Ohio Bobcats football
2025 Ohio Bobcats football team
First season	1894; 131 years ago
Athletic director	Slade Larscheid
Head coach	Brian Smith 1st season, 1–1 (.500)
Stadium	Peden Stadium (capacity: 25,210)
Field	Frank Solich Field
Field surface	Field Turf
Location	Athens, Ohio
NCAA division	Division I FBS
Conference	Mid-American Conference
Past conferences	Ohio Athletic Conference Buckeye Athletic Association
All-time record	608–588–48 [1] (.508)
Bowl record	8–8 (.500)
Claimed national titles	1 (1960, small college)
Conference titles	12
Division titles	5
Rivalries	Miami OH (rivalry) Marshall (rivalry)
Current uniform
Colors	Hunter green and white[2]
Fight song	Stand Up and Cheer
Mascot	Rufus the Bobcat
Marching band	The Ohio University Marching 110
Outfitter	Adidas
Nickname	Bobcats
Website	OhioBobcats.com

The Ohio Bobcats football team is a major intercollegiate varsity sports program of Ohio University. The team represents the university as the senior member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC), playing at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Bobcats have played their home games in Peden Stadium in Athens, Ohio, since 1929.

Ohio's first football game is reported^[3] in 1894, an 8–0 loss to Marietta College.^[4] Since then, the Bobcats have posted an over 500 wins over their 125-year existence and over 200 wins in their 72 years in MAC games. The Bobcats have won six MAC championships, in 1953, 1960, 1963, 1967, 1968, and 2024, and five MAC East Division championships, in 2006, 2009, 2011, 2016, and 2022. Prior to joining the MAC, the Bobcats won six Buckeye Athletic Association championships, in 1929, 1930, 1931, 1935, 1936, and 1938. During that era, “All State” Bobcat player Chris Stefan broke all collegiate records by running for an amazing 104 yards touchdown, by first faking a kick from behind his own end zone, and rushing unabated to score against Xavier of Ohio (as documented by conference officials, and reported by both AP and Ohio Press). In 1960, the Bobcats were crowned National Small College Champions after compiling a 10–0 record under Bill Hess.

The Bobcats have appeared in twelve bowl games, losing 15–14 to West Texas State in the 1962 Sun Bowl, losing 49–42 to Richmond in the 1968 Tangerine Bowl, falling 28–7 to Southern Mississippi in the 2007 GMAC Bowl, losing 21–17 to Marshall in the 2009 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, and a defeat at the hands of Troy in the 2010 New Orleans Bowl. Ohio won their first bowl game on December 17, 2011, with a 24–23 victory over the Utah State Aggies in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Ohio followed up that bowl win with another in 2012 over Louisiana–Monroe in the 2012 Independence Bowl, by the score 45–14. In 2013, Ohio played in their fifth consecutive bowl game, losing to East Carolina in the 2013 Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl. Ohio lost in the 2015 Camellia Bowl and the 2016 Dollar General Bowl, before defeating UAB in the 2017 Bahamas Bowl and San Diego State in the 2018 Frisco Bowl. Ohio University is also the first team to produce a shut out during a MAC Bowl game.

In 2021, the Ohio Bobcats broke the NCAA all-time record for the longest ever TD Run by a Quarterback in a 99-yard run against MAC foe Buffalo.^[5]