Sports
Ohio clinches spot in the MAC Championship game as Coleman Owen makes history
By: Andrew Bowlby
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) – With 11 of 12 regular season games in the books, the final one was maybe the most important. Ohio had a chance to win nine games for the third-consecutive season, a trip to the MAC title game on the line plus its defense of Frank Solich Field.
As the snow fell on a freezing afternoon in Athens, Ohio (9-3, 7-1 MAC) capped its regular season against Ball State (3-9, 2-6 MAC) with a 42-21 win.
Slow starts have been a part of Ohio’s season; however, Friday would not be the same.
“We knew we were going to take a shot, and we were just excited to be aggressive,” Ohio quarterback Parker Navarro said.
On the opening drive of the game, the Bobcats’ offense moved the ball quickly. They got to midfield, and on the fifth play of the drive, Parker Navarro took his first shot of the game to Coleman Owen and converted.
A 50-yard scored started just the beginning of a big day for Owen. On the next drive, it was yet another Navarro to Owen touchdown. That score put Owen at 84-yards and two touchdowns on his first and second catches of the day.
“What a performance, we’re clicking on all cylinders when he’s playing,” head coach Tim Albin said about Owen’s performance.
Just halfway through the opening quarter, Ohio avoided the slow start and led 14-0.
Ball State’s offense didn’t have nearly as much success in the early portion of the game. The first four drives of the game resulted in punts. Two of which came after three and outs.
On Ohio’s third offensive drive, Owen caught his third pass and the one to take him over 1,000 receiving yards on the season. Owen joined exclusive company as just the third player in Ohio program history to record a 1,000-yard receiving season (LaVon Brazill in 2011 and Donte’ Foster in 2013).
The drive finished with a Navarro rushing score, his 12th of the season and Ohio stretched the lead out to 21-0.
Finally, after an abysmal start for the Ball State offense, the Cardinals began to move the ball early in the second quarter. A 70-yard drive that culminated in a 33-yard passing touchdown from Kadin Semonza to Dahya Patel.
Right after the score, Ball State attempted an onside kick and recovered. It was the first time since 2019 that the Cardinals were able to bring in an onside kick. They couldn’t turn the drive into anything and gave Ohio a final chance in the first half.
The Bobcats were also unable to convert in the final minutes of the first half and Ohio entered the locker room up 21-7. The Bobcats having the lead at half was also significant as they came into this week winning all seven games this year when leading at the break.
Coming out of halftime, Ohio was aggressive looking to gain full control over the game. Shay Taylor recovered a Cardinals fumble and just two plays later, Navarro completed a 15-yard touchdown to Mason Williams to put Ohio ahead 28-7.
The opening drive success was duplicated on the ensuing drive as Navarro added his second rushing score of the day. Navarro had five total touchdowns in the victory, the most he has had in any game this season.
“We certainly don’t get to this point without it,” Albin said on the play of Navarro. “He’s been an unbelievable teammate with a team captain voted by his peers.”
While Ball State did continue to push, they were never able to break into the large Ohio lead. The Bobcats defense once again was stellar. Blake Leake led the group with 12 total tackles, and the grad transfer reminisce on his time in Athens postgame.
“It’s just a family, everybody cares about you, and everybody cares about everybody,” Leake said. “Come to Athens is what’d I say.”
Ohio’s win sends the team to their second MAC title game in three years. For the opponent, the Bobcats will meet the Miami RedHawks for the second time this season. In the first meeting, also the 100th meeting all time between the rivals, Miami came out victorious in mid-October 30-20.
The Bobcats’ are already looking forward to playing their arch rival again.
“Couldn’t have been a better thing to happen,”redshirt-senior Roman Parodie said.
Ohio’s shot at revenge will be at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich. on Dec. 7.