Sports
Ohio Faces Tough Road Ahead Against Tennessee
By: Mike Rizzo
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Ohio coach Frank Solich knows that the Bobcats have not beaten a ranked team in their 122 years as a football team, but Solich is not worried about that.
“I don’t have a goal to go out and beat a ranked football team.” Solich said. “My goal is to win every game and if you do the best you can with that hopefully along the way you have won your share of games and you have pulled off some upsets.”
Ohio will take on No. 15 Tennessee this Saturday in Knoxville at 12 p.m. The Bobcats will try to stun the Volunteers who earlier in the season were ranked in the Top 10.
The Ohio defense will also have their hands full trying to stop the Volunteers’ versatile quarterback Joshua Dobbs, who had over 100 yards rushing, two rushing touchdowns and thee passing touchdowns.
When Solich was asked if he would rather have Dobbs beat him with his arm or his legs he had this to say:
“Well I rather not having him beat us at all.” Solich said. “But obviously most schools try going in to a game trying to stop the run first. You know they’re going to get yards on the board and find a way to not put a lot of points on the board.”
It’s clear that it will be tough for Ohio to sneak a win out against Tennessee. However, Tennessee will be without defensive lineman LaTroy Lewis and linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr., who are major contributors to the Volunteers front seven.
It will be interesting to see if Ohio will be able to get their run game going in the game. The Bobcats backfield is one of the strongest position on their football team and had two runners go over 100 yards last week for the first time in Solich’s time at Ohio.
The Bobcats are 27 point underdogs this Saturday and there is no doubt that a win against and SEC powerhouse like Tennessee could do wonders for Solich’s program.
“Those kind of wins get heard around the country.” Solich said. “But, you have to base it on other things than that and we do that If you lay a good foundation along the way, you are going to have some special moments.”
Jason Arkley of the Athens Messenger tweeted a picture of Ohio’s marching band “The Marching 110” At Ohio’s practice helping the Bobcats get ready for a hostile environment at Neyland Stadium.
There is no doubt Neyland Stadium is one of the hardest venues to play at in all of college football and this move of having the band on the field during practice could help Ohio in the long run on Saturday.
Ohio is 4-13 against power conference teams under Solich. The Bobcats will try to make it two straight wins over such teams in one season this Saturday at high noon.