BOISE, Idaho — Nathan Rourke accounted for 241 yards and ran for a touchdown to help Ohio beat Nevada, 30-21, on Friday in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Ohio (7-6) rebounded from a 1-3 start for its fifth straight winning season under coach Frank Solich. The 75-year-old former Nebraska coach received a two-year contract extension this week.
Nevada (7-6), which dismissed defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel and two other defensive position coaches at the end of the regular season, didn’t find much of an answer for Ohio’s high-powered offense until the fourth quarter.
The Wolfpack also were missing three key defensive starters, suspended for their participation in a fight during a loss to rival UNLV in the regular-season finale.
Ohio raced to a 20-9 lead and scored the first 10 points of the third quarter before holding off Nevada’s late rally.
The Bobcats lost leading rusher O’Shaan Allison late in the first quarter with an undisclosed injury. De’Montre Tuggle took over, rushing for 97 yards and a touchdown to spark a ground attack that finished with 285 yards on 50 carries spread among five players.
Rourke, who is projected to be a high first-round draft pick in the CFL, tied Kareem Wilson’s school record for career rushing touchdowns of 49. Wilson played from 1995-98.
