Rourke's 3 TD passes, strong ground game lead Ohio past EMU

Updated Nov. 10, 2021 12:17 a.m. ET

Associated Press

YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) — Kurtis Rourke threw three touchdown passes, Ohio gained 265 yards on the ground, and the Bobcats defeated Eastern Michigan 34-26 on Tuesday night.

Rourke, who was 9-of-17 passing for 230 yards, had 32 fewer completions than his counterpart, Ben Bryant of Eastern Michigan. Bryant completed 41 of 57 passes for 354 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

After Eastern Michigan scored to tie the game at 20 in the third quarter, Ohio took control with a 20-yard Isaiah Cox touchdown run and a 66-yard touchdown pass from Rourke to Cameron Odom.

Eastern Michigan scored on a Samson Evans 3-yard run with 2:36 to go but Ohio recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.

De'Montre Tuggle led Ohio (3-7, 3-3 Mid-American) with 78 yards rushing.

Eastern Michigan (6-4, 3-3), which last week became bowl eligible for the sixth time in program history, got 62 yards and two rushing touchdowns from Evans. Tanner Knue had 127 receiving yards.