PAW PRINTS: The Week Ahead in Ohio Athletics

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ATHENS, Ohio – Basketball season has arrived and it's a Black Out in Peden Tuesday night for the 'Battle of the Bricks'! Plus, field hockey opens play at the 2025 MAC Tournament. Check out everything that's ahead for Ohio Athletics in this week's Paw Prints, presented by Memorial Health System.

FOOTBALL

Nov. 4 / vs Miami / Athens, Ohio / Frank Solich Field at Peden Stadium / 7 p.m. ET / ESPN2 / Watch / Live Stats / Listen / Ohio Notes / Miami Notes / Digital Guide / Tickets

The Ohio football team (4-3,2-1 MAC) is back on the road this week for a Mid-American Conference matchup at Eastern Michigan (2-6, 1-3 MAC). Kickoff is set for Noon ET at Rynearson Stadium and can be seen on CBS Sports Network. The Bobcats' matchup can also be heard on the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield, presented by Holzer Health System. Veteran Ohio radio personality Marty Bannister is reprising his role as Ohio's play-by-play broadcaster. Bannister will be joined by color analyst Rob Cornelius, who has been a part of the broadcasts for more than two decades.

The Bobcats and the Eagles have met 34 times since 1976, boasting a 21-12-1 record. The two teams last met in 2024 when Ohio logged a 35-10 victory on their road to Detroit. Cornerback Tank Pearson snagged two interceptions while defensive end Ben McNaboe was responsible for one pick; quarterback Parker Navarro scored four of Ohio's five touchdowns, earning MAC Offensive Player of the Week accolades.

Ohio is coming off a commanding 48-21 Homecoming victory against Northern Illinois on Saturday in Athens. It was another record-breaking day for the Bobcats on offense, especially in the running game. As a team, Ohio rushed for six touchdowns for the second time this season, as well as accumulating 333 total yards on the ground. For the first time this season, two Ohio rushers had 100-plus yards with redshirt senior running back Sieh Bangura going for 147 yards and sophomore running back Duncan Brune rushing for 126. The rest of the team's rushing yards were filled in by graduate student quarterback Parker Navarro, rushing for 43 yards.

Bangura was the game's leader in rushing touchdowns with three. After today's game, Bangura finishes his Ohio Homecoming career with 10 total touchdowns in Homecoming games. The Bobcats' other three touchdowns were also scored on the ground, two by Brune and one by Navarro.

In the passing game, Navarro tallied 205 yards to become the program's seventh-ever player to record 4,000-plus career passing yards. Navarro's primary target was junior wide receiver Chase Hendricks (St. Louis, Mo.), who tallied ten catches for 108 yards.

On defense, Ohio was led by senior safety Adonis Williams Jr., who tallied six total tackles, including five solo stops. Redshirt sophomore defensive ends Jay Crable and Joseph Marsh each tallied a sack against Northern Illinois. For Marsh, it was his first career sack as a Bobcat. Junior safety Jalen Thomeson had one of the game's most explosive plays when he returned a fumble 91 yards for a touchdown.

EMU is 2-6 overall and 1-3 in MAC play and is coming off a 44-30 loss at Miami on Saturday afternoon. Harold Mack Jr. made his name known as the freshman, who entered the game with no targets and no offensive statistics in his collegiate career, finished the game with six catches for 179 yards and two touchdowns.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Nov. 3 / vs. Arkansas State / Athens, Ohio / Convocation Center / 7 p.m. ET / ESPN+ / Watch / Live Stats / Listen / Ohio Notes / AState Notes / Digital Guide / Roster Card / Tickets

Nov. 6 / vs. Illinois State / Athens, Ohio / Convocation Center / 7 p.m. ET / ESPN+ / Watch / Live Stats / Listen / Ohio Notes / ISU Notes / Digital Guide / Roster Card / Tickets

The Ohio men's basketball team is set to play two exhibition matchups this week as they prepare for the start of the 2025-26 season. Ohio begins the week on Monday, Oct. 20 when they head to Dayton, Ohio for the 2025 CaseSource Invitational - Dayton to take on Wright State. The Bobcats and Wright State will play the second game of the day following a matchup between Ashland and Northern Kentucky, with tip-off set for around 8:10 p.m. ET. This matchup will not be streamed. The Bobcats then head to Columbus, Ohio on Sunday, Oct. 26 to take on Ohio State. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. ET and can be seen on BIG+.

Fans looking to attend either came can purchase tickets through specialized Ohio-specific links, ensuring that Ohio will receive the proceeds from any ticket purchase.

Monday's game between Ohio and Wright State is part of the third annual CareSource Invitationals, a series of college basketball games dedicated to raising awareness and funds for adolescent and young adult mental health.

Centered around the powerful message, "it's Ok to Not be Ok," the CareSource Invitationals aim to normalize mental health conversations nationwide, helping create safe, supportive environments where young people feel empowered to seek help and thrive.

CareSource is honored to support communities all over the country by expanding access to mental health resources and support. Remember- It's Ok to Not be Ok.

The 2025-26 Bobcats return four major contributors from last year's team, including seniors Ajay Sheldon, Aidan Hadaway and Jackson Paveletzkeand sophomore Elijah Elliott, while adding seven newcomers in transfers Javan Simmons, Dior Conners, Jalen Breath and Carter Reese and freshman JJ Kelly, Jordan Fisher and Zay Mosley.

Wright State finished last year 15-18 overall with an 8-12 mark in conference pla, falling in the Horizon League quarterfinals. Wright State returns six players from a season ago. Logan Woods started 25 games in 2024-25 while shooting 48 percent overall, while Michael Imariagbe (18 starts, 64 percent shooting) and Solomon Callaghan also had double-digit starts and shot over 40 percent from the floor and Andrea Holden connected at a 65 percent shooting clip with five starts. Meanwhile, Wright State added eight newcomers (four transfers, four freshmen) to its 2025-26 roster.

Ohio State finished last season 17-15 overall and 9-11 in conference play, falling to Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Nov. 3 / at Texas State / San Marcos, Texas / Strahan Arena at the University Events Center / 8 p.m. ET / ESPN+ / Watch / Live Stats / Ohio Notes / Texas State Notes

Nov. 9 / vs. Columbia / Athens, Ohio / Convocation Center / 12 p.m. ET / ESPN+ / Watch / Live Stats / Ohio Notes / Columbia Notes / Digital Guide / Roster Card / Tickets

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