Rourke has 2 TD runs, leads Ohio over Ball State 34-21
Rourke ices game for Ohio with 12-yard TD run
Ohio quarterback Nathan Rourke holds onto the ball and walks into the end zone for the 12-yard touchdown.
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Nathan Rourke accounted for 258 yards of offense and ran for two touchdowns to lead Ohio to a 34-21 victory over Ball State on Saturday.
Ohio (4-4, 3-1) has won two of its last three games while Ball State (4-4, 3-1) lost its first Mid-American Conference game.
Rourke was 8-of-16-passing for 131 yards and had 127 yards rushing. O'Shaan Allison added 104 yards on the ground, and De'Montre Tuggle had a pair touchdown runs for Ohio.
Drew Plitt threw a touchdown pass and ran for a score for Ball State. Walter Fletcher ran for 156 yards on 14 carries that included a 73-yard touchdown run.
Rourke and Plitt traded 1-yard scoring runs in the first quarter. Louie Zervos kicked field goals from 20 and 23 yards to give the Bobcats a 13-7 halftime lead.
Tuggle scored on an 11-yard run and Fletcher answered with his 73-yarder on the next play from scrimmage. Tuggle's 1-yard TD run stretched Ohio's lead to 27-14 with 4:33 remaining in the third quarter.
Rourke capped a 9-play, 64-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown run with about four minutes to play that made it 34-14.
Game Information
2023 Mid-American Conference Standings
Team | CONF | OVR |
---|---|---|
Miami (OH) | 7-1 | 11-3 |
Ohio | 6-2 | 10-3 |
Bowling Green | 5-3 | 7-6 |
Buffalo | 3-5 | 3-9 |
Akron | 1-7 | 2-10 |
Kent State | 0-8 | 1-11 |
Team | CONF | OVR |
---|---|---|
Toledo | 8-0 | 11-3 |
Northern Illinois | 5-3 | 7-6 |
Eastern Michigan | 4-4 | 6-7 |
Western Michigan | 3-5 | 4-8 |
Ball State | 3-5 | 4-8 |
Central Michigan | 3-5 | 5-7 |