Sports
Ohio Football wins turnover battle, keeps win streak alive
By: Andrew Bowlby
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) – It was never going to be easy.
Eastern Michigan came into Wednesday’s matchup as one of the nation’s best programs in turnover margin.
That fact didn’t deter Tank Pearson from wrecking the game in Ohio’s (7-3, 5-1 MAC) 35-10 win over Eastern Michigan (5-5, 2-4 MAC).
Pearson had two of the four turnovers Ohio forced, both on interceptions and on back-to-back drives.
It was the first time since Aug. 31 against Syracuse that Pearson hauled in an interception. All he could think about was the opportunity to have three.
“I should have caught that third one,” he said smiling. “But after that first one I just felt good.”
Head Coach Tim Albin also knew Pearson could’ve added one final to his stellar total.
“I used to teach bowling when I first started coaching. He could’ve had a turkey tonight.”
Pearson’s performance was a small piece of a sweet victory for Ohio.
But the game didn’t start the way the Bobcats would have liked. The opening four drives didn’t lead to much other than a Gianni Spetic 31-yard field goal attempt that ended up being blocked.
The game’s first points came when Eastern Michigan finally strung together an 85-yard drive that finished in the endzone. An 18-yard passing play from Cole Snyder to Delbert Mimms III reached the goal line and the Eagles struck first blood.
The lead didn’t last for long, however.
Midway through the second, Ohio marched 95 yards over five plays all the way to the endzone for its first score of the night. Quarterback Parker Navarro used a combination of his legs and arm to push the ball down the field before bulldozing into the endzone from three yards out to level the game.
After Eastern Michigan drove the ball down inside of the Ohio 20-yard line, Ben McNaboe deflected a pass at the line of scrimmage and dove to complete the interception.
Combined with Pearson’s interceptions, the turnover battle was won in dominant fashion by the Bobcats, and it made all the difference.
“That was the difference in the game, for the score to be what it was,” Albin said.
On Ohio’s last offensive drive, off the McNaboe interception, once again moved the ball quickly and Navarro handed the ball to Anthony Tyus who found the endzone for the second-consecutive week. The Bobcats held the narrow 14-7 lead at the break.
The momentum generated going into half was immediately snapped coming out. Ohio’s first drive in the third resulted in its only turnover of the night, a Navarro interception.
Although the Bobcats did win the turnover battle, they still committed one, something Albin took note of.
“We’re still yet to play a game without a turnover,” he said. “I think we’re heading in the right direction; it’s going to happen.”
Ohio snagged the ball right back with the first of those two Tank Pearson interceptions. Although the Bobcats didn’t do much with the ball after the first Pearson pick, they did with the second one, and quickly. On the first play of the drive – Navarro took the option play to the house and a two-score lead was secure.
In the early moments of the fourth quarter, Eastern Michigan knocked through a field goal to slice into the deficit, but still trailed 21-10.
Following what would be the Eagles final score, Ohio put the exclamation point on the win. Navarro led two-straight drives that he finished with rushing scores. One from a yard and the other from four yards.
“Parker, I thought just played one of his better games,” Albin said.
In addition to tying a school record with four rushing touchdowns in one game, he also threw for a career-best 277 yards.
Ohio took care of business again and improved to 16-1 on Frank Solich Field since the start of 2022. Plus, the Bobcats are now 9-1 in Midweek MACtion games under Albin.
The Bobcats will enjoy this victory for 24 hours, but as Albin likes to mention, the team is a one-game at a time outfit.
Ohio will face Toledo next Wednesday at 7 p.m. fighting a losing history. Since 1968, the Bobcats have one just two games on the road against the Rockets. Eastern Michigan returns home for senior day against Buffalo also next Wednesday at 7 p.m.