Miles
"The Shark"
Cross

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Miles Cross's Biography

The 2023 season marked another epoch in the annals of Ohio Bobcats’ football team who represented Ohio University as the flag bearer for the East Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in the NCAA Division I FBS football season. From the sidelines, third-year head coach Tim Albin plotted the team’s trajectory as they battled it out on their home turf, Peden Stadium, situated in Athens, Ohio.

Riding on the wave of their first 10-win season since 2011, Ohio entered the fray as the defending division champion, gazing hungrily at a repeat win in MAC East. Ranked second in the conference only to Toledo, the team held strong prospects for another victorious run. Notably, the Bobcats strode onto the field with 9 out of 11 starters intact from their highest-scoring offense in the MAC, which included the defending conference player of the year, quarterback Kurtis Rourke.

Rourke, the star quarterback, marked a dramatic comeback from a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament, an injury he had sustained in the eleventh game of the previous season against Ball State. His return underscored the team’s fighting spirit, key to their sportsmanship. However, Rourke was not cleared to play until Monday before the Week Zero game with San Diego State. His eventual return sent shock waves across the opponent’s defense, but his time in the fray was short-lived as a fresh injury nicked his performance and removed him from the opening quarter.

The Bobcats, however, proved that a team runs deeper than a single player. With C.J. Harris and Parker Narvarro splitting time at quarterback, Ohio registered a victorious feat against Long Island. This revenant performance catapulted by Ohio’s sterling running game has notably held the ball for over 37 minutes. The following week, a victorious 17-10 win at Florida Atlantic was conferred due to Ohio’s sterling ground game, yet again.

The home match with the Iowa State, however, was a low scoring thriller with both offenses struggling to find the net. But thanks to Bryce Houston, who led the defense with remarkable 15 tackles, the Bobcats eked out a 10-7 victory. A week later Ohio took to the field against Bowling Green, and the Bobcats defensive force ruled the day winning 38-7, spearheaded by Rourke’s 14 of 16 with three touchdown passes.

For their Homecoming game, the Bobcats dialed up their offense and prevailed 42–17 over Kent State, as Rourke threw for 300 yards and 3 touchdowns of which 125 yards and 2 touchdowns saw Miles Cross at the receiving end. However, a shocking 23-13 loss at Northern Illinois snapped their winning streak. The loss, however, didn’t slow them down, as they posted a 20–10 win over Buffalo in the midweek and ended their home games with a 34–20 win over Central Michigan. However, their shot at the MAC contention evaporated when Miami won the same night.
Ohio sealed their regular-season with a 9-3 record after overcoming Akron 22-0 in the second half.

Defensively, Ohio punched well above their weight, ending the year with the fifth-best scoring defense in the FBS at 15.4 points per game, allowing 96 rushing yards (8th) and 168 passing yards (7th) per game. This feat saw the Ohio Bobcats earn a bid to face-off against Georgia Southern in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. The pre-game preparation suffered a blow as Rourke, starting receivers Miles Cross and Ty Walton, and their top two backs Sieh Bangura and O’Shaan Allison all entered the transfer portal. However, that didn’t stop the Bobcats from scoring a whopping 41 points, facilitated by five forced turnovers by the defense to beat Georgia Southern 41–21. Freshman Rickey Hunt made headlines by tying the record for touchdowns in bowl games and was named the MVP. This victory marked Ohio’s second straight 10 win season.

In the preseason coaches’ poll announced on July 20 by the MAC, Ohio was tipped to finish first in the East. Packed with four votes to win the conference, which was second only to defending champions and West favorite Toledo., Ohio was set to have another thrilling season. The Bobcats’ first match saw them traveling across the country to face San Diego State in a game that marked the earliest start to a football season in Bobcats history.

Across multiple decisive games in Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA, Peden Stadium, Athens, OH, and FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, FL, the Bobcats showcased resilience, skill, and determination marking yet another remarkable season in their sports history.