by Fitzgerald Cecilio

Shreveport, LA

Junior running back Beau Blankenship rushed for a bowl-record four scores and Tyler Tettleton added two touchdown heaves to lead Ohio to a 45-14 victory over Louisiana-Monroe Friday in the Independence Bowl at Independence Stadium.

The victory gave the Bobcats their second straight bowl win in program history and handed Ohio (9-4) its seventh nine-win season and fourth under the direction of head coach Frank Solich.

The Bobcats also tied the record for most points in the Independence Bowl and set new record for margin of victory and total yards with 556.

Blankenship carried the ball 19 times for 104 yards, putting him in the top 15 on the all-time single-season Mid-American Conference rushing list. With his four touchdowns bringing his season total to 15, he cracked the all-time top five in rushing for a single season.

With nine 100-yard rushing games this season, Blankenship also became the school's all-time single season leader for most 100-yard games.

Meanwhile, Tettleton completed 14 of 22 passes for 331 yards, surpassing the 300-yard mark for the fifth time in his career and the third time this season. He also broke the 6,000-yard barrier for his career.

Sophomore wide receiver Chase Cochran caught three passes for 162 yards and a touchdown while Tyrel Futrell tallied 133 yards on five catches as the Bobcats' wideouts outplayed their Warhawks counterparts, 337 to 219.

Kolton Browning hit 21 of 39 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns but had three interceptions in the first half, allowing the Bobcats to pull away early.

Tettleton delivered two early touchdown throws to Donte Foster and Cochran, giving the Bobcats a 14-0 lead in the first period.

In the second, Browning found Tavarese Maye for a 14-yard touchdown pass but the Bobcats responded with a 38-yard field goal from Matt Weller and a two-yard scoring run by Blankenship.

Blankenship added two more runs in the third period to make it 38-7 before Browning completed a short touchdown pass to Kevin Steed.

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Blankenship Runs for Four TDs as Ohio Wins Independence Bowl