FINDLAY, Ohio – Nothing, not even two long lightning delays, was going to stop Ashland University's football team from winning on Saturday (Oct. 12) afternoon.
The Eagles took sole possession of first place in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference on Saturday, as they earned a 41-21 win at Findlay. Ashland, thanks to a fourth consecutive win, is 4-2 overall and 4-0 in the league, and the Oilers are 5-1, 3-1.
"I told them in two or three years," said Ashland head coach
Doug Geiser of how long since the Eagles have played a game like that. "As far as a total team effort – offense, defensively, special teams. They were not to be denied.
"There were a lot of reasons they could have lost their poise and been distracted today. They kept their focus, they kept their poise, and they played their tails off. And they got the reward at the end."
The win was AU's first against a nationally-ranked team since Nov. 19, 2022 against Notre Dame College. It also came 100 years after the two programs played their first game against each other.
A 90-minute lightning delay marred the start of Saturday's game during the opening possession of the game, then the Eagles marred the Oiler drive when senior defensive end
Jeffrey Barnett's strip sack was recovered by junior cornerback
Jalon Jackson.
On the next play, senior quarterback
Trevor Bycznski found a wide-open senior wide receiver
Tony Pannunzio for a 70-yard touchdown pass just 4:08 into the contest.
After another lengthy lightning stoppage, Ashland's offense marched down the field, Bycznski hit junior tight end
Brock Henne for a five-yard scoring strike – and a 14-0 Eagle advantage with 1:50 left in the long opening quarter.
A first quarter which took a little more than three hours to play ended with the Eagles leading by two touchdowns.
With 11:17 left until halftime, junior kicker
A.J. Rhodes, the reigning Great Midwest special teams Athlete of the Week, hit a 34-yard field goal to extend the AU lead to 17-0.
Ashland then went razzle-dazzle after a fake reverse, and Bycznski hit Pannunzio for a second TD toss – this one 48 yards – to put the Eagles on top 24-0.
An Oiler touchdown run of two yards by running back Jayden Farmer put Findlay on the board with 55 seconds left in the first half, but the Eagles went into the break up 24-7.
Getting the second-half kickoff, a first down on a fake punt run from junior quarterback
Cameron Blair set up a scoring drive which took nearly half the third-quarter clock. Rhodes' 21-yard field goal put Ashland up by 20 points at 27-7.
On the first play of the final stanza, sophomore tailback
Olando Kamara went in on a tough 14-yard touchdown run up the middle – extending the Eagle lead to 34-7.
Still in the first minute of the fourth quarter, the Oilers used a trick 46-yard TD pass from wide receiver Mitch Nielsen to running back Makya Matthews to get closer at 34-14. Senior cornerback
Devin Prude stopped Findlay's comeback – momentarily – with 11:31 to go with his first pick of the fall.
Quarterback Matthew Rueve hit wide receiver Justin Roth for a 34-yard score at the 5:35 mark of the fourth, leaving the Eagle lead at 34-21. Kamara then put the exclamation point on the win with a 10-yard TD run – also capping off his first career 100-yard rushing contest (26 carries, 117 yards, two TDs).
NO. 14 TO NO. 13 – A LOT…AND THE REST OF THE STORY
- Bycznski was 18-for-24 for 335 yards and three touchdowns, and Pannunzio caught nine passes for 204 yards and two scores – all new career highs.
- "A lot of adversity," noted Bycznski. "We stuck together, played as a team. A win like that is super-fun. Defense is balling out, we're doing what we're supposed to do, special teams is making plays."
- Said Pannunzio, "That was an awesome win. It was a win for the whole team. They're a really good team. We knew they would bring everything they had."
- Ashland was plus-4 in turnover margin on Saturday (four takeaways, no turnovers).
- The game featured 62 points and 891 yards of total offense.
- Ashland has more wins over the Oilers (31) and most games played vs. Findlay (52) than any other opponent all-time.
UP NEXT
Saturday (Oct. 19) at noon at Thomas More (3-3, 2-2).
