Linebacker Bryce Houston had 11 tackles with an interception and a sack to win MAC Defensive player of the week as the Bobcats cruised to a 27–10 victory over Long Island.
At Florida Atlantic
Statistics Ohio Florida Atlantic First downs 23 13 Total yards 354 185 Rushes/yards 45/151 15/5 Passing yards 203 180 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18–28–2 23–43–2 Time of possession 37:13 21:22 Team Category Player StatisticsOhio Passing Kurtis Rourke 18/29, 203 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT Rushing O'Shaan Allison 22 rushes, 80 yards, 1 TD Receiving Mason Williams 2 receptions, 46 yardsFlorida Atlantic Passing Casey Thompson 23/42, 180 yards, 2 INT Rushing Larry McCammon 7 rushes, 23 yards Receiving LaJohntay Wester 12 receptions, 101 yards
In a game that went differently from last year's shootout between Ohio and Florida Atlantic in Athens the prior season, Ohio won a defensive struggle by holding off FAU by a score of 17–10. Kurtis Rourke started for Ohio after sitting out the prior week. Casey Thompson started for FAU after transferring from Nebraska during the off season.
Rourke was intercepted on his first pass of the game. However, Thompson gave Ohio the ball right back with an interception by Austin Brawley on the next play. Ohio moved into field goal range on the ensuing possession, but, in the first of what would be many missed opportunities for Ohio's offense, Alex Kasee missed a 44-yard field goal attempt. After an FAU three and out, Ohio again got into field goal range. However, in lieu of another long field goal try they were stopped on fourth down. After a series of drives ending in punts, a Sieh Bangura fumble in the second quarter set up a Logan Lupo field goal to give the Owls the lead. On the next possession, Ohio drove into Owl territory again but Jarron Morris intercepted a Rourke pass off Ty Walton's hands and returned it 72 yards to give the Owls a ten-point lead. Rourke then led the Bobcats on an 11 play, 75-yard drive and this time they capitalized with a touchdown pass to Will Kacmarek to cut the lead to three.
After an FAU punt to open the second half, Ohio went on another long touchdown drive that culminated with an O'Shaan Allison 5 yard rush. After an exchange of punts Tank Pearson intercepted a Thompson pass set up a Kasee field goal to put Ohio up by a touchdown with 5 minutes left. Ohio's offense played conservatively the rest of the way and finished the game with 45 rushing attempts as they relied on their defense to stop the final two Owl drives and preserve the win. The Bobcat defense forced two turnovers and held the Owls to 185 total yards with only 5 yards rushing. Both FAU scores were set up by Bobcat turnovers. LaJohntay Wester was the lone bright spot for the Owls' offense with 12 catches for 101 yards.
Vs. Iowa State
Statistics Iowa State Ohio First downs 13 18 Total yards 271 247 Rushes/yards 23/38 37/112 Passing yards 233 135 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–24–2 16–32–0 Time of possession 24:09 35:51 Team Category Player StatisticsIowa State Passing Rocco Becht 17/24, 233 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT Rushing Rocco Becht 9 rushes, 31 yards Receiving Daniel Jackson 3 receptions, 65 yards Ohio Passing Kurtis Rourke 16/32, 135 yards, 1 TD Rushing Kurtis Rourke 7 rushes, 58 yards Receiving Sam Wiglusz 5 receptions, 53 yards, 1 TD