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Ohio Bobcats

Mid-American·1-1·
Elo
1318#112
SP+
-16.4#124
FPI
-9.9
AP
NR
Next@ South Alabama · Wk 3Win prob 62%Model -4.6
Talent #129 (522.8)Recruiting class #10763% production returning

Roster · 105 players

FR 45SO 18JR 14SR 28
#PlayerPosClHtWt
5Hype GrandQBFR6'0"185
7Levi DavisQBFR6'0"192
8Nick PoulosQBSR6'6"243
9Matt VezzaQBJR6'0"198
16Matthew PapasQBSO5'11"192
4Victor RosaRBSR5'11"208
6Duncan BruneRBJR5'11"218
22Mike Taylor Jr.RBFR5'10"204
23James KellyRBFR6'0"205
24Irving BrownRBFR5'11"220
0Delaney CrawfordWRSR6'2"202
2Preston BowmanWRFR5'11"207
3Dom DorwartWRSO6'2"208
10Ian Ver SteegWRSR5'10"184
11Zach HacklemanWRFR6'2"185
12Eian PughWRSR6'3"182
13Rashad PerryWRFR5'11"160
14Marcus CainWRFR6'2"204
15Riley NeerWRSO5'11"190
17Blake ParkerWRFR6'2"180
18Miles CremascoliWRSO6'3"213
31Khamani DebrowWRJR6'3"206
37Blake GuffeyWRSR6'1"221
80Kaden PageWRFR6'3"195
81MC Walker IIWRFR5'11"180
33Jake FurtneyTESO6'4"242
44Aiden LoweryTESO6'3"238
84AJ MillerTESO6'4"239
85Riley PalmeterTESR6'4"230
86Andrew MetzgerTESO6'4"246
87Tim BoalsTEFR6'4"235
88Calvin MoodyTEFR6'5"230
51Job MavrickOLFR6'2"291
53Lance Blakely Jr.OLFR6'4"270
54Will OdenthalOLFR6'5"300
55CJ Dawson IIOLSR6'2"327
56Ben MaldonadoOLSR6'4"291
60Colton CrosleyOLFR6'3"290
63Seth AnsteadOLSO6'4"300
65Josh WaiteOLSR6'3"301
66Mike MontgomeryOLFR6'5"250
70Joshua JohnsonOLSR6'2"311
71Cassius HulbertOLSR6'3"310
72Sandro MalicevicOLSR6'5"332
74Tigana CisseOLSR6'3"305
75Jarian ShelbyOLSR6'3"290
76Bryce ParsonOLSO6'2"296
77Trumain LawsonOLFR6'5"278
78Danny FortsonOLFR6'5"265
14Ike AckermanDEFR6'4"249
23Joseph MarshDEJR6'3"232
34Troy StiggersDEFR6'3"240
50Owen DiFrancoDEJR6'4"258
96Tyler StearmanDEFR6'4"210
0Nehemiah DukesDLSR6'1"288
9Tyler GillisonDLSR6'2"252
11Evan HerrmannDLJR6'5"245
51Isaiah StreetDLSR6'3"236
99Ty NeubertDLFR6'3"278
10Drayden PaveyDTFR6'1"276
44Austin AdkinsDTFR6'3"270
57Nathan HaleDTSR6'4"259
92RJ KeuchlerDTJR6'3"255
94Brandon WeaverDTFR6'3"269
97Austin MitchellDTJR6'2"274
98Derek ReagansDTSR6'0"279
12Jermaine MinnisLBFR6'2"204
15William MarzolfLBSO6'1"220
25Michael MolnarLBSR6'3"227
27Jack FriesLBSR6'2"222
30Charlie ChristopherLBSO6'0"227
32Alex BrownLBFR6'2"220
35Mac CapenLBFR6'3"207
41Colin WooldridgeLBFR6'0"200
45Brady WhartonLBFR5'10"193
52Nolan OgburnLBFR6'2"235
56Cody RaymondLBSO6'3"231
6Tony MathisCBJR5'11"176
19Bobby MillerCBFR6'4"177
20Kendall BannisterCBJR5'11"187
21Ronald Jackson Jr.CBSR6'1"203
24Cam CopeCBSR5'11"188
26Tyson LongCBFR6'0"184
28Kindall BrownCBFR5'10"174
29Jay Brewer IIICBFR6'2"190
49Xavier WilliamsCBSO5'10"156
4Darren James-HamiltonDBSO5'10"187
5KJ SejourDBFR5'9"160
7Eli ThompsonDBJR5'10"183
8Barry DillonDBSO6'1"198
2DJ WalkerSJR6'1"198
3JT HaskinsSJR5'11"182
13DJ MortonSSO6'1"191
16Ryan MillerSFR6'1"230
17Caleb ChamberlinSSO6'1"199
18Andrew VeraSSR5'11"199
22Brandon JenkinsSFR5'10"189
36Malachi TaylorSFR6'0"190
43Brack PeacockPKJR5'7"165
47Will HryszkoPKSR5'10"187
93Owen SchaadtPKFR6'0"190
42Magnus HainesPSR6'0"193
90Kolten BartelsPFR5'10"195
46Nick HemerLSSR6'4"205
83Ethan NajmLSFR5'10"195

Team Statistics · per game, with national FBS rank

Points / game
25.0
scoring offense
Points allowed
38.0
scoring defense
Differential
-13.0
per game
Offense
Total yards / game
303.0#115
Yards / play
4.7#115
Passing yards / game
164.0#113
Rushing yards / game
139.0#85
First downs / game
17.0#111
3rd down %
40.0%#81
4th down %
100.0%#1
Time of possession
29:21#82
Defense
Yards allowed / game
523.0#133
Yards / play allowed
7.1#128
Pass yards allowed / game
275.0#119
Rush yards allowed / game
248.0#129
3rd down % allowed
64.3%#137
Sacks
2#81
Tackles for loss
5#106
Turnovers & Discipline
Turnover margin
-1#89
Takeaways
0#118
Giveaways
1#31
Penalties / game
2.0#3
Penalty yards / game
30.0#14

Rank is national among all FBS teams (#1 = best), oriented so higher rank = better even for defensive and discipline metrics. Bars show percentile.

Scouting Report · 2026 projection

Ohio is in year 1 under John Hauser. The strengths are offensive, led by 4th at staying out of the backfield.

Ohio has played 1 game against an average slate, adjusted for here. That football carries about 0% of what is below; the rest is still the preseason projection.

Projected strengths

  • Offensegetting stopped at the line
    #4
    projected
  • Offensesacks and tackles for loss
    #24
    projected
  • Offenserunning it
    #25
    projected

Each bar is where this team sits in the country. Before the season has produced enough football these are PROJECTIONS — last season regressed to the mean, plus talent, returning production, recruiting and whether the staff is the same one — and the season replaces them as it is played. Head coaches only — there is no free feed for coordinators, so on a program where the head coach does not call the offense this describes the staff he hired. Play-calling identity is a style, not a grade: throwing more than the situations warrant is not better than throwing less than they warrant.

2026 Season Projection

model win prob · 9 to play
6.74.3
projected final record (now 11)
Exp. wins left
5.7
of 9 games
Bowl odds
81%
reach 6 wins
Best odds
90%
vs Ball State
Toughest
40%
vs Sacramento State

How the season could finish · 2026 · chance of each final win total · 9 games left

Every remaining game simulated from the model's win probability for it. Tallest bar is the single likeliest finish, not a prediction that it happens.

12345678910
final winstallest bar = 28% chance
Likeliest finish 7-4 (28%)Bowl eligible 81% · marked on the axis at 6

Player Value

EPA contribution by position group + estimated NIL market value (derived from position rates and on-field production — not actual deal figures).

Unit Value — Total EPA
QBMatt Vezza, Nick Poulos
+8.0 EPA
WREian Pugh, Dom Dorwart +2
+2.9 EPA
TEAndrew Metzger, AJ Miller
-0.1 EPA
RBVictor Rosa, Duncan Brune +1
-3.8 EPA

Total EPA produced by each positional group this season. OL value is captured via the rush/pass efficiency of skill players; OL-specific EPA isn't separately reported.

Estimated NIL Market Value
ESTIMATED
QBNick Poulos
~$610K
EPA +8.90.216/play41 snaps

Estimated from position-group market rates and on-field EPA contribution. Actual NIL valuations depend on social media following, brand fit, and market negotiations — these figures are directional only.

The Five Factors

ranked vs. FBS · bar = better
Efficiency (PPA)
Off0.1226th#103
Def0.495th#131
Explosiveness
Off1.3262nd#53
Def1.5410th#124
Field position
Off71.463rd#52
Def70.074th#36
Finishing (pts/opp)
Off4.0048th#72
Def7.001st#136
Turnovers
Won 1Lost 1
Margin 0

Opponent-adjusted efficiency

EPA/play vs. schedule
Offense
Defense
Off · pass
-0.039th#126
Off · rush
0.2162nd#53

Pass vs. rush (PPA)

Rushing
Off0.2161st#54
Def0.532nd#135
Passing
Off-0.038th#127
Def0.4516th#116

Trenches & disruption

Line yards (off)
3.40#39
2nd-level / open-field
1.14 / 0.57
Power / stuff (off)
100.0% / 10.7%
Havoc — total (def)
14.9%#87
Havoc — front 7 / DB
8.1% / 6.8%

Standard vs. passing downs

Pro
Std downs
Off0.33
Def0.36
Pass downs
Off-0.24
Def0.88

PPA on each down type (off vs. def).

Opponent-adjusted by down

Pro
1st2nd3rd
Offense0.03#83-0.03#1050.41#92
Defense0.24#1250.44#1191.16#134

Elo Trajectory

@NebraskaFinal
Elo rating 13721323-49 over season

Team Fingerprint · 2026 · 43 opponent-adjusted metrics · percentile vs 138 FBS teams

Plot these →
worst in FBSbest

Efficiency

  • Offense EPA/play0.1333rd
  • Defense EPA/play allowed0.495th
  • Offense success rate35%18th
  • Defense success rate allowed51%11th

Downs

  • Offense success — standard downs49%45th
  • Offense success — passing downs12%4th
  • Defense success allowed — standard downs49%25th
  • Defense success allowed — passing downs58%3rd

Explosiveness

  • Offense explosiveness1.372nd
  • Defense explosiveness allowed1.511th
  • Offense explosiveness — standard downs1.496th
  • Offense explosiveness — passing downs0.934th

Trenches

  • Offense line yards3.469th
  • Defense line yards allowed3.74th
  • Offense highlight yards0.5228th
  • Defense highlight yards allowed2.012th
  • Offense power success1.099th
  • Defense power success allowed0.8334th
  • Offense stuff rate0.1370th
  • Defense stuff rate0.1532nd

Third down

  • Third down conversion47%55th
  • Third down distance faced6.753rd
  • Third down conversion allowed60%4th
  • Third down distance forced7.455th

Halves

  • Net success rate — first half-0.1516th
  • Net success rate — second half-0.189th

Drives

  • Points per drive2.051st
  • Points per drive allowed4.59th
  • Average starting field position2745th
  • Opponent starting field position3037th
  • Available yards gained42%31st
  • Available yards allowed71%13th
  • Scoring opportunities per drive90%70th
  • Scoring opportunities allowed82%48th
  • Points per scoring opportunity2.238th
  • Points allowed per opportunity5.44th
  • Three-and-out rate30%45th
  • Three-and-outs forced9%15th

Roster

  • Returning usage83%93rd
  • Returning EPA20679th
  • Team talent composite5237th
  • Recruiting class rank10723rd
  • Recruiting class points17523rd

Every metric is opponent-adjusted and ranked so that higher is always better — a defensive rate that is good when low is ranked accordingly. Sack and tackle-for-loss composition are deliberately absent: their relationship to team quality is a measured null, so they carry a style rather than a rank, and they appear in the pressure signature instead.

Intelligence Report

Offensive DNA

Run-first offense — below average EPA/play nationally
EPA/play
+0.118#103 · below avg
Pass EPA/play
-0.027#127
Rush EPA/play
+0.212#54
Explosiveness
1.319#53
Pts/opportunity
4.00#72
Success rate
35.4%

Rush efficiency edge: 0.238 EPA/play

🛡

Defensive Identity

Disciplined defense — allowing above-average EPA/play
EPA/play allowed
+0.493#131 · bottom 20%
Havoc rate (total)
14.9%#87
Front-7 havoc
8.1%
DB havoc
6.8%
Big play rate allowed
1.543#124
Success rate allowed
51.4%

Disruption comes evenly from front and secondary.

📊

Season Signature

25.0 PPG offense, 38.0 allowed — -13.0 margin/game
Points per game
25.0
Points allowed/game
38.0
Scoring margin/game
-13.0
Turnover margin
+0won 1 · lost 1
Production returning
63%
Talent rank (247)
#129

1-1 record through 2 games.

Team Shape · percentile vs. FBS · dashed = 50th

OFFENSE26thEXPLOSIVENESS62thFINISHING48thFIELD POS63thDEFENSE5thHAVOC37th50th100th
Offense
26th
Explosiveness
62th
Finishing
48th
Field Pos
63th
Defense
5th
Havoc
37th

Each axis = national percentile rank. 100th = best in FBS, 0th = worst. Defense and Havoc are oriented so higher = better.

CORE efficiency · situation and opponent removed

Points per 100 plays above average, after the game state is regressed out of every snap and the schedule is solved out across the whole league. The version of this team’s efficiency that can be compared to a team it never played.

Overall
-9.9
#109
Offense
-2.0
#84
Defense
+8.0
#127
Full CORE ratings →

What a possession is worth · 10 drives

MeasureOffenseDefense
Points per drive2.004.46
Starting field positionown 27.3own 30.0
Available yards42.0%71.1%
Scoring opportunities90.0%81.8%
Points per opportunity2.225.44
Three-and-out rate30.0%9.1%
Every team’s drive efficiency →

Play-calling identity

Against what the league calls from the same down, distance, field position, score and clock — so this is the staff, not the game script.

Pass rate
54.1%
Expected, given the spots
56.4%
Over expected
-2.3
Fourth down vs peers
+0
Fourth down vs the model
+0
All play-calling tendencies →

National Landscape · 2026 FBS · offense vs. defense EPA/play

Each dot = one FBS team. Ohio is highlighted. Tap or hover a dot for details.

ELITEDEF. FORTRESSOFF. POWERHOUSEREBUILDING-0.100.00+0.10+0.20+0.30-0.050.00+0.10+0.20Offensive EPA/play← worsebetter →Defensive EPA allowed/play← worsebetter →

Similar Programs

Teams with the closest offense + defense efficiency profile to Ohio in 2026

by EPA/play distance
Arkansas StateSP+ -15.1
Off EPA/play +0.125Def EPA/play +0.491Elo 1353
Match
100%
UABSP+ -16.0
Off EPA/play +0.113Def EPA/play +0.529Elo 1411
Match
98%
Florida AtlanticSP+ -12.2
Off EPA/play +0.154Def EPA/play +0.644Elo 1189
Match
92%
Ball StateSP+ -25.0
Off EPA/play +0.119Def EPA/play +0.321Elo 1112
Match
91%
Texas StateSP+ -7.8
Off EPA/play +0.185Def EPA/play +0.326Elo 1441
Match
91%
CharlotteSP+ -26.0
Off EPA/play +0.286Def EPA/play +0.375Elo 1182
Match
90%

Similarity = normalized Euclidean distance on season offensive and defensive EPA/play. Teams within ±0.02 EPA/play on both units score >90%.

Program Trajectory · CORE rating · 20152026 · points per game vs an average FBS team

2015: -4.7, #82 of 1282016: -2.0, #75 of 1282017: +7.6, #41 of 1302018: +0.1, #64 of 1302019: -4.9, #81 of 1302021: -14.4, #105 of 1302022: -6.9, #89 of 1312023: +1.0, #57 of 1332024: +4.2, #51 of 1342025: -1.1, #66 of 1362026: -9.9, #109 of 138
20152026
Now -9.9 · #109 of 138Best +7.6 in 2017Worst -14.4 in 2021

Program History

recent seasons
YearOverallConfWin %xWLuck
20261-10-0
50%
0.3+0.7
20259-46-2
69%
8.6+0.4
202411-38-1
79%
10.3+0.7
202310-36-2
77%
9.2+0.8
202210-47-2
71%
7.4+2.6
20213-93-5
25%
4.2-1.2
20202-12-1
67%
1.9+0.1
20197-65-3
54%
7.7-0.7
20189-46-2
69%
8.7+0.3
20179-45-3
69%
10.0-1.0

xW = expected wins from per-game dominance. Luck = actual − expected (positive = won close games).

0.2%of 50,000 simulated 2026 seasons end with them in the field

0-1 so far, projected to finish 7.5-4.8. Wins the Mid-American in 11%.

If they finish with…

10%
1 loss
0.1%
2 losses
0%
3 losses
0%
4 losses

Their chance of making it at each final loss count.

Win out and it is 10%. One bid goes to the best champion outside the four power leagues, so running the table only enters them into that argument.

down 0.4 points since preseasonlost 21-49 to Nebraska against an expected margin of 24, so 4.5 against the number.

  • At 1 loss they are 10% where the average Mid-American team is 27%.
  • The Mid-American takes 0.05 bids in an average season.
  • One bid goes to the best champion outside the P4. They take it in 0.2% of seasons, having won their league in 100% of those.

Ohio’s own turning points

Points of playoff probability between winning and losing.

  • wk11at Miami (OH)0.6
  • wk13vs Toledo0.5
  • wk3at South Alabama0.5
  • wk10at Akron0.4
  • wk6vs Central Michigan0.3
  • wk2vs Jacksonville State0.3

Who to root for

Games Ohio is not in that move its odds most. Same units, much smaller scale.

  • wk9Northern Illinois over UNLV0.2
  • wk2Penn State over Temple0.2
  • wk7Nebraska over Oregon0.2
  • wk3Oklahoma over New Mexico0.2
  • wk4Western Michigan over Boise State0.2
  • wk3Stonehill over Massachusetts0.1
The full playoff picture →

Mid-American

0-0 in league play, projected 5.3-2.74 of 13 by title odds
11%
Wins the Mid-American
28%
Reaches the title game

The Mid-American sends its top two by conference winning percentage, head-to-head breaking a tie. The last berth is level on percentage in 46% of simulated seasons, so a tiebreaker decides it about that often.

  • wk13Toledo at Ohio15.7
  • wk11Ohio at Miami (OH)15.1
  • wk10Ohio at Akron11.4
  • wk6Central Michigan at Ohio11.3

Points of title probability riding on each result. The whole Mid-American race →

If not the playoff, then

83%
Bowl eligible
80%
Placed in a bowl
0.2%
In the playoff
20%
Season over in November

Ohio is 0-1 and needs 6 more wins from 11 games to reach the six that make a team eligible — at most one of which may come against an FCS opponent. In 2.8% of seasons they get there and still go nowhere: there are more eligible teams than seats.

  • GameAbove Sports Bowl13%
  • Arizona Bowl11%
  • Boca Raton Bowl9.4%
  • Myrtle Beach Bowl9.2%
  • Famous Idaho Potato Bowl9.1%
  • Cure Bowl7.9%

Every bowl, and how each one picks →

Recruiting Pipelines

since 2010

Of the 170 high-school programs with a pipeline page here, 5 have sent Ohio a player since 2010 — 12 signees between them. Where they signed, not where they were offered, and not a complete list of Ohio's feeder schools: only these 170 have the outcome history to measure.

High schoolSignedDrafted
Pickerington CentralOH60
St. John's CollegeDC20
Trinity Christian AcademyFL20
Rancho VerdeCA11
Friendship AcademyDC10
All 170 high-school pipelines →
✓/✗ = whether our pregame model picked the winner. Win % & projections from the Gridpex model. Data: CollegeFootballData.