Rourke, Bangura lead Ohio past Akron

Published 12:13 am Sunday, October 9, 2022

ATHENS, Ohio (AP) — Kurtis Rourke passed for three touchdowns, Sieh Bangura ran for three and added another receiving and Ohio beat Akron 55-34 on Saturday.

Rourke was an efficient 24-of-27 passing for 427 yards with Sam Wiglusz grabbing two TDs with a career-high 144 yards on seven catches including a 75-yarder for the game’s first points and a lead the Bobcats (3-3, 1-1 Mid-American Conference) would keep. Jacoby Jones added a personal-best 121 yards receiving, also on seven receptions. Bangura had 90 yards on 16 carries.

Ohio led 28-13 at halftime. Akron got within seven on Clyde Price III’s 4-yard run but Ohio followed with a Wiglusz’s 30-yard TD catch, Bangura’s 25-yard scoring catch and Jack McCrory’s fumble return for a score to make it 48-20 heading into the fourth quarter.

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DJ Irons completed 43 of 54 passes for a person-best 418 yards but no scores plus a late interception for the Zips (1-5, 0-2). He ran for one score. Shocky Jacques-Louis had a career-high 152 yards receiving and Daniel George 108, also a career best, on 11 receptions apiece. Price had three short touchdown runs.

Akron 0 13 7 14 = 34
Ohio 14 14 20 7 = 55

First Quarter

OHIO–Wiglusz 75 pass from Rourke (Vakos kick), 14:48.

OHIO–McCormick 8 run (Vakos kick), 3:31.

Second Quarter

AKR–FG Perez 25, 13:26.

OHIO–Bangura 12 run (Vakos kick), 9:29.

AKR–FG Perez 42, 6:28.

AKR–Irons 18 run (Perez kick), :45.

OHIO–Bangura 1 run (Vakos kick), :00.

Third Quarter

AKR–Price 4 run (Perez kick), 11:38.

OHIO–Wiglusz 30 pass from Rourke (Vakos kick), 9:18.

OHIO–Bangura 25 pass from Rourke (kick failed), 5:13.

OHIO–McCrory 13 fumble return (Vakos kick), 4:54.

Fourth Quarter

AKR–Price 3 run (Perez kick), 14:54.

AKR–Price 1 run (Perez kick), 5:24.

OHIO–Bangura 6 run (Vakos kick), 3:08.

A–23,108.

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AKR OHIO
First downs 33 25
Total Net Yards 478 561
Rushes-yards 26-60 31-134
Passing 418 427
Punt Returns 1–6 0-0
Kickoff Returns 6-129 6-87
Interceptions Ret. 0-0 1-0
Comp-Att-Int 43-54-1 24-27-0
Sacked-Yards Lost 2-16 1-8
Punts 1-21.0 1-37.0
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 0-0
Penalties-Yards 3-22 6-47
Time of Possession 32:24 27:36

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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING–Akron, Price 14-39, Irons 8-23, Norrils 3-7, (Team) 1-(minus 9). Ohio, Bangura 16-90, Rourke 4-32, McCormick 8-21, (Team) 3-(minus 9).

PASSING–Akron, Irons 43-54-1-418. Ohio, Rourke 24-27-0-427.

RECEIVING–Akron, Jacques-Louis 11-152, George 11-108, A.Adams 7-56, Brank 6-69, Price 6-21, Banks 2-12. Ohio, Wiglusz 7-144, Ja.Jones 7-121, M.Cross 3-47, Kacmarek 2-40, Bostic 2-25, Bangura 1-25, McCormick 1-19, Foster 1-6.

MISSED FIELD GOALS_None.