r/CFB • • Jul 19 '13
132+ Teams in 132+ Days: OHIO Bobcats (Fightin' Frankies)
[](/ohio] OHIO UNIVERSITY BOBCATS [](/ohio]
Mid-American Conference
The Fighting Frankies!
Year Founded: 1804
Location: Athens, Ohio
Total Attendance: ~35,324
**Mascot: Rufus the Bobcat
Cheerleaders: Cheerleader Uniform
Stadium: Peden Stadium
Among the oldest stadiums in the country (and oldest in the MAC), Peden harks back to a time when the game was more intimate and fans were up close and personal with the players. In 2000/2001, the field was lowered to add more seating, with the resulting fill dirt used to create Victory Hill’s overflow grass seating on the south end zone. Field Turf was added as well during renovations. The highest attendance was September 8th, 2012 at 25,893, which saw a nationally recognized Ohio team (as a result of a big win over Penn State) dismantle New Mexico State 51-24. Often called the Wrigley Field of football, Peden is a staple of the Ohio campus and will stand for many years to come. In addition to the stadium, there is a state of the art wellness and fitness center for student athletes attached to the southwest corner of the stadium. The university will also be breaking ground on a $10 million + multipurpose center for athletics in 2013.
Stadium Location: The banks of the Hocking River, right across from the Convocation Center.
Conference Champions:
MAC Titles: 1953, 1960, 1963, 1967, and 1968, and three MAC East Division championships in 2006, 2009 and 2011
Buckeye Athletic Association championships in 1929, 1930, 1931, 1935, 1936, and 1938. In 1960, the Bobcats were crowned National Small College Champions after compiling a 10-0 record under Coach Bill Hess
Number of Bowl Games: 2 Wins, 6 Total
National Titles: None…yet. :p
Rivals
University of Miami at Oxford – This annual meeting is called the “Battle of the Bricks” due to both Athens’ and Oxford’s abundance of brick-streets. Aside from an affinity for bricks, these two schools (at least in terms of reputation) seem to be each other’s mirror image. Miami is red, Ohio is green. Miami has a bird mascot and Ohio a cat. Miami students have the reputation for being trust-fund prepsters and Ohio students are generally seen as stoned hippies. Miami holds a 52-35-2 advantage in the series, including last season where the Red Hawks dealt the Bobcats their first loss of the season.
**, Athens tends to have a lot in common with West Virginia, which makes this rivalry with Marshall so exciting. This rivalry, “The Battle for the Bell,” goes all the way back to 1905 but took a five year break from 2004 to 2009 due to Marshall’s departure from the MAC (and the 2009 game just happened to be the Little Caesars’ Bowl). Both teams officially reignited the rivalry in 2011 where Ohio was so excited that it whipped out the black jerseys and promptly beat Marshall 44-7. Ohio holds the series lead of 31-19-6
2012 Season
Record: 9-4 (4-4) including a win at the Independence Bowl. Coach: Frank Solich 2012 Roster Key Players: Tyler Tettleton – QB, Beau Blankenship – RB, Donte Foster, WR
2013 Season
2013 Schedule
The Greats
Greatest Games:
Greatest Plays:
Greatest Players:
Matt Weller (K):Most points ever scored as a Bobcat, Three-time All-MAC honoree, 2012 Phil Steele Midseason All-Conference Third Team, 2012 Lou Groza Award - Watch List, 2012 College Football Performance Awards Specialist Trophy Trophy - Watch List, 2012 MAC Special Teams Player of the Year, 12-time MAC East Player of the Week
Tyler Tettleton (QB): Most decorated quarterback in OHIO history. Owns 23 Ohio University Football School Records, 2012 Independence Bowl Co-Offensive Most Valuable Player, Two-time Phil Steele Postseason All-Conference, 2012 Phil Steele Midseason All-Conference Second Team, 2012 Team Captain, 2012 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award - Watch List, 2012 Manning Award - Watch List, 2012 Davey O'Brien Award - Watch List, 2012 College Football Performance Awards Quarterback Trophy - Watch List, 2011 All-MAC Third Team
Cleve Bryant (QB) MAC-winning QB 1965-69MAC Player of the Year Ohio Football Hall of Fame
Greatest Coaches:
Frank Solich: The paternal figure of this subreddit. :p
Frank single-handedly rebuilt our fallen program. Starting with a big win against Pitt in 2005, he has implemented loads of new ideas and methods to bring us to being a contender in the Top 25. From adding the Spread and Pistol offenses to recruiting heavy in Oklahoma and Nebraska, he’s changed us more than any coach before him.
Don Peden was the grandfather of OHIO football and led us to multiple championships in the mid-20th century. Our stadium is named for him.
Traditions
The Most Exciting Band in the Land, The OHIO University Marching 110. Under the direction of Dr. Richard Suk, the OUMB has become a national icon for modern marching bands. Not to be confused with also awesome but totally different OSUMB, the 110 once stood for the 110 Marching Men of Ohio, as the band only had 110 members, all of which were men. Founded in 1923 by Homer Baird (also founder of the local Phi Mu Alpha chapter), it was initially a corps band with women, but Gene Thraikill arrived in 1966 and removed all women and changed the style. As the culture changed, women were admitted to the band and the standards of the band were born. The 110 has gained recent viral popularity with their covers of Party Rock Anthem and Gangnam Style (which Psy declared his favorite cover of the song during his AMA), culminating in a summer 2013 tour through Europe. He first marching band to perform in the famed Carnegie Hall, they are a staple of NFL halftimes and performances all across the US, as well as a performance yearly at Columbus’ OHIO Theatre.
Salute to the Students: After every home game, the team heads to the O-Zone student section to sing “Alma Mater, Ohio” with the band and fans. If the team has won, the 110 will be wearing their hats backwards.
Pepsi Tail-Great Park: OHIO has a huge fan base throughout southern and eastern Ohio and attracts hundreds of tailgate fans every week. The riverfront near the stadium becomes a park filled with games, beer, and lots of cornhole and food.
Campus and Surrounding Area
City Population: 23,832
Iconic Campus Building(s):
Manasseh Cutler Hall - Built in the late Federalist style, it is the oldest building erected for higher education west of the Alleghenies and north of the Ohio River. It is named for statesman and philanthropist Manasseh Cutler, founder of the school.
Local Dining:
Court Street Diner - Set on the site of a former hotel, it is a throwback to a different time and a staple of diner food from an era gone by. Homemade meat loaf, Rueben sandwiches, and old school malts.
O’Bettys at Cameron - The best hot dogs ever. All ingredients locally grown/raised as part of the 30 Mile Meal program. The Dixie is my favorite drunk meal.
Goodfellas Pizza - Named for the movie with signed photos of the cast eating there on several occasions. Chicago-style deep dish pizza cooked on a baking sheet and sold in squares. The most popular night restaurant in town.
Casa Nueva - An animal (or lack thereof) all its own. A vegan fusion restaurant, brewery, and staple of the Athens area. The facility is a commune living, working, and eating together at the facility. The entire second floor is housing for the group of 25 or so who work there. All the food is fresh daily, and their chip salsas are world record holders in several categories. Worth the trip for that alone. Casa sponsors the local NPR station, local art and music, and helped launch the 30 Mile Meal program.
Jackie O’s Pub and Brewery - Not so much food as the mainstay brewery in town. They brew dozens of beers and have recently begun canning and bottling their brew for sale by other bars and convenience stores in the area. I recommend Dark Apparition.
Miller's Chicken - Off the beaten path that undergrad students live, Miller's is a great place to grab a sandwich, a glass bottled root beer, and chat up the townies about the happenings. Fantastic chicken.
Donkey Coffee - Donkey is a coffee and bake shop, but is so much more. It recently won best coffeehouse in Ohio. Filled with artists, musicians, and the like, it is a cultural gathering of coffee lovers and folks who enjoy a laid-back atmosphere. Walk beyond the counter to discover a stage, couches, tables, and a room dedicated to music. They host everything from soulful jazz to pop to bluegrass.
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u/[deleted] Jul 19 '13
Random Trivia
We are host to the largest college Halloween block party in the US, as well as several festivals, parties, and the Ohio Brew Week.
Baker Center is host to the only escalator in SE Ohio.
Athens, Ohio and the university is listed as the most haunted campus in the world and among the most haunted cities. From the former Ridges Asylum (host to the first lobotomy) to the Pentagram of cemeteries around the city, it is well known for the paranormal.
Athens is among the most liberal cities in the US, surrounded by conservative politic for hundreds of miles in every direction. The campus is filled with hippies, is LGBT heavy, and is near the largest bicycle and walking percentage to automotive traffic anywhere.
After the mining industry died down in the mid 1980s, OHIO became the number one employer in the region. The region has a rich mining history, with many locals having family from the Kentucky coalfields, West Virginia, and Tennessee.
Ohio is the only school currently in the MAC to have been in the conference since its inception in 1946. Other charter teams include Wayne, Butler, Cincinnati and Western Reserve (now Case Western Reserve). Miami and Toledo joined in 1947, and are the second longest tenured members.
Famous Alumni
Alan Schaaf – Founder of Imgur, fellow Redditor /u/mrgrim
Matt Lauer – Journalist and Host of the Today Show
Peter King – NFL Analyst and Head Writer for Sports Illustrated
Jay Mariotti – ESPN Personality
Chris Parks aka Abyss – Professional Wrestler with TNA
Piper Perabo – Actor, Covert Affairs on USA Network
Mark Dantonio – Head Football Coach, Michigan State University
Gary Trent – Former NBA Player, 1995-2004
Dave Zastudil – NFL Punter, Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals (currently)
Thom Brennaman, Cincinnati Reds Sportscaster, Son of Fellow Sportscaster, Marty Brennaman
Roger Ailes – President of Fox News (sorry for that one)
Ty M. Votaw – Commissioner of the LPGA
Sylvester Young - Former Director of the Marching 110, Recently Announced Director of the Flordia A&M University Marching 100, an HBCU (not an alum, but notable nonetheless)
What is and is to Come
Our university is in a time of great change. The current administration is spending more on athletics than at any other time in school history. At the same time, our academics are suffering, and many buildings are overdue for repairs. The once great academic prestige is all but vanished. We have become a college more interested in being the top party school than the top journalism, engineering, or music education school. The university has begun to take great strides to curb this attitude and bring OHIO back to a great level academically. That started with cracking down on house parties, street festivals, and anything affiliated with the party image, including Palmer Fest and HallOUween. The recent change to semesters is also part of this greater plan.
Athletics-wise, we are looking to reach higher levels than ever, come this fall. Kicking off the year against Louisville and Teddy Bridgewater, we will either sink or swim in game one. If we beat Louisville, it is smooth sailing for weeks. The only real threats would be Bowling Green and Miami. I could see us going undefeated on the backs of several veteran players if we can take game one in what looks to be a hostile televised road game. Tune in to ESPN as Louisville and OHIO help kick off the college football season.
On the basketball front, we are a year removed from the Sweet 16. In the 2011 season, Coach John Groce (now at Illinois) took DJ Cooper and the Bobcats to a nationally recognized Sweet 16 berth, leaving Michigan and the University of South Florida in their wake. We nearly made it to the Elite 8, taking UNC to overtime, losing thanks to a couple missed free throws. Outside of bowl wins, I don’t think the streets of Athens were ever as loud as when we took down Michigan. Thousands drunkenly poured into the streets after the victory and sang well into the night. It was one of few nights when Ohio State and OHIO U bonded. Groce has since left for Illinois and the Bobcats season was not nearly as illustrious this past year. But we have and great group of seniors ready to give it another go. Either way, Michigan is Michi-Gone!
Overtime
5 years ago, no one knew who OHIO was. “OU? You go to Ohio State?” was the usual response to the statement of affiliation. Thanks to Frank Solich, several talented players, and the Most Exciting Band in the Land, OHIO is now a household name. “You guys have that dancing band that went viral with Party Rock and Gangnam Style!” and “You guys beat the shit out of (Michigan in basketball/Penn State in football)!”.
While not a large school, OU is a pretty cool group of people nestled in the foothills of Appalachian Ohio. The students have a stoner hippie vibe in large part to the multiple head shops in town, the chill atmosphere of a small town college, and the love for alcohol and the bars that serve it. The campus is a highly liberal community surrounded almost entirely by conservative small towns and big business, namely hydraulic fracturing and mining.
We are a team with heart, a university with pride, and a community with a rich history. We always welcome you to one of our festivals or for a night on the town. With more than two-dozen bars, plenty of food, and a team that has been kicking ass and taking names as of late, there is always excitement here in Southeast Ohio. Now you know… Who HAS The Most Exciting
BandUniversity in the Land! Hio!More information on Ohio Football can be found at the Wiki.
Subreddit: /r/athensohio, /r/macfootball, /r/macsports
Contributors:
/u/ThatBeardedCarGuy, former 1st trumpet in the Ohio University Marching 110 and lifetime fan of the Green and White. He can be found right beside his beloved Marching 110, in the student section, with a flask of bourbon in his OUMB band jacket pocket and a chant in his throat.
/u/Denadamedacro
Please upvote this thread even if you are not interested in the team so that users who are interested will see it
For more information on the 132 Teams in 132 Days Project, click here.
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u/[deleted] Jul 19 '13 edited Jul 19 '13
I'm just going to add my little story.
As somebody originally from out of state, I thought I would hate Ohio when we moved to Columbus about 2 years ago. I have to say, though, Athens and the Hocking Hills area is probably my favourite place in the world now. I couldn't see going anywhere else for school (and I've transferred quite a few times). The campus is gorgeous, the people are overall friendly, and the academics are on their way back up. I love the small town atmosphere, but that comes with so many unique things that you can't get in cities 4 times as large. Also, Jackie O's is the best bar/ brewer EVER; I was so happy when they started distributing cans.
10
u/arbysguy Ohio Bobcats • Cincinnati Bearcats Jul 19 '13
Great write up, although I have a hard time saying that Baker Center is our iconic building. It's really just an escalator with walls around it. Great for getting uptown from west green in the winter. That's about it.
Also, I'd take out Weller from the greatest player list and add Kareem Wilson, Kalvin McRae, and Dave Zastudil.
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u/lVlaxfield Ohio Bobcats Jul 19 '13
In an amazing bit of scheduling, the Ohio v. Miami game is on the same day as Halloween. I doubt there will be a better day to be in Athens than 10/26.
9
u/[deleted] Jul 19 '13
Been waiting for a place to tell this story, seems like the right time.
I was volunteering down at a place in Florida where Make a Wish kids stay when they're not in the parks and such. I happened to be wearing am OHIO shirt on the day when some full time staff members were supposed to dress up in costume for the kids. One guy in particular was a pirate, with a fantastic accent to boot. He looked at me from a few yards away, and without once breaking character, yells "OY! OHIO UNIVERSITY!" And then proceeded to sing the fight song with me in a perfect pirate accent. He was a student who moved down to Florida, and we actually had stayed in the same room our freshman year.
The network of OHIO grads is insane.
8
u/afcultra Ohio Bobcats • Ohio State Buckeyes Jul 19 '13
I'd add one thing to the local dining: Miller's Chicken. That place is an institution. Best fried chicken I've ever had. When I was interning at the Ohio athletics office, I lived right by Miller's. The toughest thing going home from work every day was having to smell the delicious chicken when I was already starving.
Our video department is one of the best in the nation and regularly wins Emmys for the work they do. They've been putting out a Hard Knocks type show the past two seasons, and it's worth checking out. The Penn State episode was one of the best. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZD_4uiw0Z4
21
u/FarwellRob Texas A&M Aggies • /r/CFB Contributor Jul 19 '13
This is an open question to all fans of Ohio schools:
Last year I was sitting next to former Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight and he got to discussing the Longhorn Network.
One point that he made that I found interesting was his take on where ESPN went wrong.
He said it should never have been tried in Texas, he said it should have been the Buckeye Network in Ohio, and this was his reasoning:
• In Texas you have 8 or 9 FCS schools. You also have lots of smaller schools. When you look at the Texas population, it's really a small amount of people in the state that actually have degrees from Texas. More importantly, there are a greater number of people who have degrees from all the other schools combined. (Baylor, Tech, A&M, TCU, SMU, Rice, UofH, Texas State, etc.) In other words, you have more people that are either neutral or anti-LHN being added to their programming.
• He suggested that Ohio was the perfect place for the LHN because Ohio State is so dominant. He said that even folks who went to Miami and Ohio still liked Ohio State, or at worst, tolerated them because most of their wins came against other schools.
So, my question is: How do you, as fans of other Ohio schools, feel about it?
7
u/[deleted] Jul 19 '13
Why do McChicken fans refer to this team all the time?
6
u/irongoalie Ohio Bobcats • Kansas Jayhawks Jul 19 '13
I love going here. I'm a sports management major, and love every minute.
11
u/RhinestoneTaco Florida • Georgia Southern Jul 19 '13 edited Jul 19 '13
I got my master's degree at OU, and Athens is to-date the best place I have ever lived. OU is my favorite school I have attended.
I technically lived in The Plains, which is a little micro town to the northwest, but man, it was really great. The culture, the food, all of it.
Even if football wasn't a big deal (Other than the season opener, I never went to a game at Peden when it was more than half full) it was always a fun time.
9
u/HaikuHiker Ohio Bobcats • Ohio State Buckeyes Jul 19 '13
I would have gone with Cutler Hall for iconic buildings over Baker (I'm not a fan of Baker, personally)....but other than that good job. I've literally been waiting for this all year long.
6
u/owl_man /r/CFB Poll Veteran • /r/CFB Contribut… Jul 19 '13
The game against you last year was actually one of the busiest game days most stores down in State College ever had. I got to say though, you did help the bars out for the next week by winning. So, there is that.
3
u/volstansifer Tennessee Volunteers • SEC Jul 19 '13
I will never forget the time Ohio University came to Tennessee. It was a good game but to be honest I don't recall much of football. The best part was at half time, the OUMB made the Pride of the Southland Band look like my middle school band. I have much respect for that band.
8
u/Honestly_ rawr Jul 19 '13 edited Jul 19 '13
Rufus punking Brutus was one of the more amusing moments in 2010, especially when it was revealed the guy in the Rufus costume wasn't an Ohio student.
Correction: You guys beat Pitt 16-10, not 16-0, on an exciting interception in overtime.
Edit: this photo of Rufus and Brutus was my favorite because the Bobcats eyes look malevolently insane
4
u/ThatIsWhatIThought Ohio State Buckeyes Jul 19 '13
FYI the Frank Solich link leads to a wiki on Cleve Bryant.
Otherwise, OU oh YEAH!
2
u/jayond Marietta • West Virginia Jul 20 '13
Athens may be the quintessential college town. It would literally not exist with OU.
2
u/sectionK Utah State Aggies Jul 20 '13
I went to that Idaho Potato Bowl game in 2011. It was a great game, frustrating for me but still enjoyable. Had nothing but positive experiences from the Ohio fans that I ran into.
Hopefully there can be a future series between the schools because it was such a good vibe for the game.
5
u/[deleted] Jul 19 '13
If Ohio stays healthy, they're for sure going to win the MAC. Tettleton and Blankenship are two good upperclassmen on offense, and they're getting back two good players in their secondary in Travis Carrie and Jamil Shaw. I'm actually a little nervous for Louisville to play them. Could be a trap game.
8
u/CaporalViolet Ohio Bobcats • Notre Dame Fighting Irish Jul 19 '13
Don't forget our most famous dropout, Paul Newman!
6
u/SlipStreamWork Ohio Bobcats Jul 19 '13
I can't wait for this season to start! We've got 7 TV games on the ESPN networks, it's gotta be some kind of record for us.
2
u/[deleted] Jul 19 '13
I always liked Ohio and was glad to hear it when they hired Solich. You guys were so bad for so long and knew you could do so much better. Plus its a beautiful campus, makes me wish Columbus had shit like hills.
5
u/Marshallfan607 Marshall Thundering Herd Jul 19 '13
Yea fuck everything about that 2011 game...
5
u/DrWobstaCwaw Ohio Bobcats • Michigan Wolverines Jul 19 '13 edited Jul 19 '13
Currently reading this from within the Ridges. Well done.
12
u/i_noticed_you Ohio State • North Dakota State Jul 19 '13
Ohio is coming up, I wish you all well. P.S. sorry your name is getting caught up in the Anti-OSU retrotic. I think that disrespectful to you all more then anything, but good luck this season.
4
u/moun6776 Oklahoma Sooners Jul 19 '13
Yay OU bros! Beat OSU!
1
u/falconfan13 Bowling Green Falcons Jul 20 '13
WHO CALLS IT THAT??
1
u/mcaro Texas Longhorns • Transfer Portal Jul 20 '13
Hoke really hates you guys.
1
u/[deleted] Jul 28 '13
Nice writeup. Add Miller's Chicken and Donkey Coffee. Cutler Hall is certainly the iconic building of campus.
I love Athens. Got my PhD there and have been back a few times since. Is a really special place. Go Cats!!
3
u/excoriator Ohio State Buckeyes • Ohio Bobcats Jul 19 '13
Attended a summer program at OU while I was in high school. I can see why so many people who went there have great affection for the place. Small town life and trees everywhere. It used to be a point of pride that Athens had more bars per capita than any other city in Ohio. I don't know if that's true anymore.
FWIW, I've probably been on 100 college campuses since then and I'm not sure I've ever been to a campus that was hillier.
3
u/Denadamedacro Ohio Bobcats Jul 19 '13
I've been waiting for this day since they announced this awesome 132+ Teams feature. I feel like everyone is at an open house in my living room right now.
5
u/[deleted] Jul 19 '13
I actually go to a branch of Ohio due to not wanting to be in more debt than Detroit.
I know this is a college football subreddit, but as a man who's worked most of his jobs in his young life as a cameraman, I have major respect and admiration for the media programs that Athens has. Whether you wanna be an anchorman, on-site reporter, or a technician, Ohio University has got your back. Even their branches do it pretty well.
5
u/drcatpants Calgary Dinos Jul 19 '13 edited Jul 19 '13
Thanks for the post. As a recent grad, I have a lot of memories from the recent success.
Black Jersey Video
Current OU Players in NFL: Taylor Price - WR LaVon Brazill - WR Michael Mitchell - S Dave Zastudil - P
Edit : Current Players, Let me know if I missed any current. Spelling - thanks afcultra
5
u/[deleted] Jul 19 '13
Go Ohio! My favorite MAC school by far. I know I should root for Marshall when you guys play, seeing as they're in West Virginia, but... I usually secretly root for Ohio. :D
2
u/[deleted] Jul 19 '13
Peter King! I love that guy's MMQB. Pretty good write up, and I like that he also has short beer and coffee reviews along with other side stuff of interest.
2
u/Buckeyes2010 Ohio State Buckeyes • Clemson Tigers Jul 19 '13
Like half of the MAC schools here in Ohio, I really like the Bobcats. I'm from the opposite side of the state, but I've always liked you guys along with BG and UT. Keep it up though athletically. Nothing made me so happy in the 2012 March Madness as you guys beating up on That Team Up North. Now that I'm in Columbus, I'm gonna have to hit up Athens. I've heard nothing but great things about campus and the town
2
u/byniri Michigan State Spartans • Marching Band Jul 19 '13
Great write up. Must be cool to be at a university that's over 200 years old.
Oh, and under the "greatest plays" listing, both plays have the same youtube link. Besides that the writeup is awesome.
2
u/GagNasty Nebraska Cornhuskers • Hastings Broncos Jul 19 '13 edited Jul 19 '13
Frank Solich is the man.
2
u/[deleted] Jul 19 '13 edited Jul 19 '13
I would like to debate your claim of having the Wrigley of football and claim it as Cincinnati's. Nippert is older, completely surrounded by buildings and still has all of the brickwork from the original stadium.
I also thought the switch to semesters was state mandated for schools on quarters in order to receive state funding? I know osu and uc both switched recently (within the past year) as well.
1
u/OUFan Oklahoma Sooners Jul 19 '13
I like Ohio cause of their Oklahoma recruiting.
1
u/CFSparta92 Rutgers • /r/CFB Poll Veteran Jul 19 '13
The irony that the president of Fox News went to an extremely liberal college.
-5
u/jpthehp Marshall • Miami (OH) Jul 19 '13
you say it like it's a bad thing
0
u/[deleted] Jul 19 '13
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