Sports

Ohio Football wins 4OT thriller in comeback win over Jacksonville State

By: Ty Carpenter
Posted on: Saturday, September 12, 2026

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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — The Ohio Bobcats (1-1) hosted the Jacksonville State Gamecocks (1-2) for their home opener with a 13-game home winning streak on the line. And in an unbelievable 4OT game, the Bobcats came out on top, 29-27.

Injuries plagued the Bobcats like Nick Poulos, Matt Vezza and true freshman Levi Davis saw snaps at quarterback. The Bobcats also saw damage to their defense, with DJ Walker getting banged up.

Key Bobcat performers include quarterback Matt Vezza, who entered the game as a backup and led the team in rushing with 67 yards, to go with 10-12 passing for 80 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Levi Davis ran in the game-winning 2pt conversion, and Michael Molnar led the team with eight solo tackles to go with two tackles for loss and a forced fumble. But the name of the night is definitely Darren James-Hamilton, who returned a 98-yard touchdown on a kickoff and made the game-winning tackle in overtime.

Those defensive players were key in attempting to slow down Jacksonville State’s Caden Creel, who had an incredible night, going 18-24 with 265 yards and a touchdown through the air, alongside 120 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. Luke Gilbert had 82 receiving yards and Deondre Johnson was right behind him with 60.

But despite it all: injuries, a 14-point deficit, and two blocked field goals, the Bobcats managed to find a way to get out on top.

RECAP:

Ohio would win the toss and opt to receive the ball. The Bobcats gamble to receive first didn’t pay off, as they would be forced to punt after only one first down.

Jacksonville State would begin their first drive on their own 12. Caden Creel immediately started giving Ohio trouble as his legs converted multiple third downs. He had seven rushes for 27 yards and four completions for 38 on the first drive as the Gamecocks marched down the field in 13 plays. The drive was capped off by an eight-yard touchdown run by Creel, putting Jacksonville State up 7-0.

The Bobcats’ next drive started off strong, but after a sack by the Gamecocks’ Tae Floyd and back-to-back incompletions, they would be forced to punt again, as Magnus Haines pinned Jacksonville State on their own six.

No surprise with field position like that, the Gamecocks would also punt, giving the Bobcats strong field position at their own 43-yard line. Still, they would go three-and-out after two short rushes and an incompletion, heading into the second quarter down 7-0.

Heading into the second period, the Gamecocks came out on fire, with Creel firing off a 28-yard bomb to Luke Gilbert on the first play of their drive, which he’d house for the 82-yard score, putting them up 14-0.

Ohio’s next drive started with a quick first down. On the next play, Poulos would get hit hard by Jacksonville State’s Jonavan Carr, forcing him to exit the game. The targeting call disqualified Carr from the game and moved Ohio to the 35. And after strong runs by Duncan Brune and Vezza, the Bobcats’ drive would be capped off by an eight-yard touchdown pass to Riley Neer, cutting the score 14-7.

The Gamecocks came out slinging again on their next drive, with a huge 57-yard touchdown pass to Luke Gilbert for his second score of the game. But an ineligible receiver downfield penalty brought it back, putting them right back at their own 42.

Creel immediately responded with a 25-yard chunk play to Deondre Johnson, putting them right back in Ohio territory. After a couple more plays Ohio got the Gamecocks to fourth down and the field goal unit came onto the field. But in a wild play with a fumbled snap, freshman Carter Lewis recovered and delivered a dime under pressure to Angel Toombs for the seven-yard gain, giving them the first down.

Creel would put the Gamecocks on Ohio’s two-yard line after a big pass to Deondre Johnson. But the drive would stall, and this time, the 22-yard field goal by Garrison Rippa goes as planned to take a 17-7 lead.

The Bobcats knew they had to find a response. And Darren James-Hamilton would answer the call, returning a kickoff from his own three-yard line 98 yards to the house, cutting the score 17-14.

On the first play of Jacksonville State’s next drive, Creel found a hole for a 13-yard rush, but Michael Molnar would force a fumble, recovered by the Bobcats’ DJ Walker. Something’s in the air at Peden, and suddenly, Ohio has the ball with a chance to tie it in Gamecock territory. After some short gains, they opt to kick the field goal but it’s blocked, so the score stays right where it is as the half expires.

Jacksonville State would receive the ball to open the half ready to snuff out the Bobcats’ momentum. Creel and Khristian Lando would do it all, as Lando caps off the 14-play drive with a four-yard touchdown run, expanding their lead 24-14, which would be the score after three.

The Bobcats’ next drive extended into the fourth quarter, as a big completion to Andrew Metzger and long rushes by Vezza put the Bobcats in field goal range, cutting the lead 24-17.

Jacksonville State would threaten on their next drive but after a huge tackle for loss by Kendall Bannister, the Gamecocks would be forced to punt, putting the Bobcats at the 10.

And a long drive was soon to follow. Vezza became the star of the show for this drive, as he had multiple long completions and a long rush on to give the Bobcats first-and-goal with just under two minutes left. He was hit hard out of bounds, leading to true freshman Levi Davis getting put in the game. He’d break a sack on his first play and nearly score but was called down on the half-yard line. Rosa would quickly punch it in, tying the score 24-24.

Now with 1:34 to go in the game, all Ohio needed to do was get one stop. But their defensive struggles continued, as Creel converted multiple third downs and set his team up in field goal range with a long completion to Lucas Farrington. And with three seconds to go, the field goal is wide right, sending it to overtime.

Jacksonville State got the ball first in overtime, and the Bobcats got their break as Creel was stopped short on fourth down, meaning any score would win it. Predictably, three straight runs followed for the Bobcats, but the kick would be blocked, sending it to a second overtime.

2OT saw both teams kick field goals, meaning it was time for two-point conversions. Kendall Bannister broke up the pass to Deondre Johnson, and Riley Neer also couldn’t come down with his target.

That means history, for the first game in Ohio Bobcats’ history to hit 4OT. And Levi Davis seized the opportunity, running it in to put the Bobcats up 29-27. A false start pushed the Gamecocks back to the eight-yard line, and that ended up being the difference as Darren James-Hamilton made the tackle on Darius Cannon inches from the goal line, ending the game.

Ohio Head Coach John Hauser spoke on this team’s resilience and what this win means.

“What a game. What a win. What a program win,” said Ohio Head Coach John Hauser. “I’m really proud of our quarterbacks. You know, I thought all of them came in and had poise and inspiration. … Darren James, I mean, really got us back in the game with his kickoff return and that kind of flipped the momentum for us, … I’m proud of a lot of these guys and we’ll keep working.”

Ohio hits the road next week to face South Alabama (1-1). Jacksonville State will face Georgia Southern.