WATCH: Former Wisconsin RB lays a massive hit on special teams

WATCH: Former Wisconsin RB lays a massive hit on special teams

Former Wisconsin running back Dare Ogunbowale has carved out quite the seven-year NFL career.

The Milwaukee native joined the league as an undrafted free agent in 2017, and is now in his second year with his fourth NFL team.

Gone may be the days of his best rushing outputs. But the 29-year-old continues to find ways to positively impact team. First, it was him entering as the Texans’ emergency kicker two weeks ago and making a go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter.

Related: Wisconsin football’s worst season in 33 years is coming at the exact wrong time

This time, he’s setting the tone on special teams and ensuring Houston’s 10-7 halftime lead.

Ogunbowale finished the contest with two special teams tackles in limited action.

He isn’t seeing the field on offense as C.J. Stroud continues his MVP campaign. But special teams opportunities have turned into impact moments for the Wisconsin product.

Houston’s Dare Ogunbowale can stick as well as kick

Dare Ogunbowale of the Texans with a massive special teams hit

A week after delivering a field goal when pressed into action, the Houston Texans’ Dare Ogunbowale showed he can be a force in another aspect of special teams.

Watch as Ogunbowale absolutely levels the Cincinnati Bengals’ Trenton Irwin on Sunday.

This was a massive hit and as clean as it gets.

Houston Texans’ win over Bucs had cinematic qualities

The Houston Texans’ 39-37 thriller over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had the elements of a cinematic masterpiece.

The Houston Texans won a thrilling contest on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 39-37 that brought their record to 4-4 and put rookie coach DeMeco Ryans firmly in position to make a playoff push over the next two months.

The win has brought visibility to a previously hapless Houston franchise, nearly guaranteed quarterback C.J. Stroud the Offensive Rookie of the Year award and changed the conversation on the place of the Texans franchise overnight. It was a nearly perfect win for Houston in both composition in outcome.

In fact, it was nearly story book perfect.

If the idea of a Texans Cinematic Universe was previously a term used to mock a franchise that deluded itself into bad decisions, Sunday’s victory was one where the NFL script writers decided that Houston deserved a win of nearly unrealistic proportions.

To begin, the protagonist, or hero, emerged in an absolutely triumphant fashion. Stroud, the newest franchise quarterback for Houston, not only delivered a performance worthy of the mantle but gave one of the greatest quarterback performances in team history. He threw for 470 yards and five touchdowns while completing 30 of 42 attempts including a dazzling game-winning drive with under 50 seconds to play.

Houston’s franchise player made a definitive statement that he was capable of serving that role and could be the caliber of player to carry the Texans back into relevancy. The hero of the story if there ever was one.

Next, the group assembled. Whether it’s the Fellowship of the Ring or the Avengers, there’s a point in every good story where the team assembles around their protagonist. Houston’s surrounding offensive cast had no problem doing that on Sunday.

Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Dalton Schultz, and Noah Brown all caught touchdowns through the contest, with the latter three going over 100 receiving yards. The chemistry with Dell was apparent, as Stroud often looked at No. 3 on pivotal third downs and even the game winning touchdown.

“Tank, unbelievable explosive play there to their sideline, and then for those two to connect again with the touchdown,” Ryans said after the game. “That connection and that bond that I think Tank and C.J. have, it’s real. You see it off the field, on the field.”

Stroud himself was quick to credit his supporting cast for helping to bevy him to his historic performance.

“It’s just a matter of us being able to — all 11 — play together, protect, give ourselves time to make those plays,” Stroud said after the game. “And the receivers, when their number is called, it’s time for them to step up and make the play, and that’s what they did.”

Stroud had an appreciation for the way his cast of pass-catchers were able to deliver when called upon.

Said Stroud: “When their number was called today, they made big-time plays, whether it’s the catch and run aspect of it or being able to complete deep shots down the field.”

Of course, the win couldn’t have been truly cinematic without some shred of doubt thrown at the hero. That came in a definitive way when kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn was forced to exit the game with a quad injury. It not only hampered Houston’s ability to score in increments of seven, but it also meant they were unable to kick field goals for most of the game.

That was until, of course, they did.

Dare Ogunbowale, the team’s fourth string running back and largely a special teams ace, stepped up to kick a 29-yard field goal attempt and miraculously converted. It was the first non-kicker field goal since Wes Welker in 2004 and the kind of twist that nobody could have ever expected in Houston’s winning game script.

Ryans didn’t hold back from giving Ogunbowale his due credit.

“Dare, he stepped up big time for us,” said Ryans. “For him to be able to kick off as many times as he did, create some touchbacks, but also for him to kick the field goal. We were confident he could make it from there, and he proved us right. Credit to Dare.”

Ryans finished with emphatically stating that, “He’s truly the player of the game.”

It was an unbelievable twist that nobody would have believed if they’d been told before the game. The kind of team performance and in-game storylines that only happens in movies. Where does the piece of near cinema leave the Texans?

It looks like they may just have the cast to be a successful franchise, not the film kind but the organization type that thrives in the NFL. Stroud as the protagonist, with a team of unlikely heroes and some Ryans magic assisting in the perfect moments.

Fans can watch the sequel on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time when Houston goes on the road for Week 10 to face the Cincinnati Bengals. They may just need more movie magic.

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WATCH: Texans QB C.J. Stroud explains moment when Dare Ogunbowale kicked go-ahead field goal

WATCH: Texans QB C.J. Stroud explains moment when Dare Ogunbowale kicked go-ahead field goal

The NFL world revolved around Houston, Texas for a few minutes on Sunday afternoon. Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn went down with an injury during the team’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, thrusting the team’s emergency kicker into duty.

That player: former Wisconsin running back Dare Ogunbowale.

What came next was madness. First, the former Badger performed well at kickoffs. Then, the Texans faced a fourth-and-goal from the 12-yard line. They needed a field goal.

And Ogunbowale delivered, becoming the first non-kicker or punter to make a field goal since wide receiver Wes Welker did it in 2004 for the Dolphins.

Texans QB C.J. Stroud spoke with ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt on Monday Night Countdown last night and told his side of the story:

Texans RB Dare Ogunbowale earns special teams praise from NBC Sports

Houston Texans running back Dare Ogunbowale picked up special teams praise from NBC Sports’ Peter King.

The Houston Texans were fortunate to have Dare Ogunbowale active for the third time in 2023.

The reserve running back provided the Texans’ with a much-needed 29-yard field goal throughout Houston’s thrilling 39-37 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday at NRG Stadium. Ogunbowale also handled kickoff duties in place of an injured Ka’imi Fairbairn.

According to Peter King from NBC Sports, Ogunbowale was his pick for one of two special teams players of the week.

Dare Ogunbowale, running back/kicker, Houston. For the first time in 19 years, an NFL player who is not a kicker made a field goal in a game. After Houston kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn suffered a quad injury in the first half against Tampa, Ogunbowale took over kicking duties and booted a 29-yard field goal in a 39-37 win for the Texans. Also notable: His kickoff with seconds to go, after the Texans took the 39-37 lead, made it to the end zone and handed the Bucs a very long field with six seconds to go. “Dare is our player of the game,” Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said.

Although in preseason, the last time a non-kicker handled such duties for Houston was in the 2021 exhibition finale against the Bucs at NRG Stadium. Safety Justin Reid kicked in place of Fairbairn, who sustained an injury pregame warmups.

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How every former Wisconsin Badger performed in NFL Week 9

How every former Wisconsin Badger performed in NFL Week 9

Week 9 of the NFL season is in the books as many teams officially surpass the midway point of their seasons.

For Wisconsin Badgers in the NFL, it was a week in the spotlight.

First, former Badger RB Dare Ogunbowale was thrust into emergency kicking duties in Houston. He ended up booting kicks for touchbacks and connecting on his only field goal attempt (29 yards).

Then, former Wisconsin TE Jake Ferguson gave the Eagles defense fits in America’s Game Of The Week.

Overall it was a productive week for Wisconsin products. Here is how every one of them performed in NFL Week 9:

Former Wisconsin RB Dare Ogunbowale re-writes an NFL record

Former Wisconsin RB Dare Ogunbowale re-writes an NFL record:

Former Wisconsin running back Dare Ogunbowale has struggled to find playing time this year in Houston.

Entering Sunday’s contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers he had only seen 16 total offensive snaps, during which he took two carries for four yards. Most of Ogunbowale’s action has come on special teams.

Yesterday, a few more special teams snaps became available. But not in a conventional way…The former Wisconsin Badger was forced into kicking duties when Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn was injured on a kickoff.

What did Ogunbowale do? Drill a 29-yard, go-ahead field goal midway through the fourth quarter.

He became the first non-kicker or punter to make a field goal since Wes Welker did it as a Miami Dolphin.

And then there’s this:

Whichever way you look at it, it’s an incredible feat. As many around the Wisconsin football program have noted since yesterday afternoon, it was something they could’ve seen coming.

Texans RB Dare Ogunbowale kicks clutch field goal

Running back Dare Ogunbowale put his best foot forward for the Texans

C.J. Stroud will grab the headlines — rightfully so — after his 470-yard, 5-TD passing performance on Sunday in the Houston Texans’ 39-37 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Another Houston player deserves major accolades for doing something no one could have expected him to do.

Houston kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn suffered a quad injury during the game, sending the Texans into desperation mode.

With the game tied 30-30 in the fourth quarter, they were faced with a 29-yard field-goal attempt. Running back Dare Ogunbowale stepped up, and stepped into the football.

The kick was true, and it gave Houston a 33-30 lead in a game that saw a frantic finish.

Ogunbowale attended Marquette University High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he was a four-sport athlete in football, soccer, basketball and track.

Coincidentally, Ogunbowale had twice been with Tampa Bay in his journeyman career.

Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn’s injury forced backup RB Dare Ogunbowale to kick and he wasn’t terrible

For an emergency kicker, he wasn’t bad at all!

Most NFL teams don’t roster two kickers. With depth needed at positions that see more time on the field, it just doesn’t make sense to carry two full-time kickers. So, if someone gets injured, the task of kicking often falls to a position player who has shown they have some leg.

This is precisely what happened to the Houston Texans and backup running back Dare Ogunbowale on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After starting kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn suffered a game-ending quad injury, Houston had to turn to Ogunbowale for a kickoff in an emergency.

With all things considered, as someone who doesn’t usually kick the ball for a living, Ogunbowale did pretty great!

How the Texans plan to approach field goals, which require more accuracy, remains to be seen. But if they need to lean on Ogunbowale now and in the near future for occasional emergency kicks, they seem to be in good hands.

UPDATE: The Texans had Ogunbowale kick the go-ahead field goal halfway through the fourth quarter. Wow.

WATCH: Former Badger RB Dare Ogunbowale … is the Houston Texans’ kicker today?

WATCH: Former Badger RB Dare Ogunbowale … is the Houston Texans’ kicker today?

File this under sentences I did not expect to write today, or ever. Former Wisconsin running back Dare Ogunbowale was forced into emergency duty today during the Houston Texans’ contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He was not forced in as the running back. But he’s currently operating as the Texans’ kicker after Ka’imi Fairbairn was injured earlier in the contest.

To be honest, he isn’t that bad.

Update: He also made the go-ahead field goal.