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ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio football program is set to open "midweek MACtion" at home on Tuesday, Nov. 4 when they host rival Miami (Ohio) for the 102^nd Battle of the Bricks. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET at Frank Solich Field at Peden Stadium and can be seen on ESPN2 Network with Clay Matvick and Chase Daniel on the call. 
 
The Bobcats' matchup can also be heard on the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield, presented by Holzer Health System. Veteran Ohio radio personality Marty Bannister is reprising his role as Ohio's play-by-play broadcaster. Bannister will be joined by color analyst Rob Cornelius, who has been a part of the broadcasts for more than two decades. 
 
SERIES HISTORY VS. MIAMI (OHIO)
The Bobcats and the RedHawks have met 101 times, posting a series record of 43-56-2 since their first face-off in 1908. 
 
Ohio fell short in the 100^th Battle of the Bricks (Oct. 19, 2024) but bounced back to make history in Detroit as the two teams met in a conference championship for the first time (Dec. 7, 2024). Ohio's 38-3 victory not only marked the program's first MAC Championship since 1968 but the largest margin of victory in a MAC Championship as well as the first time a team has been held to no touchdowns in a Championship game. 
 
SCOUTING MIAMI (OHIO)
The RedHawks are currently 5-3, posting a 4-0 record against MAC opponents. As a team, they average 26 points on 166.6 rushing yards and 199.88 passing yards per game. 
 
In the air, sixth year quarterback Dequan Finn is 89-for-155 with seven touchdowns and five interceptions on 1,257 yards across seven games. While this is Finn's first year as a RedHawk, he's no stranger to MACtion. From 2019-23, Finn played for the Toledo Rockets, garnering second-team All-MAC accolades in 2022 and conference MVP honors in 2023. Notably, the Bobcats faced him in the 2022 MAC Championship. 
 
Finn owns the RedHawks' second-most rushing yards (384). He is one of two athletes with four rushing touchdowns, with redshirt freshman running back D'Shawntae Jones also finding the endzone four times. On the season, Jones is responsible for 122 rushing yards on 27 carries. Redshirt senior running back Jordan Brunson leads Miami (Ohio) in rushing yards (395) and touches (87), scoring twice. Brunson and Jones are tied for the longest rush (46 yds). 
 
Redshirt junior wide receiver Kam Perry has scored three times on 22 receptions and 612 yards. Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Keith Reynolds is responsible for one touchdown on 259 yards, while both redshirt senior tight end Brian Shane and sixth year running back Kenny Tracy have snagged two receiving touchdowns apiece. 
 
Redshirt senior defensive back Eli Blakey leads the defense in total tackles (64) and solo stops (37). Notably, he is one of two RedHawks with six pass breakups and he is responsible for one of nine interceptions on the season. Redshirt junior defensive lineman Adam Trick leads the team in tackles for loss (10), sacks (6.5) and quarterback hurries (7). He also claims two forced fumbles and one interception on the season, while logging 40 total tackles. Redshirt senior linebacker Corban Hondru has snagged three picks this season and is second in both total tackles (61) and solo tackles (28). 
 
Redshirt senior kicker/punter Dom Dzioban is the RedHawks' leading scorer, responsible for 58 points so far this season. Currently, Dzioban is 12-for-14 on field goals this season, with his longest hitting the 51-yard mark. He is also 22-for-22 on PAT attempts. Redshirt sophomore placekicker Kellan McLaughlin has amassed 2,826 yards across 44 kickoffs, while junior punter Pierse Stainton has accumulated 1,426 yards on 34 punts. Stainton's longest punt clocks in at 65 yards. 
 
THE LAST TIME OUT
The Ohio football program went on the road for a matchup with the Eastern Michigan Eagles, where it was able to secure its first road game victory of the season. After a close game through three quarters, the Bobcats pulled away and came out on top 28-21.  
 
On offense, Ohio had several record-breaking performances again. Graduate student quarterback Parker Navarro had one of the best passing games of his career after putting up a career-high 315 passing yards that included two touchdowns. Two Bobcats had 100-plus receiving yards, with junior wide receiver Chase Hendricks recording 112 yards on 10 catches with two touchdowns, and redshirt junior wide receiver Rodney Harris recording 103 yards. For Hendricks, his 100-yard performance was the sixth such game of his season. Redshirt sophomore tight end Mason Williams was also involved in the passing game with three receptions for 45 yards.  
 
On the ground, graduate student running back Sieh Bangura tallied two touchdowns against Eastern Michigan with 100 total rush yards. Navarro also had a big day in the run game with 63 yards, including a 33-yard rush in the fourth quarter. 
 
The Bobcats were led on defense by junior safety Jalen Thomeson, who recorded 11 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for a loss. The Bobcats' lone turnover on the day was a fumble forced by redshirt senior Pius Odjugo. The fumble was recovered by freshman linebacker Charlie Christopher, who also recorded 10 tackles in the effort. In the passing game, graduate student Tank Pearson led Ohio with two pass breakups.  
 
On special teams, graduate student punter Magnus Haines had two punts, one of which traveled 68 yards, which was the longest by an Ohio player since 2016.
 
Both teams started hot on the offensive end, each starting with a touchdown on their first drive. Ohio tied the game 7-7 after a 28-yard touchdown reception by Hendricks, his first touchdown and catch of the game. The scoring play was set up by a 30-yard completion from Navarro to Williams on Ohio's first play on offense.  
 
Eastern Michigan would respond to an impressive opening drive by Ohio with a touchdown that gave it a 14-7 lead with 5:01 to play in the first quarter.  
 
The offensive onslaught slowed from there, however, as neither team scored any points in the second quarter. Going into halftime, Ohio trailed Eastern Michigan 14-7.  
 
Coming out of the locker room, Ohio's defense was able to pick up where it left off after a scoreless second quarter by holding Eastern Michigan to another zero points in the third quarter.  
 
With the defense playing well, the Ohio offense was able to capitalize with a touchdown midway through the third quarter. A one-yard rushing touchdown by Bangura capped off a drive that featured a handful of impressive runs.  
 
After getting a quick stop on defense, Ohio's offense came out with another score to start the fourth quarter that would break the 14-14 tie. Navarro found Harris in the middle of the field for a 49-yard completion on the drive's first play that later set up Hendricks' second receiving touchdown of the day, a 14-yard catch and score.  
 
Midway through the fourth quarter, Ohio's defense came up with one of its biggest plays of the day. As the Eagles were attempting to drive down to tie up the game, Odjugo was able to force a fumble that was later recovered by Christopher to take any hope away from Eastern Michigan.  
 
Towards the end of the quarter, Bangura rushed into the end zone for his second touchdown of the day, this time giving Ohio a 28-14 lead late in the game. 
 
Eastern Michigan was able to drive down and get another touchdown to get back to a one-score deficit, but it wasn't enough as Ohio was able to waste the game's final seconds to earn a 28-21 win.  
 
SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio is currently 5-3 overall, posting a32-1 record against conference opponents. The Bobcats are currently averaging 29.25 points on 209.1 rushing yards and 225.63 passing yards per game.
 
Graduate student quarterback Parker Navarro has started in all eight games for the Bobcats and is currently 140-for-207 with 11 touchdowns on 1,786 yards in the air. He threw three touchdown passes against Rutgers (Aug. 28), matching his career-high (Nov. 29, 2024, vs. Ball State). At 4,437 career yards, Navarro is just 10 yards away from moving into the 6^th all-time passing yards slot in the record book. Redshirt senior quarterback Nick Poulos made his first appearance of the season against Ohio State (Sept. 13), going 4-for-8 on 19 yards in the air. 
 
Also a force to be reckoned with on the ground, Navarro claims 504 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on 90 carries. Redshirt senior running back Sieh Bangura leads the team, with 737 yards on 140 touches and nine touchdowns, while sophomore running back Duncan Brune has logged 78 carries on 385 yards so far this season. Both Bangura and Brune were dominant against Gardner-Webb (Sept. 20), scoring three touchdowns apiece, setting a personal record for Brune and matching Bangura's personal record he set during the Bobcats' 2022 Homecoming game against the Akron Zips. Bangura continued his streak of dominant Homecoming performances against Northern Illinois (Oct. 18), scoring three times on 147 yards. This performance marked his 10^th 100+ yard game as a Bobcat; notably, Bangura has scored 10 times across four Homecoming games. 
 
Junior wide receiver Chase Hendricks currently leads the MAC with 57 receptions on 805 yards. In eight games, Hendricks has logged six 100+ yard games, two of which were against Power 4 opponents (Aug. 28 at Rutgers; Sept. 6 vs. WVU). He's scored six times this season, but the tight ends accounted for all three receiving touchdowns against the Scarlet Knights (Aug. 28). Redshirt senior tight end Jake Bruno made it to the end zone twice, logging his first touchdowns as a Bobcat, while redshirt sophomore tight end Mason Williams put the Bobcats on the board with just under five minutes remaining in the first quarter. Williams owns the third-most receiving yards on the season (208). 
 
Redshirt freshman Dom Dorwart logged his first reception against Gardner-Webb (Sept. 20). Currently, he is responsible for 97 yards on eight receptions. Redshirt junior wide receiver Rodney Harris scored his first collegiate touchdown against Ball State (Oct. 4) and currently is second on the team in receiving yards (259). 
 
Redshirt senior linebacker Michael Molnar leads the defense with 62 tackles and two quarterback hurries on the season, while senior safety Adonis Williams Jr. claims 54 total tackles and a team-best 40 solo stops. Redshirt sophomore safety DJ Walker has the second-most solo stops on the team (26) and is also responsible for 3.5 tackles for loss. 
 
Redshirt sophomore defensive end Jay Crable claims a team-leading five sacks, with redshirt junior defensive lineman Anas Luqman and Molnar trailing with two and 1.5, respectively. Notably, Luqman logged a sack against Ohio State, marking the Buckeyes' first sack allowed of the season. Crable and Luqman are at the top of the leaderboard in tackles for loss as well; Crable leads with seven, and Luqman is on his heels with 6.5. Graduate student cornerback Michael Mack II and graduate student linebacker Cameron Hollobaugh both claim two interceptions on the season; Hollobaugh snagged his second interception on the opening drive against Bowling Green (Sept. 27), making the 71-yard sprint to the end zone for the first score of the game. Redshirt sophomore safety DJ Walker, graduate student cornerback Tank Pearson and redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Austin Mitchell each claim one pick apiece. 
 
Junior safety Jalen Thomeson put the cherry on top of Ohio's Homecoming victory over Northern Illinois (Oct. 18) with one of the game's most explosive plays when he returned a fumble 91 yards for a touchdown. With less than three minutes remaining in the game, this put the final score at 48-21. On the season, Thomeson has recorded 52 total tackles, including 22 solo stops and four tackles for loss. 
 
Redshirt sophomore kicker Brack Peacock made his Bobcat debut against West Virginia (Sept. 6) and is currently 3-for-6 in field goals. Redshirt freshman kicker David Dellenbach added nine total points for Ohio in his debut (Aug. 28), going 6-for-6 on PATs and 1-for-1 on field goals. On the season, Dellenbach is responsible for 40 kickoffs, amassing 2,727 yards. Graduate student punter Magnus Haines punted 25 times for 1,116 total yards. Haines punted twice against EMU (Oct. 25), one of which traveled 68 yards, marking the longest by an Ohio player since 2016.

To read this week's complete game notes, click here. 

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