Sports
Ohio Fails to Clinch MAC East Against CMU
By: Russ Heltman
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The Ohio Bobcats’ magic number will hold firm at one victory after a 27-20 loss at the hands of quarterback Cooper Rush and the Central Michigan Chippewas. Rush showed why he’s one of the premiere gunslingers in the Mid American Conference, throwing for 268 yards and two touchdowns, both to tight end Tyler Conklin.
Following a Central Michigan fumble, the Bobcats had an opportunity to tie the game at 27 with less than a minute to play, but Quinton Maxwell’s fourth down interception on the ensuing drive sealed the Chippewa victory.
Ohio’s offense seemed to be clicking on all cylinders after their victory over Buffalo, but it sputtered out of the gate in this one. As the Bobcats turned the ball over twice in the opening quarter, and handed the Chippewas a 17-0 lead. Turnover’s were the kryptonite for Ohio, as they committed four throughout the game, all seemingly at crucial times.
Quinton Maxwell’s struggles flared up again in a contest where he completed 16 of 36 passes for 208 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Maxwell looked out of sorts throughout much of the game and didn’t find his rhythm until it was too late.
The Bobcat defense on the other hand played a beautiful game, holding the Chippewas to 286 yards of total offense. Central just didn’t make many mistakes on that side of the ball, with their only turnover coming on their final possession of the game. The Ohio defense hounded the Chippewa running backs all night, holding them to just 18 yards rushing on 31 carries.
Takeaway the fumbling issues, Dorian Brown had himself a fine night toting the rock, rushing for 91 yards on 12 carries. Maxwell showcased his scrambling chops throughout the night, carrying the ball 21 times for 56 yards.
The victory makes the Chippewas bowl eligible for the fifth straight season and halts a three game losing streak. They will finish their season next Tuesday at Eastern Michigan in a battle of in-state rivals.
Ohio still controls their own destiny in terms of a MAC Championship berth. A home win over Akron next Tuesday will punch their ticket for the first time since 2011. Should they lose that contest though, the Bobcats hopes will rest on the shoulders of Ball State. The Cardinals would have to beat Miami to keep Ohio’s MAC Championship dreams alive.