ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio Bobcats are gearing up for the 99th edition of the Battle of the bricks against the Miami RedHawks this Tuesday, November 5, at Peden Stadium. The rivalry game holds significant weight as both teams vie for crucial Mid-American Conference standings and bragging rights.
The Bobcats (7-3, 5-1 MAC) are coming off a 48-21 Homecoming victory over Northern Illinois on October 18, fueled by explosive plays on both sides of the ball.Junior safety Jalen Thomeson sealed the win with a 91-yard fumble return for a touchdown with under three minutes remaining. Thomeson currently leads the team with 52 total tackles,including 22 solo stops and four tackles for loss.
Defensively, Ohio has generated nine interceptions this season. Michael Mack II and Cameron Hollobaugh each have two, while DJ Walker, tank Pearson, and Austin Mitchell have one apiece. HollobaughS second interception came on the opening drive against Bowling Green (Sept. 27), resulting in a 71-yard touchdown sprint.
On special teams, redshirt sophomore kicker Brack Peacock has made 3-of-6 field goals since his Bobcat debut against West Virginia (Sept. 6). Redshirt freshman kicker David dellenbach contributed nine points in his debut (Aug. 28), going 6-for-6 on PATs and 1-for-1 on field goals, and has since handled 40 kickoffs for 2,727 yards. Graduate student punter Magnus Haines has punted 25 times for 1,116 total yards, with a season-long 68-yard punt against Eastern Michigan (Oct.25) – the longest by an Ohio player as 2016.
