2018 Ohio Bobcats football team

The 2018 Ohio Bobcats football team represented Ohio University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by 14th-year head coach Frank Solich and played their home games at Peden Stadium in Athens, Ohio as members of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference.[1][2] They finished the season 9–4, 6–2 in MAC play to finish in a tie for second place in the East division. They were invited to the Frisco Bowl where they defeated San Diego State.

2018 Ohio Bobcats football
Frisco Bowl champion
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionEast Division
Record9–4 (6–2 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorTim Albin (14th season)
Offensive schemeSpread option
Co-defensive coordinatorJim Burrow (14th season)
Co-defensive coordinatorRon Collins (2nd season)
Base defense4-3
Home stadiumPeden Stadium
Seasons
← 2017
2019 →
2018 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
Buffalo x   7 1     10 4  
Miami (OH)   6 2     6 6  
Ohio   6 2     9 4  
Akron   2 6     4 8  
Bowling Green   2 6     3 9  
Kent State   1 7     2 10  
West Division
Northern Illinois x$   6 2     8 6  
Western Michigan   5 3     7 6  
Eastern Michigan   5 3     7 6  
Toledo   5 3     7 6  
Ball State   3 5     4 8  
Central Michigan   0 8     1 11  
Championship: Northern Illinois 30, Buffalo 29
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions

Preseason

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Award watch lists

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Listed in the order that they were released

Award Player Position Year
Maxwell Award[3] Nathan Rourke QB JR
Jim Thorpe Award[4] Javon Hagan S JR
Outland Trophy[5] Joe Lowery OL SR
Lou Groza Award[6] Louis Zervos K JR
Manning Award[7] Nathan Rourke QB JR

Preseason media poll

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The MAC released their preseason media poll on July 24, 2018, with the Bobcats predicted to finish as champions of the East Division.[8]

East Division
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1 Ohio 140 (21)
2 Buffalo 112 (1)
3 Miami 95 (2)
4 Akron 74
5 Bowling Green 58
6 Kent State 25

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 12:00 p.m.Howard*ESPN+W 38–3218,275
September 154:15 p.m.vs. Virginia*ESPN2L 31–455,438
September 2212:00 p.m.at Cincinnati*ESPNUL 30–3435,220
September 292:00 p.m.UMass*
  • Peden Stadium
  • Athens, OH
ESPN3W 58–4219,056
October 63:30 p.m.at Kent StateESPN+W 27–2620,026
October 133:30 p.m.at Northern IllinoisESPN+L 21–2412,138
October 202:00 p.m.Bowling Green 
  • Peden Stadium
  • Athens, OH
ESPN3W 49–1419,492
October 257:00 p.m.Ball State
  • Peden Stadium
  • Athens, OH
CBSSNW 52–1413,774
November 17:00 p.m.at Western MichiganESPNUW 59–1411,935
November 77:00 p.m.at Miami (OH)ESPNUL 28–3015,975
November 147:00 p.m.Buffalo
  • Peden Stadium
  • Athens, OH
ESPN2W 52–1713,839
November 2312:00 p.m.Akron
  • Peden Stadium
  • Athens, OH
CBSSNW 49–2812,938
December 198:00 p.m.vs. San Diego State*ESPNW 27–011,029
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time
  1. ^ Moved from Scott Stadium in anticipation of Hurricane Florence.

Source:[9]

Game summaries

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Howard

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1 2 3 4 Total
Bison 10 12 7 3 32
Bobcats 3 14 14 7 38

vs Virginia

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1 2 3 4 Total
Bobcats 7 14 7 3 31
Cavaliers 21 17 0 7 45

At Cincinnati

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1 2 3 4 Total
Bobcats 14 10 3 3 30
Bearcats 0 7 14 13 34

UMass

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1 2 3 4 Total
Minutemen 21 7 7 7 42
Bobcats 14 21 17 6 58

At Kent State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Bobcats 7 0 7 13 27
Golden Flashes 14 3 6 3 26

At Northern Illinois

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1 2 3 4 Total
Bobcats 0 7 14 0 21
Huskies 3 6 0 15 24

Bowling Green

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1 2 3 4 Total
Falcons 7 7 0 0 14
Bobcats 14 21 7 7 49

Ball State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Cardinals 7 0 0 7 14
Bobcats 0 31 21 0 52

At Western Michigan

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1 2 3 4 Total
Bobcats 21 24 7 7 59
Broncos 0 0 7 7 14

At Miami (OH)

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1 2 3 4 Total
Bobcats 7 0 7 14 28
RedHawks 7 21 0 2 30

Buffalo

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1 2 3 4 Total
Bulls 7 3 0 7 17
Bobcats 14 17 14 7 52

Akron

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1 2 3 4 Total
Zips 0 7 7 14 28
Bobcats 21 7 7 14 49

Vs. San Diego State (Frisco Bowl)

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1 2 3 4 Total
Aztecs 0 0 0 0 0
Bobcats 3 14 3 7 27

References

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  1. ^ "Peden Stadium". Ohio University Athletics. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  2. ^ "Frank Solich". Sports Reference.
  3. ^ "2018 Maxwell Award Watch List". July 16, 2018. Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  4. ^ "Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Names 2018 Preseason Watchlist". July 23, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
  5. ^ "22018 OUTLAND TROPHY WATCH LIST UNVEILED". July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  6. ^ "Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Announces 2018 Preseason Watch List". July 25, 2018. Archived from the original on August 17, 2009. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
  7. ^ "Manning Award: See which quarterbacks made the preseason watch list for 2018". August 16, 2018. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
  8. ^ "NIU & Ohio Picked as Divisional Winners in 2018 MAC Football Media Preseason Poll".
  9. ^ "2018 Ohio Bobcats Football Schedule | Bobcats | FBSchedules.com". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved April 9, 2018.