2012 Ohio Bobcats football team

The 2012 Ohio Bobcats football team represented Ohio University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by eighth-year head coach Frank Solich and played their home games at Peden Stadium.[1][2] They were a member of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). After defeating Akron on October 13 to become 7–0 the Bobcats were ranked #25 in the AP Poll; Ohio had not been ranked nationally since 1968.[3] On October 21, 2012, the Bobcats peaked at #23 in both the Coaches Poll and AP Poll, and #24 in the BCS standings. They finished the season 9–4, 4–4 in MAC play to finish in third place in the East Division. They were invited to the Independence Bowl where they defeated Louisiana–Monroe for their second consecutive bowl victory.

2012 Ohio Bobcats football
Independence Bowl champion
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionEast Division
Record9–4 (4–4 MAC)
Head coach
Co-offensive coordinatorTim Albin (8th season)
Co-offensive coordinatorGerry Gdowski (3rd season)
Offensive schemeSpread option
Defensive coordinatorJim Burrow (8th season)
Base defense4-3
Home stadiumPeden Stadium
Seasons
← 2011
2013 →
2012 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
Kent State x   8 0     11 3  
Bowling Green   6 2     8 5  
Ohio   4 4     9 4  
Buffalo   3 5     4 8  
Miami (OH)   3 5     4 8  
UMass   1 7     1 11  
Akron   0 8     1 11  
West Division
No. 22 Northern Illinois x$   8 0     12 2  
Toledo   6 2     9 4  
Ball State   6 2     9 4  
Central Michigan   4 4     7 6  
Western Michigan   2 6     4 8  
Eastern Michigan   1 7     2 10  
Championship: Northern Illinois 44, Kent State 37
  • $ – Conference champion and BCS representative as top non-AQ school to meet automatic qualification criteria
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • UMass not eligible for conference title or bowl game as part of FBS transition
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 112:00 p.m.at Penn State*ESPNW 24–1497,186
September 87:00 p.m.New Mexico State*ESPN3W 51–2425,893
September 156:30 p.m.at Marshall*W 27–2433,436
September 222:00 p.m.Norfolk State*
  • Peden Stadium
  • Athens, OH
ESPN3W 44–1023,673
September 293:30 p.m.at MassachusettsESPN3W 37–348,321
October 612:00 p.m.Buffalo
  • Peden Stadium
  • Athens, OH
ESPN+/CSSW 38–3120,044
October 132:00 p.m.Akron 
  • Peden Stadium
  • Athens, OH
ESPN3W 34–2825,542
October 273:30 p.m.at Miami (OH)No. 23STO/ESPN3L 20–2319,326
November 16:00 p.m.Eastern Michigan
  • Peden Stadium
  • Athens, OH
ESPNUW 45–1416,789
November 78:00 p.m.Bowling Green
  • Peden Stadium
  • Athens, OH
ESPN2L 14–2619,122
November 148:00 p.m.at Ball StateESPNUL 27–5210,097
November 2311:00 a.m.at No. 23 Kent StateESPNUL 6–2818,230
December 282:00 p.m.vs. Louisiana–Monroe*ESPNW 45–1441,853
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

Rankings

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Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
APRVRVRVRVRVRV2523RVRV
CoachesRVRVRVRVRVRVRV23RVRV
HarrisNot releasedRVRV23RVRVNot released
BCSNot released24Not released

Game summaries

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@ Penn State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Bobcats 0 3 14 7 24
Nittany Lions 7 7 0 0 14

New Mexico State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Aggies 7 7 10 0 24
Bobcats 7 14 24 6 51

@ Marshall

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1 2 3 4 Total
Bobcats 0 17 0 10 27
Thundering Herd 14 0 7 3 24

Norfolk State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Spartans 0 0 0 10 10
Bobcats 24 10 10 0 44

@ Massachusetts

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1 2 3 4 Total
Bobcats 3 17 0 17 37
Minutemen 10 7 10 7 34

Buffalo

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1 2 3 4 Total
Bulls 14 0 10 7 31
Bobcats 7 14 3 14 38

Akron

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1 2 3 4 Total
Zips 0 7 7 14 28
Bobcats 14 6 14 0 34

@ Miami (OH)

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1 2 3 4 Total
#23 Bobcats 7 7 3 3 20
RedHawks 13 7 0 3 23

Eastern Michigan

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1 2 3 4 Total
Eagles 7 7 0 0 14
Bobcats 7 17 7 14 45

Bowling Green

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1 2 3 4 Total
Falcons 0 19 0 7 26
Bobcats 7 0 7 0 14

@ Ball State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Bobcats 3 14 7 3 27
Cardinals 7 14 10 21 52

@ Kent State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Bobcats 3 3 0 0 6
#25 Golden Flashes 21 0 0 7 28

Louisiana–Monroe–Independence Bowl

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1 2 3 4 Total
Bobcats 14 10 14 7 45
Warhawks 7 0 0 7 14

References

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  1. ^ "Peden Stadium". Ohio University Athletics. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  2. ^ "Frank Solich". Sports Reference.
  3. ^ Ryan, Jim (October 14, 2012). "Football: Ohio Cracks Top 25 for the First Time Since 1968". The Post. Ohio University. Archived from the original on December 14, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2012.