Football opponent previews-Ohio University Bobcats

Date: Sept. 6, 2008 Time: Noon, E.T. TV: ESPN/ESPN2 Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus Ohio Bobcats

Coach: Frank Solich (3rd season) Conference: Mid-American (East) 2007 Record: 6-6 (4-4) Ohio State all-time vs. Ohio: 5-0 Returning Starters: 8 Offensive, 7 Defensive At halftime of the 1999 affair between Ohio State and Ohio University, the score surprisingly was tied 10-10. The Buckeyes were baffled at this point, but prevailed predictably 40-16. On Sept. 6, the Bobcats once again have a chance to startle the ever-favored Buckeyes in Columbus when Ohio's Flagship University faces Ohio's first. This game is much anticipated by Bobcat Fans alike. "I have a lot of friends that go to OSU. It will be fun to go to Columbus and root against them," said Stuart Solomon, a junior at Ohio University but long-time Buckeye fan. "I will be wearing my green and white and talking all the trash I can before the game." The game versus OSU is such a huge deal to Bobcat fans that shirts have been sold by OU bookstores since the end of the school year. "The shirts say 'We are Ohio, You are State' and 'Ohio University vs. Ohio A&M'. It should get some kind of points across," Solomon said. OU students and fans are urged to wear the shirts if they are going to the game in Columbus. "I don't think the shirts will help them at all," said Michael Kahan, a junior in the Fisher School of Business at OSU and friend of Solomon. "It just might make us Buckeye faithful a little more hostile. I had nothing to be hostile about towards them before so this makes me want to run up the score a little more." After being the 2006 bowl-bound MAC-East champions, the Bobcats struggled in 2007 posting a mediocre 6-6 record missing out on back-to-back bowl appearances. The 2008 Bobcats will be without All-MAC running back Kalvin McRae, who signed with the Kansas City Chiefs after graduating last year. McRae will most likely be replaced by junior Chris Garrett who compiled only 99 yards last season. Garrett made the switch from wide receiver to running back for the upcoming season. Junior quarterback Theo Scott (6-1, 197) will be the Bobcat's starter. Scott recorded 743 passing yards and 120 rushing yards last season as a backup. The quarterback and running back positions for the Bobcats return only 842 yards of experience from last season compared to OSU's 3988 yards between senior Todd Boeckman (2379 yards) and junior Chris Wells (1609 yards). In fact, OU relied so heavily on running back Kalvin McRae that OSU's two back up running backs, senior Maurice Wells and sophomore Brandon Saine, have each compiled more than double the yards than future Bobcat starter Chris Garrett. Also, the Bobcats return a few experienced receivers in junior Taylor Price (6-1, 184) and sophomore speedster LaVon Brazill (5-10, 172) who ranked second and sixth on the team for receiving yards respectively. OU senior tight end Andrew Mooney had a team leading nine receiving touchdowns to go along with nearly 500 yards receiving. He will be Scott's primary target. The sole match up problem the Bobcat offense might cause for the Buckeye defense lies in 6-foot 5-inch sophomore receiver Robert Mercer, who towers over the majority of defensive backs in the country. However, Mercer will most likely not be a threat for All-American senior defensive back Malcolm Jenkins and his All-Big Ten counterparts. The OU offensive line was mediocre in 2007 allowing 26 sacks which placed seventh in the MAC. Two-year starters Matt Miller and David Shelby graduated leaving openings at the guard and tackle positions. These positions should be easily replaced by a deep bench and juniors Chris Rodgers (6-5, 289) and Michael Philbin (6-4, 302) look to fill in at tackle and guard. Size shows immediate mismatches upfront as OSU defensive tackle sophomore Dexter Larimore (6-2, 300) poses as an extreme threat to these smaller OU linemen. The Bobcats should have difficulty moving the ball against this year's stingy Buckeye defense and OU will most likely not be able to score many points. On defense, the Bobcats had a difficult time stopping the run allowing 186.4 yards per game, which ranked 91st nationally. OSU junior running back Chris Wells should have no problem exploiting the OU defensive line and may just have over 100 rushing yards after the first quarter. Both defensive tackles are currently being replaced but the Bobcats return experience to defensive tackle in All-MAC candidate, senior James Hartke (6-4, 262). Hartke saw time rotating with the graduated seniors last season. OU's secondary returns three starters from a team that ranked second in the MAC last season in pass efficiency defense while allowing a fifth-best 221.1 yards passing per game. One starter was lost in safety Todd Koenig but will be replaced by junior Steven Jackson who had 11 games of experience last season. The Buckeyes should have no problem with Bobcats as long as they don't look past this opponent to Southern California, who lingers in Los Angeles for the next Saturday. "I just want to scare Ohio State fans, get them off their 'high horses' and make them not want to play us. If we could be tied at some point past halftime, it would be a victory for me," Solomon said. "I hope we just win 60-0 so we can get the conversation about OSU and OU being on the same field over with," Kahan responded. "However, I will enjoy having my friend come up to Columbus to go to the game with me. Maybe he'll go back to being a full-time Buckeye fan like he grew up. He's entitled to root against them for this game though."

David Sokol can be reached at sokol.26@osu.edu.