After nearly pulling off a Power Four upset last week at Rutgers, Ohio pulled it off Saturday with a 17-10 win over West Virginia in Athens, Ohio.
Ohio quarterback Parker Navarro threw for 247 yards and ran for 87 more to lead the Bobcats (1-1) to their first-ever win against the Mountaineers (1-1) in the fifth all-time matchup/.
West Virginia struck first, scoring on a 32-yard rushing touchdown by Jahiem White at the 3:22 mark in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead.
Ohio responded on its next drive with a 37-yard field goal by kicker Brack Peacock with 1:07 left in the first to cut the lead to 7-3.
Ohio running back Sieh Bangura scored the Bobcats’ first touchdown of the game, capping off a 12-play, 71-yard, six-minute drive with a 1-yard rushing touchdown. Bangura finished the game with 20 rushing attempts for 66 yards and a touchdown.
The Bobcats padded their lead late in the first half with a 31-yard touchdown from Navarro to Chase Hendricks, who snagged eight catches for 121 yards, with 1:19 left on the clock.
A relatively clean first half turned into a sloppier one after the break. After combining for 24 points in the first half, the two teams only combined for three points in the third and fourth quarters.
After the Mountaineers ran for 393 yards last week, Ohio held West Virginia to just 72 yards on 28 carries.
Coming off being named the MAC offensive player of the week, Navarro threw three interceptions in the second half. West Virginia was not able to capitalize with a score off any of the turnovers.
West Virginia QB Nicco Marchiol was benched in the third quarter for former Texas A&M quarterback Jaylen Henderson. Henderson played two drives without completing a pass before Marchiol was brought back in the game.
The larger concern for West Virginia is the injury to White. The standout running back finished with six carries for 40 yards and a touchdown before being carted off the field late in the second quarter.
West Virginia wide receiver Jaden Bray also sustained an injury in the second half. He was the leading receiver for the Mountaineers, finishing with four catches for 69 yards.
Ohio outgained West Virginia 429-250 and dominated the time of possession 40:15 to 19:45.
