Sports
Ohio University Football holds off Gardner-Webb finishing non-conference schedule with 52-35 win
By: Andrew Bowlby
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) – Ohio University Football’s non-conference slate for the 2025 season ended Saturday afternoon with an Ohio (2-2) win over FCS opponent Gardner-Webb (2-2) 52-35.
“Something I think is really positive is when you can learn lessons while still winning the game,” Bobcats head coach Brian Smith said. “I’m expecting a lot of growth from this team after this game.”
The game got off to a rather slow start for Ohio with the Bobcats getting caught off guard by an early fake punt by GWU.
The fake was a rush by Jackson Marshall for 34 yards. The Runnin’ Bulldogs ultimately got nothing out of it as QB Nate Hampton threw an interception to Mike Mack II giving Ohio the ball inside their own 15.
Ohio’s offense couldn’t move the ball at all and punted the ball away after just three plays. GWU returned the punt into Ohio territory and had positive starting field position. The Runnin’ Bulldogs paid it off with a nine-yard rushing score courtesy of Quasean Holmes to open the scoring 7-0 GWU.
“Not much is really said on the sideline, I think the players understood that they needed to respond,” Smith said.
Ohio answered with a big return on the ensuing kickoff as Eamonn Dennis took the ball 58 yards and into GWU territory. The Bobcats couldn’t pay the good field position off with a touchdown, but they did score a field goal as Brack Peacock connected from 32-yards out to get Ohio on the board.
From their both offenses took turns hitting on big plays.
Gardner-Webb had a few chunk plays before Carson Gresock scored on a 48-yard rush. Ohio answered that by moving the ball methodically down the field and ended the drive with Duncan Brune’s first touchdown of the day.
Peacock continued with his kicking struggles missing an extra point for a second-straight week keeping Gardner-Webb ahead 14-9.
Ohio’s defense made a stop on the ensuing Gardner-Webb drive and ultimately got back into the endzone on Sieh Bangura’s second touchdown of the season.
The Bobcats converted the two-point conversion giving Ohio a 17-14 lead.
Still unfazed, GWU responded. The Runnin’ Bulldogs were nearly knocked off the field after it appeared Ohio would record a sack on Hampton, but instead it became a big play for GWU. Holmes caught a pass and after evading a tackle from DJ Walker took the ball 68 yards to the end zone allowing for Gardner-Webb to re-take the lead 21-17.
The flip-flopping of the score continued when Parker Navarro unleashed a pass to a wide-open Chase Hendricks resulting in a 43-yard touchdown. After the score Hendricks was up to six receptions for 122 yards and a score. The yardage was already a new career high surpassing his 121 against West Virgina two weeks ago. Hendricks went on to finish the game with 144 yards receiving.
Through just four weeks Hendricks has already amassed 456 receiving yards, more than what he put together in all of last year, and good for a spot in the top-15 in the country.
“I think me and Parker’s connection is great, and just looking forward to continue growing that relationship,” Hendricks said.
Ohio finished its first half scoring with a second Bangura touchdown, and Gardner-Webb had a chance to add three points at the end of the half, but kicker Charlie Viorel missed on a 53-yard field goal attempt taking the teams into the break with the Bobcats leading 31-21.
The third quarter was the one with the fewest points. The only score in the third was a one-yard rush by Brune to extend Ohio’s lead to 38-21. It began to feel like the Bobcats were taking control of the game, but Gardner-Webb didn’t let Ohio run away.
Smith noted earlier in the week GWU would give Ohio its best, and that was apparent in the fourth quarter.
The Runnin’ Bulldogs scored quickly off a 42-yard passing play to begin the fourth cutting Ohio’s lead down to just 10 points. The Bobcats did remain poised and both Brune and Bangura added one final touchdown each ending both of their nights with three each.
For Brune it was a career high, for Bangura it tied a career high from a game in his first stint in Athens.
“It’s an amazing feeling. My o-line blocked amazing for me,” Brune said.
“Both of them are very physical runners. A little bit of different styles at times, but I love how both of them are physical,” Smith said. “With two backs that get three touchdowns each, it’s awesome. It’s a great kind of change for our team and our offense.”
Smith said that typically when Ohio records high rushing touchdown numbers that Navarro plays a big role in that. Saturday, he didn’t have to with the running backs doing the heavy lifting.
Navarro did still contribute plenty in the Bobcats victory recording 290 passing yards (a new career high) and one score.
The result still goes down as a win for Ohio, but there is a collective agreement that improvement is required around the program after the week four win.
MAC play begins for the Bobcats next week at Peden Stadium as the Bobcats welcome Eddie George and Bowling Green into Athens.