Kurtis Rourke pats Sieh Bangura on his helmet after Bangura caught a pass for a Bobcats first down during their game at Yager Stadium in Oxford, Ohio.
Kurtis Rourke (7) pats Sieh Bangura (22) on his helmet after Bangura caught a pass for a Bobcats first down during their game at Yager Stadium in Oxford, Ohio.[Alex Eicher | WOUB]

Revenge Season: OU football can make history with MAC title

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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — Ohio University football has the chance to make history at Ford Field in Detroit this weekend. The Bobcats won the MAC East for the first time since 2016 and will play for a MAC title which OU hasn’t been able to claim since 1968. The team has turned things around from last season when  they went 3-9, losing to Bowling Green in the final game of the season.

The Bobcats’ preparations started in the offseason as leaders on both the offense and defense returned to the team. These leaders believed in the team and wanted to create a new legacy for the team. The team believed it could make a run for the MAC title, but they weren’t picked by the rest. OU was picked to come fourth in the MAC by the coaches poll.

As the season started it looked like same old same old for the Bobcats with tight wins over Florida Atlantic and Fordham and blowout losses to Iowa State and Penn State. When conference play started, OU fell to Kent State in overtime.

The Bobcats would then go on a massive run as they would win the next five before a key matchup against Ball State. With 33 seconds left in the second quarter QB Kurtis Roarke went down with an injury. CJ Harris would come in and hold down the fort winning the game for OU. Harris would then get the starting job as Rourke was ruled out for the season. Harris would go off against Bowling Green with three rushing touchdowns and one passing touchdown to Sam Wiglusz.

As the teams focus shifts, Coach Tim Albin said the game plan stays the same.

“This football team is going to go up there and concentrate on our best four quarters one at a time,” he said. “Enjoy, take it in, and try and take one more step.”