Ohio Football: Bobcats facing new challenges ahead of 2021 season

How will Ohio football fare in 2021?

Last season was not a testament to what the Bobcats could do. This season has already been impacted significantly by the sudden retirement of head coach Frank Solich. There is some key talent coming back, but they’re not fully established with most of their position units as other top teams in the MAC.

The Bobcats will be enduring a roster full of changes through the field on both sides of the ball. They will also be dealing with a tough conference and non-conference schedule. Even in a weaker MAC, the Bobcats have a high expectation of continuing their winning ways since 2009.

• Game 1: Syracuse (L) – This could be a potential trap game for the Bobcats to upset an underachieving Orange team, but they don’t have the high-caliber starters.
• Game 2: Duquesne (W) – The Bobcats get their first win of the season versus an efficient Dukes team that went 4-1 this past spring.
• Game 3: at Louisiana (L) – This will be battle two high-caliber Group of Five teams but the Ragin’ Cajuns have the potential to become a major bowl contender.
• Game 4: at Northwestern (L) – Ohio will not have the talent to take down a recovering Wildcats this season.
• Game 5: at Akron (W) – The Zips won have won one game in the last 18 games, they are miles away from the same level of potential as Ohio.
• Game 6: Central Michigan (L) – This game could come down to which defense will hold their own in stopping the run. The Chippewas have the edge in this category as they are ranked 27th in rush defense.
• Game 7: at Buffalo (L) – The Buffaloes will have a stout defense, which will tough for the Bobcats to create any momentum on offense.
• Game 8: Kent State (W) – The Bobcats get some momentum back on offense by facing the atrocious defense of the Golden Flashes.
• Game 9: Miami (OH) (W) – The RedHawks do not have a consistently balanced offense despite the stellar playmaking abilities of quarterback Brett Gabbert.
• Game 10: at Eastern Michigan (W) – The passing offense of the Bobcats will just be experienced to tear apart the weakness of the Eagles secondary.
• Game 11: Toledo (L) – Toledo will return 21 starters from last season. This much experience will help them win the MAC West Division.
• Game 12: at Bowling Green (W) – The Bobcats will reach bowl eligibility by defeating a Bowling Green team that accumulated a 0-5 overall record last year.

Prediction: 6-6, 5-3 MAC

The Bobcats will finish their 2021 season with an opportunity to go their sixth bowl game in seven years. They will have to get through a difficult non-conference schedule where they could lose 3-of-4 games. This is not hard to imagine having to face two Power Five teams and a Ragin’ Cajuns team that is loaded with elite talent.

The key to their season is to win against mid-level MAC teams that are competing for a bowl appearance like the Bobcats.

This season will be a key year for the Bobcats as they prepare for life after Solich. Albin has proven that he is the coach for the Bobcats in the short duration between Solich retiring and the start of the season. He will have to prove he is the right permanent coach for the job by getting the Bobcats to a bowl game.

Ohio is sound on both sides of the ball and has developed well this offseason before the retirement of Solich. Offensively, the Bobcats have great talented skill players they can rely on. Their success on offense will be determined by the offensive line. On the defensive side of the ball, they have talented players throughout the field as they need to settle on key positions, especially at middle linebacker and the edge.

The Bobcats have the coaching to compete for the MAC East title, but they will learn throughout the season if they have enough to upset Buffalo in 2021.