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TUCSON, Ariz.—After freshman kicker
Nathanial Vakos kicked a 46-yard field goal to tie the game with only four seconds left on the clock, the Ohio football team (10-4, 7-1 MAC) defeated the Wyoming Cowboys (7-6, 5-3 MWC) at the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl in overtime, 30-27. This victory marks the Bobcats' first 10-win season since 2011 and their fourth in program history as well as their first win over Wyoming.
"I want to thank the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl Committee and the City of Tucson. The hospitality, the people, so genuine, sincere. It's been overwhelming," said head coach
Tim Albin. "Football has been used as a vehicle for our team and Coach Bohl's teams, to get life experiences", continued Albin. "It has been a fabulous week, not just because we won the football game, but because of everyone here".
Redshirt sophomore quarterback
CJ Harris (West Bloomfield, Mich.) went 20-for-33 with two touchdowns on 184 yards. Bangura finished the season with 1,078 total rushing yards, marking the most rushing yards in a season by a freshman in program history. Junior wide receiver
Jacoby Jones (Tunica, Miss.) scored one touchdown on 44 yards while redshirt junior tight end
Tyler Foster's (Pickerington, Ohio) only reception of the day scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime.
On the ground, redshirt freshman running back
Sieh Bangura (Bowie, Md.) led the Bobcats with 25 carries and one touchdown on 138 rushing yards. Harris, who was named the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl Most Valuable Player, was also a rushing threat, registering 10 attempts on 52 yards.
Defensively, redshirt junior linebacker
Cannon Blauser (Hilliard, Ohio) led the team with seven tackles, five of which were solo. Redshirt freshman cornerback
Torrie Cox, Jr. (Bowie, Md.) snagged the only interception of the game.
Vakos (Avon, Ohio) went 3-for-4 on field goals and 1-for-1 on PATs, highlighted by the game-tying 46-yard field goal.
The Cowboys struck first, wrapping up their first drive with a 17-yard rushing touchdown. The Bobcats quickly answered, taking an 8-7 lead with a Jones touchdown and a successful two-point conversion. Wyoming reclaimed the lead with 3:58 remaining in the quarter, wrapping up a seven second drive with a 17-yard passing touchdown.
Vakos cut into the Cowboys' lead in the second quarter, kicking a 43-yard field goal to put the score at 14-11. With just four seconds left in the half, a 53-yard Wyoming field goal left Ohio trailing by six points. After a 40-yard rush, Bangura finished the job with a three-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game. With Vakos' kick, the Bobcats took an 18-17 lead with 5:14 left in the third quarter.
A 45-yard field goal from Vakos extended Ohio's lead with 4:17 left in the game, but the Cowboys strung together a six-play, 75-yard drive to take a 24-21 lead. After a Wyoming timeout, Vakos' 46-yard field goal tied the game, 24-24, with only four seconds left in the fourth quarter, sending the game into overtime.
Wyoming kicked a 29-yard field goal to take a three-point lead. After multiple rushing attempts, a 10-yard throw to Foster secured Ohio's 30-27 win.
"Emotions were high, and I was feeling pretty confident in myself," said Harris. "It was another one-on-one matchup, and I said, 'I have to take it'. Tyler [Foster] came down with the ball and we celebrated in the end zone."
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