Backup QB Harris leads Ohio past Bowling Green 38-13

Updated Nov. 22, 2022 10:42 p.m. ET

Associated Press

ATHENS, Ohio (AP) — CJ Harris stepped in for injured star quarterback Kurtis Rourke and ran for three touchdowns and threw for a fourth to lead Ohio to a 38-13 win over Bowling Green on Tuesday night for the Bobcats' seventh-straight win.

Ohio (9-3, 7-1) won the Mid-American Conference East Division and will play for its first league title since 1968 when it faces Toledo on Dec. 3 in Detroit.

Harris ran for a pair of scores, found Sam Wiglusz for a 20-yard touchdown and Sieh Banguara took an option pitch three yards as Ohio scored 28 points in the second quarter to lead 28-7 at the half.

Before the game, Ohio announced Rourke, who surpassed the 5,000 career yards passing milestone earlier this season, suffered a season-ending knee injury last week

“It’s a tough break for Kurtis,” coach Tim Albin said in a statement released by the school. “He’s a great quarterback, captain and person, so this impacts us on multiple levels. Kurtis will play a key part in the coming weeks, helping CJ and the entire team prepare for the rest of the season. We will be right beside him through the rehabilitation.”

The junior leads the league with 25 touchdown passes and 3,256 yards.

Harris was 10 of 21 passing for 196 yards and he had 65 yards on the ground. Bangura had 96 yards on 27 carries.

The Falcons (6-6, 5-3) scored the first and last touchdown of the game. Matt McDonald threw for 217 yards and a touchdown but was picked off three times.

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