Saturday, October 24
Athens, OH
4 p.m. ET
vs
Eastern Michigan
Photo by: Photography by Alaina Dackermann
Ohio Football Looks to Continue Momentum against EMU
10/20/2026 2:27:00 PM | Football
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ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio football team (5-2, 3-0 MAC) returns home to Peden Stadium to host Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 24. The Bobcats will look to extend their home streak to 17 wins, the longest in the nation. Kickoff on Frank Solich Field is set for 4:00 p.m. ET and can be seen on ESPNU with Doug Sherman and Tyoka Jackson on the call.
The Bobcats' matchup can also be heard on The Varsity Sports Network. 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 part of the broadcasts for more than two decades. Â
SERIES HISTORY
This matchup marks the 36th time the two teams have clashed, with Ohio seeking to win their fifth straight against Eastern Michigan. The last time the Bobcats faced the Eagles, Ohio came out victorious, 28-21.Â
SCOUTING EASTERN MICHIGAN
Eastern Michigan is coming off a 34-14 loss to Toledo that snapped its three-game MAC winning streak, dropping the Eagles to 4-4 overall and 3-1 in conference play. Quarterback Noah Kim threw for 214 yards and two touchdowns on 16-of-36 passing. Wide receiver Joshua Long led the receiving group with seven catches for 84 yards and a career-long 30-yard touchdown, and Harold Mack Jr. hauled in his team-leading fourth touchdown of the season. Defensively, linebacker Bryce Llewellyn led Eastern Michigan with a season-high 10 tackles, including seven solo stops, along with a pass breakup and a forced fumble.Â
THE LAST TIME OUT
ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio football team (5-2, 3-0 MAC) returns home to Peden Stadium to host Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 24. The Bobcats will look to extend their home streak to 17 wins, the longest in the nation. Kickoff on Frank Solich Field is set for 4:00 p.m. ET and can be seen on ESPNU with Doug Sherman and Tyoka Jackson on the call.
The Bobcats' matchup can also be heard on The Varsity Sports Network. 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 part of the broadcasts for more than two decades. Â
SERIES HISTORY
This matchup marks the 36th time the two teams have clashed, with Ohio seeking to win their fifth straight against Eastern Michigan. The last time the Bobcats faced the Eagles, Ohio came out victorious, 28-21.Â
SCOUTING EASTERN MICHIGAN
Eastern Michigan is coming off a 34-14 loss to Toledo that snapped its three-game MAC winning streak, dropping the Eagles to 4-4 overall and 3-1 in conference play. Quarterback Noah Kim threw for 214 yards and two touchdowns on 16-of-36 passing. Wide receiver Joshua Long led the receiving group with seven catches for 84 yards and a career-long 30-yard touchdown, and Harold Mack Jr. hauled in his team-leading fourth touchdown of the season. Defensively, linebacker Bryce Llewellyn led Eastern Michigan with a season-high 10 tackles, including seven solo stops, along with a pass breakup and a forced fumble.Â
THE LAST TIME OUT
The Ohio football team (5-2, 3-0 MAC) took a trip out West to face off against the Sacramento State Hornets (1-6, 0-4 MAC) in a game that saw the Bobcats dominate, securing a win by a final score of 48-7. Â
Individually, graduate student quarterback Nick Poulos (Granite Bay, Calif.) excelled in his return to Northern California, throwing for 165 yards and a touchdown while rushing for another 48 yards. Junior running back Duncan Brune ran for 55 yards and two touchdowns while redshirt freshman running back Irving Brown (Teachy, N.C.) ran for 87 yards and one touchdown. Graduate student running back Victor Rosa (Bristol, Conn) ran for 35 yards and a touchdown. Redshirt freshman wide receiver Preston Bowman (Pickerington, Ohio) caught three passes for 94 yards and a touchdown. Â
Defensively, redshirt sophomore safety Darren James-Hamilton (Charlotte, N.C.) led the team with six tackles while freshman linebacker Alex Brown (Mason, Ohio) had five tackles. Redshirt senior linebacker Michael Molnar (Mason, Ohio) had three tackles and a sack while redshirt sophomore cornerback Barry Dillon (Vicksburg, Miss) had two tackles and an interception. Â
Ohio got on the board first after a stop, with Brune punching it in the end zone to take a 7-0 lead on a great opening drive. Â
The first quarter ended with that same score of 7-0, but on the first play of the second quarter, the Bobcats got back on the board after a 50-yard field goal from graduate student kicker Will Hryszko (Strongsville, Ohio), his longest career field goal.Â
Ohio's defense remained strong, forcing another punt on the next Sacramento State drive to set up a touchdown, this one coming from Rosa on a 16-yard rush. On the ensuing Hornets drive, Dillon hauled in his first interception in the green and white to give the Bobcats the ball, setting up a 37-yard field goal from Hryszko for the 20-point lead.Â
The Ohio defense continued to dominate, forcing a three-and-out to retake possession. Brune raced across the goal line for the second time, giving the Bobcats a 27-0 lead right before halftime. Â
On the first drive of the second half, Ohio found the end zone again with a great throw and catch from Poulos to Bowman for a 67-yard touchdown, the longest touchdown pass of Poulos' career and the longest catch of Bowman's career. Â
After trading punts, the Bobcats were able to get another stop on a defensive stand that was highlighted by a sack from Molnar, which forced a 47-yard field goal that was missed by the Hornets. Â
With the ball back, Ohio marched down the field and capitalized with freshman quarterback Levi Davis (Lewis Center, Ohio) scoring on a 14-yard touchdown run. That touchdown from Davis gave the Bobcats a 41-0 lead that they would take with them into the fourth quarter. Â
Sacramento State broke up the shutout with a 38-yard touchdown pass on the first drive of the fourth quarter to make it a 41-7 game. Â
The Bobcats weren't done yet, as Brown took a handoff on third down to the house for a 50-yard gain, putting Ohio at the two. Brown finished off the drive with his first career touchdown from the two-yard line, making it a 48-7 game.Â
#OUohyeah
Individually, graduate student quarterback Nick Poulos (Granite Bay, Calif.) excelled in his return to Northern California, throwing for 165 yards and a touchdown while rushing for another 48 yards. Junior running back Duncan Brune ran for 55 yards and two touchdowns while redshirt freshman running back Irving Brown (Teachy, N.C.) ran for 87 yards and one touchdown. Graduate student running back Victor Rosa (Bristol, Conn) ran for 35 yards and a touchdown. Redshirt freshman wide receiver Preston Bowman (Pickerington, Ohio) caught three passes for 94 yards and a touchdown. Â
Defensively, redshirt sophomore safety Darren James-Hamilton (Charlotte, N.C.) led the team with six tackles while freshman linebacker Alex Brown (Mason, Ohio) had five tackles. Redshirt senior linebacker Michael Molnar (Mason, Ohio) had three tackles and a sack while redshirt sophomore cornerback Barry Dillon (Vicksburg, Miss) had two tackles and an interception. Â
Ohio got on the board first after a stop, with Brune punching it in the end zone to take a 7-0 lead on a great opening drive. Â
The first quarter ended with that same score of 7-0, but on the first play of the second quarter, the Bobcats got back on the board after a 50-yard field goal from graduate student kicker Will Hryszko (Strongsville, Ohio), his longest career field goal.Â
Ohio's defense remained strong, forcing another punt on the next Sacramento State drive to set up a touchdown, this one coming from Rosa on a 16-yard rush. On the ensuing Hornets drive, Dillon hauled in his first interception in the green and white to give the Bobcats the ball, setting up a 37-yard field goal from Hryszko for the 20-point lead.Â
The Ohio defense continued to dominate, forcing a three-and-out to retake possession. Brune raced across the goal line for the second time, giving the Bobcats a 27-0 lead right before halftime. Â
On the first drive of the second half, Ohio found the end zone again with a great throw and catch from Poulos to Bowman for a 67-yard touchdown, the longest touchdown pass of Poulos' career and the longest catch of Bowman's career. Â
After trading punts, the Bobcats were able to get another stop on a defensive stand that was highlighted by a sack from Molnar, which forced a 47-yard field goal that was missed by the Hornets. Â
With the ball back, Ohio marched down the field and capitalized with freshman quarterback Levi Davis (Lewis Center, Ohio) scoring on a 14-yard touchdown run. That touchdown from Davis gave the Bobcats a 41-0 lead that they would take with them into the fourth quarter. Â
Sacramento State broke up the shutout with a 38-yard touchdown pass on the first drive of the fourth quarter to make it a 41-7 game. Â
The Bobcats weren't done yet, as Brown took a handoff on third down to the house for a 50-yard gain, putting Ohio at the two. Brown finished off the drive with his first career touchdown from the two-yard line, making it a 48-7 game.Â
#OUohyeah
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