The Ohio football program (11-3, 7-1 MAC) wrapped up their 2024 season at the StaffDNA Cure Bowl with a historic 30-27 victory over the Jacksonville State Gamecocks (9-5, 7-1 CUSA) at Camping World Stadium Friday afternoon (Dec. 20). Graduate student quarterback Parker Navarro's standout performance earned him game MVP accolades.

This win marks Ohio's first time in program history recording an 11-win season as well as the program's sixth-straight bowl victory, becoming the first Mid-American Conference program to win six-straight bowl games.

The win also marked head coach Brian Smith's first win at the helm of the Bobcats.

The offense saw multiple individual records set, led by graduate student wide receiver Coleman Owen (Gilbert, Ariz.), becoming the Bobcats' all-time single-season receiving yards leader (1,216). Additionally, Navarro (Tempe, Ariz.) became the second quarterback in program history to log over 1,000 rushing yards in a single season (1,062), an accomplishment an Ohio quarterback hasn't claimed since Kareem Wilson (1996, 1,072 yds). Notably, he is the second Bobcat to run for over 1,000 yards this season, joining graduate student running back Anthony Tyus III (Portage, Mich.), and he is the first quarterback in program history to record over 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in the same season.

Navarro finished the game 19-for-28 with one touchdown on 227 yards in the air. On the ground, Navarro logged all three of the Bobcats' rushing touchdowns on 15 carries and 119 yards. Navarro's four total touchdowns tied a Cure Bowl record for touchdowns in a game. Tyus led the rushers with 123 yards on 26 touches. He also snagged Ohio's lone receiving touchdown of the game, logging three receptions on 34 yards.

In the air, Owen finished the game with 11 catches for 111 yards, while Tyus added his three catches for 34 yards and a touchdown. Redshirt freshman tight end Mason Williams (Mogadore, Ohio) added one catch for 18 yards.

Defensively, the Bobcats held a Jax State squad who averaged 267.3 this season on the ground to 40 total rushing yards.

Graduate student linebacker Blake Leake (Culpeper, Va.) finished with nine total tackles, .5 sacks for three yards and one interception for 17 yards. Senior cornerback Tank Pearson (Oxford, Miss.) finished with 11 tackles, while redshirt junior defensive end Bradley Weaver (Hilliard, Ohio) finished with five tackles, 1.0 tackles for loss, .5 sacks and one fumble recovery.

Navarro struck late in the first quarter, wrapping up a seven-play, 79-yard drive with a 24-yard rushing touchdown. The quarterback logged his second rushing touchdown of the day the next drive, rushing up the middle eight yards into the end zone. The Gamecocks bounced back quickly, cutting Ohio's lead to 14-7 with 1:12 remaining in the first quarter with a 75-yard receiving touchdown.

Ohio's offense ended a 6:12 drive with Navarro's third rushing touchdown of the day, extending their lead to 20-7. After the following Jacksonville State drive ended in a failed field goal attempt, the Bobcats quickly extended their lead with an 11-yard pass to Tyus, marking the first passing touchdown of the game and Tyus' second on the season.

The Gamecocks scored the only touchdown of the third quarter, putting the score at 27-14 with 9:36 remaining in the quarter. Sophomore kicker Gianni Spetic (Chardon, Ohio) opened the fourth quarter with a 48-yard field goal, extending Ohio's lead to 16 points. Jacksonville State scored two more rushing touchdowns, cutting their deficit to just three points, but Ohio maintained possession for the final drive of the game, taking victory formation to solidify their 30-27 victory.