AKRON, OHIO – In a totally dominating performance, the Ohio Bobcats routed winless Akron 52-3 in the regular season finale for both teams Tuesday night at InfoCision Stadium.
The win made Ohio bowl eligible for the 11th consecutive season as the Bobcats finished the campaign with a 6-5 record (5-3 in Mid-American Conference play). Emphatic road wins at . . .
The loss completed Akron’s season at 0-12 -- its first winless season since 1942 (0-7-2) and the fourth in school history. In addition, the Zips suffered their 16th consecutive loss and 10th straight in MAC play dating back to last season.
For the record, UA became the first MAC team to complete a season winless since Miami in 2012.
Senior QB Nathan Rourke, playing his final regular season game for the ‘Cats, was outstanding, completing 20-of-28 passes for 308 yards with four passing touchdowns and one rushing score. He was the main cog on a Bobcats offense who had their way with the Zips defense the whole evening.
Ohio opened scoring when Rourke connected with fifth year WR DL Knock in stride down the right sideline for 52 yards and a 7-0 lead.
The Zips got their only points of the game midway through the opening stanza when Rourke was sacked and fumbled. The ball was recovered by the Da’Vonte Jest at the Ohio 17. However, UA could not move the ball and had to settle for a 15-yard field goal by Cory Smigel.
After the kickoff, Ohio took the ball 73 yards in five play, with Rourke throwing his second touchdown pass of the game. This strike was also a chunk play score, covering 39 yards to freshman WR Shawn Hooks again down the right sideline to make the score 14-3.
Senior kicker soon Louis Zervos connected on a 40 yard field goal to make it 17-3 and the Bobcats then added two more TDs before intermission.
The first was a nine yard pass over the middle to junior WR Ryan Lueherman. The second found Rourke and Hooks connecting for a second touchdown -- an 11 yarder to make the score 31-3 at halftime. Hooke finished the night with five catches for 81 yards and the two scores.
At intermission, Ohio had 360 yards of total offense while the Zips gained only 40 behind two quarterbacks – Kato Nelson and freshman Zach Gibson.
Nelson completed only one-of-14 passes for 10 yards while Gibson was 3-of-11 for just 23 yards. Neither option moved the ball effectively the entire game.
It was more of the same in the second half, as the ‘Cats took the second half kickoff and went 80 yards in seven plays with redshirt freshman RB O’Shaan Allison scoring from three yards out. Allison, who came into the game as Ohio’s leading rusher, had 71 yards on the evening.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Rourke completed his evening with a one-yard touchdown run around the right side. With the reserves in, Ohio registered its final touchdown with 6:41 remaining when Ja’Vahri Portis scored from three years out.
Overall, Ohio gained 604 yards offensively to just 74 for Akron, which was a season low for the Zips. They had only three first downs, 41 yards rushing and 33 yards passing while absorbing three sacks and an interceptions.
Defensively, Ohio was led by Dylan Conner, who had six total tackles (five solo). For UA, LB Bubba Arslanian and DB Dadetutu Daranijo each had 10 total stops.