ATHENS, Ohio -- Freshman running back A.J. Ouellette rushed for 92 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries to lead the Ohio University football team (3-2) to a 34-19 victory over Eastern Illinois University (1-4) on Saturday (Sept. 27) in front of 23,027 fans at Peden Stadium. 

 

The Bobcats piled up 24 points and 264 yards â€" including 139 on the ground -- in the first half en route to victory.

 

The Bobcats responded after Eastern Illinois’ opening-drive field goal with a 78-yard touchdown drive to take a 7-3 lead. Sophomore Jordan Reid (Stone Mountain, Ga.) caught a career-long 34-yard pass to get Ohio into the red zone. Ouellette capped it off with a one-yard touchdown run.

 

After the Ohio defense forced a punt, the Bobcats went down the field again and redshirt sophomore quarterback JD Sprague (Cincinnati, Ohio) put Ohio up 14-3 with a six-yard touchdown run. 

 

In the second quarter, Ouellette broke through for a career-high 65-yard touchdown run. The run was the longest by any Bobcat this season and put Ohio up 21-3.

 

Redshirt freshman safety Grant Cunningham (Brecksville, Ohio) blocked a punt late in the first half. It was Ohio’s first blocked-punt since 2010. The block set up a field goal from redshirt junior kicker Josiah Yazdani (Albany, Ohio) at the end of the half to give the Bobcats a 24-10 advantage going into the locker rooms.

 

Yazdani connected on a season-high 46-yard field goal to get things rolling for Ohio in the second half and give the Bobcats a 27-10 lead.

 

Sprague scored his second rushing touchdown of the day and third of the season with an eight-yard scramble, putting Ohio up 34-10.

 

Eastern Illinois closed the gap to 34-16 with a touchdown in the fourth quarter on a six-yard pass to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Anthony Taylor from junior quarterback Jalen Whitlow.

 

Freshman kicker Nick Bruno connected on 24-yard field goal for the Panthers with just under two minutes to play, but that’s as close as Eastern Illinois got.

 

Sprague went 15-of-28 for 143 yards and rushed for 72 more on 12 carries.

 

Senior wide receiver Landon Smith Girard, Ohio) led the 'Cats with five receptions for 53 yards while Reid hauled in four passes for 52 yards.

Redshirt sophomore linebacker Blair Brown (Moreno Valley, Calif.) led the way defensively with a career-high nine total tackles â€" including a game-high eight solo stops.

STAT OF THE DAY
Ohio’s four rushing touchdowns were a season-high as a team. That’s the first time they have rushed for four touchdowns since last season at Eastern Michigan.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I didn’t really think I was going to score, honestly. I just kind of kept my feet moving and my teammates did a great job holding their blocks. I mean, that was a long time for them to hold a block and then some of those guys going out of their way to pick up an extra one, it was nice to see that. It just kind of happened.” - JD Sprague 

UP NEXT 

Ohio resumes Mid-American Conference play next Saturday (Oct. 4), taking on Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Mich. at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. and will be seen on ESPN 3.

 

#OhioBobcats