by FRISCO, Texas — The Ohio football team (9-4) became the first Mid-American Conference team to record a shutout in a bowl game, blanking San Diego State (7-6), 27-0, in the 2018 DXL Frisco Bowl this evening at Toyota Stadium.
The Bobcats earned their fourth bowl victory in program history and won back-to-back bowl championships for the second time in program history. Ohio defeated UAB, 41-6, in the 2017 Bahamas Bowl.
Ohio finished a season with at least nine victories for the second year in a row and for the sixth time in the last 14 years under head coach Frank Solich.
“I’m really proud of the guys,” Solich said. “They have been special right from the start. We look back and look at spring ball and fall camp, you look at summer condition and what they went through and it’s special. I’ve been around really good athletes, dedicated athletes, but as a group of athletes, this is about as good as it gets. Not only as what they put out on the field, but the offseason character, they way they do things in terms of leadership. It’s a really special group and it’s tough to see these guys go. We do have a structured group coming back that will also be really good for our program.”
In his final game at Ohio, redshirt senior running back A.J. Ouellette (Covington, Ohio) ran for a game-high 164 yards on 29 carries and was named the 2018 DXL Frisco Bowl Offensive Player of the Game. Junior quarterback Nathan Rourke(Oakville, Ontario, Canada) went 10-of-22 for a game-high 206 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 44 yards and two scores. Redshirt senior wide receiver Papi White (Seminole/Creek/Chickasaw) snatched a game-high four receptions for a game-high 90 yards in his final game at Ohio. Redshirt senior wide receiver Andrew Meyer (Canal Winchester, Ohio) also made a final impact in his final game as a Bobcat, catching two passes for 60 yards — including a 35-yard touchdown reception.
“The way the team finished the season is a tribute to our coaches,” Ouellette said. “We have a hard nosed head coach and it showed late in the season wearing other teams down. You can tell their bodies weren’t used to the all the pounding from the season, but for us to go out this way is a tribute to our seniors.”
Senior linebacker Evan Croutch (Youngstown, Ohio) was named 2018 DXL Frisco Bowl Defensive Player of the Game, recording a game-high 11 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
“We’ve preparing for what it seems like a long time for this game and to come out come out and shut out a team like San Diego State it feels great,” Croutch said.
Ohio forced San Diego State to punt on the opening drive of the game. After Ouellette and White combined to pick up 42 yards on the ground to move the ball to the San Diego State 41-yard line, Rourke found Meyer for a gain of 25 on 2nd-and-13 to give the Bobcats a fresh set of downs at the 15. Ohio’s drive stalled, but redshirt junior kicker Louie Zervos (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) gave the Bobcats a 3-0 advantage with just over two minutes remaining in the first quarter after converting from 30 yards out.
After the Aztecs went three-and-out, Ohio marched 72 yards in 15 plays. Ouellette was the catalyst once again, piling up 34 rushing yards on the drive. On 3rd-and-6 from the San Diego State 27, Rourke found White for a gain of 18. Two plays later, Rourke kept it himself and scored from nine yards out to help Ohio take a 10-0 lead.
The Bobcats took a 17-0 lead just before halftime. The drive was set up by a 30-yard punt return by redshirt senior safety/returner Kylan Nelson (Lexington, Ky.) that gave Ohio possession at the San Diego State 43. Rourke threw a 14-yard completion to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Cameron Odom (Bedford, Ohio) on first down, then found Ouellette on a 3rd-and-10 for a gain of 18 to keep the drive alive. On the next play, Rourke scored on an 11-yard run with seven seconds left.
Ohio received the second-half kickoff and moved 66 yards in seven plays, with a 54-yard strike from Rourke to White setting up a 26-yard field goal by Zervos to extend the Bobcats’ advantage to 20-0.
The Bobcats added on to their lead on the first drive of the fourth quarter when Rourke found Meyer wide open for a 35-yard touchdown on a flea flicker
Ohio completed the shutout when redshirt freshman safety Alvin Floyd (North Miami Beach, Fla.) came up with an interception in the end zone on the final play of the contest.
For San Diego State, quarterback Ryan Agnew finished the game 11-of-24 for 126 yards, while running back Juwan Washington finished with 129 yards on 19 carries. Wide receiver Isaiah Richardson wrapped up the game with three catches for 58 yards.
