KENT, Ohio — The spotlight on Wednesday night shifted to the defense and special teams as Eamonn Dennis returned a kickoff for a touchdown and Coleman Owen scored on a punt return during Ohio’s dominant 41-0 triumph over Kent State.

The Bobcats displayed a formidable defense, allowing only 114 yards and seven first downs to a struggling Kent State team.

In a highlight moment, Dennis electrified the crowd by returning the second-half kickoff a remarkable 96 yards for a touchdown. He maneuvered through the middle of the field with little opposition before breaking to the outside, evading defenders and sprinting to the end zone.

Later in the third quarter, Owen showcased his skills by fielding a punt and dodging multiple would-be tacklers before delivering a stiff-arm to one last defender, resulting in his own touchdown and extending the Bobcats’ lead to 34-0.

Offensively, the Bobcats amassed a total of 407 yards, with 258 coming from the ground game and 149 through the air. Anthony Tyus III was a key contributor, rushing for 84 yards and a touchdown, while quarterback Parker Navarro passed for 142 yards. Navarro also added a rushing touchdown, and backup quarterback Nick Poulos made his presence felt by completing a short touchdown pass on his only attempt of the night.

For Kent State, Josh Baka stood out defensively, registering 12 solo tackles and totaling 18 tackles overall in a challenging matchup.

With this win, the Bobcats improved to 6-3 overall and 4-1 in the Mid-American Conference, while Kent State remains winless at 0-9 and 0-5 in the conference. Historically, the two teams have faced each other 75 times, with Ohio leading the series 46-28-2.

This victory has positioned Ohio into a tie for first place alongside Western Michigan, Miami, and Bowling Green, as all four teams have already competed this week.