KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — Nathan Rourke threw three touchdown passes, rushed for two scores and Ohio used six turnovers to ease past Western Michigan 59-14 on Thursday night.
Ohio led 45-0 at halftime after Western Michigan turned it over five times. Rourke scored on a 6-yard sneak and he found Papi White in the back of the end zone less than three minutes later. DL Knock blocked a punt and Alvin Floyd returned it 13 yards for a 21-0 first-quarter lead.
In the second quarter, Jarren Hampton’s interception led to Rourke’s 13-yard rush for a 28-0 lead. Western Michigan fumbled it on its next two possessions, leading to a field goal and Rourke’s 8-yard TD pass to Adam Luehrman. After Western Michigan’s four-and-out, Rourke passed it to Isiah Cox for a 10-yard score with 47 seconds left in the half.
Rourke was 12-of-14 passing for 149 yards and he carried it nine times for 68 yards for Ohio (6-3, 4-1 Mid-American Conference), which is bowl eligible for the 10th straight season.
Western Michigan (6-4, 4-2) was held to 119 yards in the first half, with four fumbles and an interception.

Ohio 21 24 7 7 = 59
W. Michigan 0 0 7 7 = 14
First Quarter
OHI—Rourke 6 run (Zervos kick), 7:18
OHI—White 8 pass from Rourke (Zervos kick), 4:26
OHI—Floyd 13 blocked punt return (Zervos kick), 2:49
Second Quarter
OHI—Rourke 13 run (Zervos kick), 7:16
OHI—FG Zervos 30, 4:42
OHI—A.Luehrman 8 pass from Rourke (Zervos kick), 4:01
OHI—Cox 10 pass from Rourke (Zervos kick), :47
Third Quarter
WMC—Bogan 1 run (Peddie kick), 8:50
OHI—Ouellette 17 run (Zervos kick), 5:14
Fourth Quarter
WMC—Hall 26 pass from Eleby (Peddie kick), 10:36
OHI—Maxwell 18 run (Zervos kick), 6:49
———
OHI WMC
First downs 24 13
Rushes-yards 41-256 40-118
Passing 164 152
Comp-Att-Int 13-19-0 10-19-2
Return Yards 56 73
Punts-Avg. 4-35.25 4-30.8
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 4-4
Penalties-Yards 8-75 6-51
Time of Possession 30:56 29:04
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Ohio, Ouellette 8-71, Rourke 9-68, Irons 8-49, Burroughs 5-35, Allison 7-24, Maxwell 2-18, (Team) 1-(minus 2), White 1-(minus 7). W. Michigan, Ch.Brown 15-52, Bellamy 9-42, Tucker 5-19, Bogan 9-10, Eleby 2-(minus 5).
PASSING—Ohio, Rourke 12-14-0-149, Maxwell 1-5-0-15. W. Michigan, Eleby 10-19-2-152.
RECEIVING—Ohio, Meyer 4-65, White 4-39, Cox 3-39, Odom 1-13, A.Luehrman 1-8. W. Michigan, Eskridge 3-50, J.Reed 2-13, Watson 1-40, Hall 1-26, O.Miller 1-12, D.Harris 1-6, Ricci 1-5.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—Ohio, Zervos 39. W. Michigan, Peddie 39.