Ohio Football’s Rushing Attack Paves the Way for a Win Over Stonehill

Saturday, September 26

Athens, OH

3:30 p.m. ET

2-2 , 0-0

Stonehill

1-4 , 1-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Stonehill	0	7	0	0	7
Ohio	7	7	14	7	35

Ohio Notes Stonehill Notes Digital Guide MAC Notes

Ohio Football’s Rushing Attack Paves the Way for a Win Over Stonehill

9/26/2026 7:19:00 PM | Football

Box Score

By: Charlie Fadel

FOLLOW OHIO FOOTBALL:Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio football team (2-2) returned home for family weekend and picked up a big win over the Stonehill Skyhawks (1-4), 35-7. The running game on both sides of the ball was the story for Ohio, as the Bobcats rushed for 301 yards and four rushing touchdowns while holding the Skyhawks to -1 rushing yard.

"I'll say this, 300 yards rushing (and giving up minus one rushing yards), that's big for us," head coach John Hauser said. "That's exactly what we're trying to do."

Individually, junior quarterback Matt Vezza (Elmhurst, Ill.) threw for 207 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 39 yards and two touchdowns. Graduate running back Victor Rosa (Bristol, Conn.) ran for 87 yards and two touchdowns, while redshirt freshman running back Irving Brown (Teachy, N.C.) had 97 yards on eight carries. Redshirt sophomore receiver Riley Neer (Bellefontaine, Ohio) led with 113 receiving yards, while redshirt sophomore wide receiver Dom Dorwart (Leonardtown, Md.) had one catch for 42 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, redshirt freshman linebacker Jermaine Minnis (Hyattsville, Md.) had four tackles and a tackle for loss. Redshirt junior cornerback Kendall Bannister (Woodbridge, Va.) had four tackles, along with redshirt senior linebacker Michael Molnar (Mason, Ohio) and redshirt junior defensive tackle RJ Keuchler (Pickerington, Ohio). Redshirt senior defensive tackle Nathan Hale (Wichita, Kan.) finished with three tackles and a sack.

The Bobcats started the game with a bang as Vezza dropped in a perfect pass to Neer downfield for a 33-yard gain on the first play. Ohio drove the ball down the field, getting just outside the red zone before turning the ball over on downs to end the drive. The Bobcat defense showed out early, forcing a three-and-out on Stonehill's first drive after the first play was a tackle for loss.

On the next drive, Ohio found themselves in a fourth-down situation once again, this time picking up a first down with a wide receiver screen to redshirt freshman receiver Preston Bowman (Pickerington, Ohio). The Bobcats picked up another fourth-down conversion on the drive before Vezza used his legs on a great scramble to get in the end zone on an 18-yard run, giving Ohio a 7-0 lead.

Stonehill got on the board on its next drive, finding the end zone on a long touchdown pass on fourth down to tie the game at seven.

Neer made a big play on the next drive, putting Ohio into Stonehill territory. From there, the offense kept rolling, eventually getting into the red zone and punching it in with Rosa for his third touchdown as a Bobcat.

The defense made a big stop on the next drive, getting off the field on third down after forcing an incompletion.

Vezza and his connection with Neer remained unstoppable, as the junior signal caller found Neer two more times for key gains on the next drive. The Bobcats once again got near the end zone, but with less than a minute before halftime, a Stonehill defensive lineman hauled in a tipped screen pass to regain possession for the Skyhawks.

Stonehill had little time to do anything on offense before the break, and Ohio went into halftime leading 14-7.

Both teams traded punts to start the second half, and Ohio's defense again came through in a big way, getting off the field thanks to some great coverage in the secondary.

The Bobcat offense broke through on the next drive. Dorwart had a big gain on a reverse to get Ohio into Stonehill territory and then caught a 42-yard bomb from Vezza for a touchdown on the very next play. Dorwart's second career touchdown put the Bobcats up 21-7.

"I thought we were running it well, and we were kind of picking our spot to throw it down there," Hauser said. "Great execution. Great ball by Vezza, and then Dom reaching out for it after he ran the reverse."

The Bobcat defense kept things rolling as well, with senior defensive lineman Nehemiah Dukes (Douglasville, Ga) getting a big tackle for loss to force a punt.

Ohio's rushing attack exploded on the ensuing drive, with redshirt freshman Irving Brown (Teachy, N.C.) getting loose for a 60-yard gain before getting tripped inside the 10-yard line.

A few plays later, Vezza kept it himself for another Bobcat touchdown, his second rushing touchdown of the game. The score gave Ohio a 28-7 lead that it would carry into the fourth quarter.

Another big play from the secondary got the Bobcats off the field, with redshirt sophomore Darren James-Hamilton (Charlotte, N.C.) breaking up a pass on fourth down. The run game stayed consistent, as Ohio ran the ball on every play of the next drive, capping it off with a six-yard touchdown from Rosa to take a 35-7 lead halfway through the fourth quarter.

After another stop, the reserves came in, and Ohio coasted the rest of the way, running both the ball and the clock, on its way to a 35-7 win. The win marked Ohio's second of the season and 15th straight at home.

Up next, Ohio hits the road to open Mid-American Conference play against Kent State next Saturday (Oct. 3). Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m., and the game can be seen on ESPN+.

#OUohyeah