[26][27] Prior to the game Ohio's offense took a huge hit as Rourke, starting receivers Miles Cross and Ty Walton, and their top two backs Sieh Bangura and O'Shaan Allison all entered the transfer portal.
[73] Defending MAC Player of the Year Kurtis Rourke, who was coming off of an ACL tear, was not cleared as the starting quarterback until the Monday prior to the game.
After the return, San Diego State marched 71 yards in 44 seconds to take the lead on a Mark Redman touchdown reception on the final play of the half.
Ohio ran the ball 45 times with Sieh Bangura getting 107 yards on 19 attempts to win MAC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
[80] Linebacker Bryce Houston had 11 tackles with an interception and a sack to win MAC Defensive player of the week as the Bobcats cruised to a 27–10 victory over Long Island.
[86] After a series of drives ending in punts, a Sieh Bangura fumble in the second quarter set up a Logan Lupo field goal to give the Owls the lead.
[89] After an FAU punt to open the second half, Ohio went on another long touchdown drive that culminated with an O'Shaan Allison 5 yard rush.
[90] After an exchange of punts Tank Pearson intercepted a Thompson pass set up a Kasee field goal to put Ohio up by a touchdown with 5 minutes left.
[91][85] Ohio's offense played conservatively the rest of the way and finished the game with 45 rushing attempts as they relied on their defense to stop the final two Owl drives and preserve the win.
[101] Becht's pass on the first play was defected and bounced back toward defensive lineman Rodney Mathews who snatched a game sealing interception.
Linebacker Bryce Houston led the way and won his second MAC East Defensive Player of the Week award on the young season with a 15-tackle performance.
[109] Former Missouri and Indiana starting quarterback Connor Bazelak was intercepted by Ohio linebacker Keye Thompson on the game's opening possession.
[138][139] McCray caught his second touchdown from Golden Flashes backup quarterback Tommy Ulatowski in the fourth quarter to make the final 42–17.
[142][143] Northern Illinois struck first on their second possession of the game as Gavin Williams broke loose on a rush from 53 yards out for the first touchdown the Ohio defense surrendered in the first quarter on the season.
[145] Ohio's offense burned up nearly the rest of the half with a 16 play drive on their next possession as Gianni Spetic connected on a 37-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining.to take a 13–7 lead into the break.
[146] After an Ohio 3 and out to open the second half, NIU quarterback Rocky Lombardi found Grayson Barnes on a short pass on third and 2 and he got behind the Bobcat defense and scampered 58 yards to retake the lead.
[151] at Peden Stadium • Athens, OH In a game a day where both offenses moved the ball well but failed to capitalize with a lot of points, Ohio managed to hold on late to edge Western Michigan by a score of 20–17 to become bowl eligible.
[165] Punter Jack Wilson aided the Bobcat cause averaging 48 yards per punt to win MAC East Special Teams Player of the Week.
[170] Miami converted a field goal after a strip sack of Kurtis Rourke by Brian Ugwu set them on Ohio's 11 yard line.
[176] at UB Stadium, Amherst, NY Ohio went on the road for their first mid-week MACtion game of the season and defeated the Buffalo Bulls by a score of 20–10.
[178] Ohio took the opening kickoff of the second half and after a 13 play drive tied the score with a short field goal off the leg of Gianni Spetic.
[179] After reaching the Buffalo two on their next possession, head coach Tim Albin decided to go for it on 4th down and Ohio took their first lead when Sieh Bangura found paydirt.
[180] The Bulls immediately responded and retied the score on the ensuing drive with a CJ Ogbonna touchdown rush early in the fourth quarter.
[188] Ohio jumped out to a 10–0 lead with 6:19 remaining in the first quarter when defensive end Shane Bonner intercepted a Jase Bauer pass and returned it for a touchdown.
[190] CMU responded on the ensuing possession when Tyson Davis got behind the Ohio defense and caught a 50-yard touchdown pass to make the score 17-7 going into the half.
[211] Jack Wilson averaged 43.3 yards per punt and won his second MAC East Special Teams Player of the Week award on the season.
[212] at Brooks Stadium • Conway, South Carolina The Bobcats sought their 2nd straight 10 win season for the first time in program history against Georgia Southern in the Myrtle Beach Bowl.
[215] Ohio suffered transfer portal losses before the game as quarterback Kurtis Rourke, starting receivers Miles Cross and Ty Walton, and their top two backs Sieh Bangura and O'Shaan Allison and middle linebacker Keye Thompson left the team.
[216] Ohio struck first, capitalizing with a field goal after Jeremiah Wood intercepted Georgia Southern quarterback Davis Brin on the game's first series.
[219] They failed to capitalize on the turnover as a fourth down pass at the goal line by third string quarterback Parker Navarro to Sam Wiglusz fell incomplete.