Ohio Football Preview 2026: The Bobcats Keep Rolling Through Odd Times

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Ohio Football Preview 2026: The Bobcats Keep Rolling Through Odd Times

Pete Fiutak · College Football News

Fri, Jul 10, 2026 ·

8 min read

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It's been a bit of an odd run for the Ohio football program with three head coaches in just over two years.

Ohio was ripping it up, with Tim Albin cranking out three straight ten-win seasons, and then he left for … Charlotte?! (Which, by the way, won just one game last year.)

Fine, Brian Smith took over, the Bobcats were strong despite missing out on playing for the MAC title. And then, in a shocker – it's a long story – he was fired before the bowl game, and in stepped John Hauser.

How Fast Can John Hauser Rebuild Ohio?

Dec 23, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Ohio Bobcats interim head coach John Hauser is doused with water following a game against the UNLV Rebels at the Ford Center at The Star.

© Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Ohio beat a strong UNLV team 17-10 in the Frisco Bowl, finished with nine wins, Hauser stayed on, and now he has to rebuild.

The program had a bad first year under Albin in 2022 before everything took off, but after almost 20 years of steady excellence, expect this all to settle in fast.

Ohio Quick Hits

Head Coach:John Hauser (1st year overall, 1-0)
Best Case / Worst Case:Win the MAC Championship/First losing season since 2021
Key Player: Matt Vezza , QB Jr.
2025 Record:9-4
Biggest Question:How quickly can the offense rebuild after losing all the top starters?

Ohio Key 2025 Stats

Rushing Touchdowns: Ohio 32, Opponents 15
Time of Possession: Ohio 32:07, Opponents 27:41
2nd Quarter Scoring: Ohio 113, Opponents 62

Offense

Offensive coordinator Scott Isphording knows the attack.

He knows how to crank up the quarterback production, he's familiar with the program and how it all works, and he's just the type of OC to guide the Bobcats through a massive transition.

What's Working

Ohio's offense is always a problem for the rest of the MAC.There's been continuity with the Bobcats and their production, even when they have to adjust through big personnel changes.

There might not be a ton of returning talent, but the pieces are in Athens for a reason.

Matt Vezza is a good-looking quarterback to build around.The offense loses a great playmaker in Parker Navarro, but Vezza is a similar type of baller coming in through New Hampshire .

He's a dangerous runner and efficient passer, and he's not alone, with Nick Poulos a big veteran backup.

The running backs will be fine.Vezza might not run quite as much as Navarro did, but any Ohio quarterback will get on the move. Duncan Brune ran for 585 yards and eight scores, and he's built to be a bigger part of the attack.

What Needs Work

The offensive line is starting over. The Bobcats almost always have great lines, and last year's led the MAC in fewest tackles for loss for an offense that was the best in the league on third-down conversions.
The transfer portal needs to save the day, with 330-pound Sandro Malicevic a big tackle option from Eastern Illinois, Trumain Lawson a promising quick blocker from Long Island, and CJ Dawson a big blaster from Gardner-Webb for the inside.

Big-time playmakers have to emerge,especially at wide receiver. Chase Hendricks led the MAC in receiving, and now he's off to Cal. Second-leading receiver Rodney Harris II left to be part of the Oklahoma State offensive fun show.

A few backups from last year will play bigger roles, but the offense needs Preston Bowman ( Kentucky ) and Elan Pugh (Illinois) to be among the new receivers who can make an immediate impact.

There's a lot of rushing production gone, too.Again, Ohio should have the backfield in place to be okay on the ground, but Sieh Bangura led the MAC with close to 1,400 yards and 15 touchdowns, and Navarro pushed for close to 900 yards and nine scores.

Player to Watch

Duncan Brune, RB Jr.He mostly came in to spell Bangura here and there, and got plenty of work when games started to get a bit out of hand, but he showed off what should be coming with a 126-yard, two-touchdown day against Northern Illinois, and ran for 84 yards and two scores against UMass. He's ready for the gig.

Defense

The defense has far less work to do than the offensive side.

It's not loaded with returning veterans, but there's enough to be okay after a decent season, allowing 352 yards and 22 points per game.

Defensive coordinator Kurt Mattix is back with the program after working with Albin at Charlotte last year – he won't need time to get up to speed.

What's Working

The run defense.It got rumbled over by Ohio State and Western Michigan , and gave it half an effort in a blowout win over Gardner Webb, but the team went 7-0 when allowing fewer than 140 yards. It helps that …

The linebackers will be terrific.The threesome of Michael Molnar, Charlie Christopher, and Jack Fries should make for one of the best corps in the MAC. These three are experienced, and they can move.

Third down conversions.The 2021 Ohio defense was a total disaster on third downs. Since then, it's been terrific.

Last year it only allowed teams to convert 33% of the time, and held four teams to fewer than 16%, including a dominant performance in the tough 17-13 loss to a Western Michigan team that didn't convert on any of its eight chances.

What Needs Work

Where's the pass rush coming from?The transfer portal has to help with this, getting edge rusher Tyler Gillison from Michigan State and Isaiah Street from Western Michigan, but they're not sure things.

Last year's backups Joseph Marsh and Evan Herrmann have to play much bigger roles.

The secondary is all but starting over, too.DJ Walker is a good returning safety coming off a 61-tackle season, but star Jalen Thomeson is off to San Diego State , and Adonis Williams is done.

The corners are relatively new, too.Some of last year's backups will get bigger roles, and the transfer group of Eli Thompson (Holy Cross), KJ Sejour ( Chattanooga ), and Barry Dillon (Incarnate Word) has to matter.

Player to Watch

DJ Walker, S Jr.The solid-tackling safety made 114 stops with 13 tackles for loss, three picks, and eight broken-up passes over the last two years. He's quick, has range, and he needs to be a steadying force for a secondary that needs several new parts.

Keys to the Season

Replace a ton of offensive production with new playmakers.
Get the offensive line right – fast.
Keep it all going even with so much change – be Ohio.

Player Who Needs To Shine

Matt Vezza, QB Jr.
There's still a battle for the job that will go through fall camp, but Vezza fits everything Ohio wants in a quarterback.

It would be nice if he were a bit more accurate, but he threw for 2,673 yards and 19 scores last season for New Hampshire, and he ran for over 600 yards and eight touchdowns.

Biggest Concern

Turnovers.
Last year's team turned the ball over a ton, and it didn't really matter – it was almost like the mistakes were the cost of doing business in the Bobcat attack.

Seriously, who goes 6-0 when turning it over multiple times? (With the most minimal of research, I'm just going to go on a limb here and say no one – considering Indiana only turned it over more than once in a blowout over UCLA , Ohio State went 1-1 with multiple turnovers, Texas Tech went 5-1 …)

This year's team won't be able to get away with 20 turnovers.

Biggest Game

at Sacramento State, October 17It's one of those funky fish-out-of-water games now that Sacramento State is in the league. Not only is it a really, really long trip, but there isn't any time off with Eastern Michigan coming up next.

Transfer Portal

As expected, the Power Four programs came in and grabbed several of the top players, but the Bobcats did their part to load up.

They needed a whole lot of holes to be filled, and they came up with a good mix of FCS talents ready to take a step up, and Power Four-level recruits looking for a spot to shine.

Best Signing

CJ Dawson, OG (Gardner-Webb)He might not be the splashiest prospect coming in, but for a line that needs to be rebuilt, getting a good 6-2, 327-pound blaster of a guard is a winning signing.

Biggest Loss

Chase Hendricks, WR (Cal)The team's top receiver caught 71 passes for 1,037 yards and seven scores after making 40 grabs for 471 yards in a breakout sophomore campaign. He'll blow up in the Cal attack with Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele throwing to him.

Other Names to Know

KJ Sejour, CB (Chattanooga)
Preston Bowman, WR (Kentucky)
Tyler Gillison, EDGE (Michigan State)

CFN Season Prediction

Ohio really does have a way to rebuild and reload in a hurry.

However, there's still too much to overcome to assume it'll push past Western Michigan, Toledo, and Miami University – and whatever random MAC team turns in a surprising season – to win the conference title.

It might be a bit of a ragged run, but as long as the offensive line comes together fast, and the running game works like it's supposed to, the wins will come.

CFN Prediction: 7-5

Missing Western Michigan is a massive plus, but that's offset by the bad luck of missing UMass, Bowling Green, and (possibly) Buffalo.

If it can somehow survive the long road game at Sacramento State, and not give anything away at home, Ohio can be deep in the mix in the MAC race going into the regular season finale against Toledo.

It'll come up short, but it'll be yet another good, winning season for the program.

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