San Diego State Football: First Look At The Ohio Bobcats

The Aztecs will kick off their 2023 season against last year’s MAC runners-up. Here’s a first look at Ohio.

San Diego State Football: First Look at the Ohio Bobcats

The Aztecs will kick off their 2023 season against last year’s MAC runners-up. Here’s a first look at Ohio.

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MACtion is on the way to Snapdragon.

San Diego State Football: First Look at 2023 Non-conference Opponents

Ohio | Idaho State | UCLA | Oregon State

It’s hard to stay on top in the Mid-American Conference, but the Ohio Bobcats have made a habit over the past decade or so of being remarkably consistent.

After a one-year blip in 2021, Ohio roared back to clinch a spot in the MAC championship game for the first time since 2016. They fell short of claiming the program’s first crown since 1968, though, which means the Bobcats should be plenty motivated to finish the job this fall. That begins in Week 0 with a must-see showdown against San Diego State.

Location: Athens, Ohio

Conference: Mid-American

Series History: Ohio leads the all-time series against San Diego State, 1-0.

2022 Record: 10-4 (7-1 MAC)

Head Coach: Tim Albin (third year, 13-13 overall). When Frank Solich stepped away from leading the Bobcats before the 2021 season, Ohio fell into a funk and finished that year with a 3-9 record. That was the program’s first losing season since 2008 but Albin, who had worked alongside Solich as offensive coordinator since 2005, didn’t need much time to help his team rediscover their footing: After playing three one-score contests in the first five games, Ohio strung a seven-game winning streak together to win the MAC East title.

Though they lost the conference championship to Toledo, the Bobcats bounced back to win a close Arizona Bowl over Wyoming to earn their first ten-win since 2011. Now, they enter 2023 as one of the most experienced rosters anywhere in college football, returning 71% of last year’s production.

Key Players

Kurtis Rourke, QB

The first time San Diego State faced off with Ohio in the 2018 Frisco Bowl, Nathan Rourke led the Bobcats to a big win by accounting for 250 yards of total offense and three touchdowns. In Week 0, the Aztecs will square off with Nathan’s younger brother, Kurtis, who just so happens to be the reigning MAC Offensive Player of the Year.

Even that might undersell just how good he was last year before a knee injury knocked him out for Ohio’s final three games. Among all FBS quarterbacks, Rourke ranked tenth in yards of total offense per game (316.2), eighth in completion percentage (69.1%), fourth in yards per attempt (9.2), and tied for first in overall Pro Football Focus grading (92.0). If he’s back to 100%, he could be the best quarterback SDSU will see all season.

Torrie Cox, CB

Cox started 12 games as a redshirt freshman in 2022 and quickly established himself as one of the best overall players in the MAC. He finished ninth among conference defenders with an overall PFF grade of 82.9 after making 52 total tackles, including three tackles for loss, and breaking up six passes with three interceptions, so Cox will be a tough test for whichever Aztecs receiver lines up opposite him.

Sieh Bangura, RB

If Rourke is the engine that makes Ohio’s offense go, then Bangura spent his first full season in 2022 as one of Rourke’s primary beneficiaries. The MAC’s Freshman of the Year rushed for 1,078 yards on the ground and caught 27 passes for 226 yards through the air with 15 total touchdowns, giving the Bobcats an all-around weapon out of the backfield.

Keye Thompson, LB

Thompson missed the entire 2021 season with an injury, but that setback proved to be temporary when he re-established himself in the heart of the Bobcats defense last fall. He led Ohio with 96 total tackles and chipped in with 6.5 tackles for loss, three passes defended, and an interception, earning a third-team all-MAC nod for his efforts.

Vonnie Watkins, DE

Where Cox and Thompson thrive further back from the line of scrimmage, Watkins gets things done in the trenches for the Bobcats. His 14 tackles for loss last season were the most by an Ohio defender since 2018 and he added 4.5 sacks for good measure, though he’ll be counted upon to provide more as the team reloads up front.

Overview:

Offense

Ohio has never typically had much problem moving the ball in recent years and 2022 was no exception. The Bobcats led the MAC in averaging 6.17 yards per play and finished 34th and 41st, respectively, among all FBS teams in points per drive (2.62) and available yards percentage per drive (51.7%).

Rourke’s return is the biggest boon of all, especially since it’s worth noting that Ohio’s production dipped slightly when they were forced to turn to CJ Harris at quarterback down the stretch, averaging 4.98 YPP in the final three games. He and Bangura give the team one of the MAC’s best backfield tandems, though the passing game has its own standouts, too, in Sam Wiglusz (74 catches, 883 yards, 11 touchdowns), Jacoby Jones (45-776-6), and Miles Cross (46-554-3).

On the offensive line, Ohio must replace first-team all-MAC Guard Hagen Meservy but will bring back the other four players who finished last season in the starting lineup. Chief among that group are seniors Parker Titsworth, who led the team by playing 974 snaps at center, and Jay Amburgey, who has started games at both tackle positions over the past two seasons.

Defense

One of the biggest reasons for Ohio’s big 2022 was a defense that rebounded on a number of different fronts, improving their team sack rate (6.5%, 56th in FBS), stuff rate (22.1%, 22nd), available yards percentage allowed per drive (47.5%, 67th), and net points per drive (2.20, 60th) despite giving up 6.16 yards per play, the highest average in the MAC.

There’s a decent chance they’re as good or better in 2023 with the number of productive veterans who are back for more. On the defensive line, Watkins and tackle Rodney Matthews (26 tackles, seven tackles for loss) anchor a unit that must replace the 9.5 combined sacks notched by Jack McCrory and Kai Caesar last fall. They’ll have reinforcements ready to step up, though, like Rayyan Buell and Bradley Weaver.

With Thompson and Bryce Houston (77 tackles, 11 TFLs, 5.5 sacks) entrenched at linebacker, things look much more stable in the middle of the defense. The secondary returns mostly intact, too, led by cornerbacks Cox and Justin Birchette (36 tackles, eight pass breakups). While questions remain at safety and nickelback, Austin Brawley got two starts in 13 appearances and Adonis Williams Jr. played more than 250 snaps out of the slot, so they appear the best the likeliest candidates to win those jobs.

Early Prediction

The Aztecs figure to play much closer to the level they achieved in the second half of last season, but there are just enough questions on offense right now to make me think that, even if the San Diego State defense manages to keep Rourke and company in check at times, they won’t be able to keep up drive for drive against one of the better attacks they’re going to see all year.

Ohio 31, San Diego State 24

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