BOISE, ID. (AP) — The Ohio Bobcats won their third-straight bowl game by beating Nevada 31-20 in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Neither team scored a touchdown in the first quarter but the Bobcats broke through in the second on a 12-yard touchdown by Julian Ross.
Nathan Rourke increased the Bobcats lead to 14 on the next drive by rushing for a 35-yard touchdown. That was Rourke’s 46th rushing score on the year, the most of any player in the FBS.
Ohio held the Wolfpack to a field goal just before the half and scored first in the second half with Louie Zervos’ third field goal of the game. The last points of the third quarter came on a 2-yard run by De’montre Tuggle to give the Bobcats a 30-9 lead.
Ohio did not allow a touchdown in the first three quarters, giving the Bobcats 11 straight quarters of not allowing a touchdown in a bowl game. But Nevada broke through in the final 15 minutes by scoring back-to-back touchdowns shrinking Ohio’s lead to 30-21.
The defense struggled all season long allowing an average of 401 yards a game, but it came through when it mattered most forcing and recovering two fumbles while recording several sacks as well. The defense sealed the win by forcing its second fumble of the game with three minutes left in the The Idaho Potato Bowl was also the same place Ohio won its first-ever bowl game in 2011.