2 weeks Ago
1. Don’t dig yourself into an early hole. In its 48-41 loss last Saturday against Western Michigan, UB trailed the Broncos 28-10 midway through the second quarter and 35-17 midway through the third, before the Bulls rallied to tie the score at 38-38 early in the fourth.
Many pointed to Western Michigan’s controversial first-down conversion as the decisive factor in the loss but UB coach Pete Lembo said then that UB can’t leave plays on the table – plays that ultimately led to the decisive call. Still, UB had its deficiencies, including a porous pass defense in the first half and a special-teams gaffe that set up a Broncos touchdown. That forced the Bulls to make up plenty of ground in the second half.
2. Continue the offensive consistency. UB had two of its three highest offensive outputs this season in its last two games: 357 yards Oct.
12 against Toledo and a season-high 551 yards against Western Michigan. Last Saturday, UB quarterback C.J.
Ogbonna threw for a career-high 309 yards to nine receivers, including Victor Snow (seven catches, 84 yards). The Bulls simplified the passing game as the day progressed; five of Ogbonna’s 10 first-half completions went for at least 20 yards, while nine of his 12 in the second half went for less than 15 yards. UB also capitalized on key spots against Western.
Thirty seconds into the game, Kobe Stewart’s fumble recovery at the Western 31 set up UB’s first touchdown, a 7-yard carry by Messiah Burch. UB quarterback C.J.
Ogbonna, right, escapes pressure against Western Michigan last Saturday. 3. Prepare to pass the ball.
Defense may be Ohio’s forte. The Bobcats are second in the MAC in total defense (331.3 yards) behind Northern Illinois (258.
1) and rushing defense (116.29 yards), also behind Northern Illinois (101.57).
Notice a pattern among MAC defenses? Ohio, though, is fifth in the MAC in pass defense, allowing an average of 215 passing yards per game. Ohio’s defense meets UB’s pass offense at a rather opportune time for the Bulls, whose receiving game has jelled as the MAC schedule progresses. Consider the smaller sample size, though: Ohio’s pass defense has allowed an average of 168.
3 yards in three MAC games, including a season-low 131 yards in a 27-25 win Oct. 12 at Central Michigan. 4.
Ignore the records and win on the road. Ohio and UB enter the weekend in a six-team tie for second in the MAC at 2-1, behind Western Michigan. There’s still a lot of football to be played.
The Bobcats and the Bulls have five games remaining in the regular season, starting with Saturday’s tilt at Peden Stadium in Athens, Ohio. Just 1-2 on the road this season, UB has had winning road records in only two of the last 10 seasons. The Bulls were 2-0 in 2020, and 5-1 on the road in 2018.
That only road loss in 2018? At Ohio, where UB is 1-12 since 1997. Southeast Ohio is a place that hasn't been very kind to the Bulls. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! College/high school sports enterprise reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
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