COLUMBUS – Ashland University knew it would have its hands full to start the 2018 football season with a pair of ranked foes in the first two games.
But it’s doubtful coach Lee Owens anticipated a worst-case scenario, record-wise. Unfortunately, that’s the situation for the 18th-ranked Eagles, who dropped to 0-2 after falling 24-17 on Saturday night at 17th-ranked Ohio Dominican.
The 18th-ranked Eagles took an early 7-0 lead on senior tailback Andrew Vaughn’s 3-yard TD plunge. After a defensive stand at midfield, redshirt freshman quarterback Austin Brenner scrambled 34 yards to put AU on top 14-0 in the first quarter.
The Panthers stopped the bleeding with a 34-yard field goal, but Ashland countered when Satchel Denton drilled a 39-yard field goal. That gave AU a 17-3 lead heading to the second period.
Unfortunately, the Eagles would not score again.
Panthers’ quarterback Shane Bucenell connected with wide receiver Cedric Washington for a 30-yard TD to slice the margin to 17-10 at the half.
In the third period, Bucenell fired an 8-yard TD pass to Cory Contini to tie the game at 17.
Later in the quarter, Brenner was sacked and fumbled. ODU returned the bobble to the Eagles’ five, where Bucenell again found Contini for a TD pass to give the Panthers a 24-17 lead.
Ashland had a pair of chances to tie, but the Eagles were stopped on a 4th-and-two at Ohio Dominican’s 18 in the third period.
On their final gasp, AU was turned away on a 4th-and 10 at the ODU 26.
The loss drops the Eagles to 0-2 after last week’s 21-17 loss to Indiana (Pennsylvania).
Ashland is back in action next Saturday in a 6 p.m. kickoff at Wayne State (1-1) That matchup opens Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play.
