Bangura, Brune combine for 5 TDs, 272 yards as ground game drives Ohio past Northern Illinois 48-21

ATHENS, Ohio (AP) — Sieh Bangura rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns and Duncan Brune rushed for 126 yards and two touchdowns to lead a dominant rushing effort for Ohio in a 48-21 win over Northern Illinois on Saturday.

Bangura scored two touchdowns by the 12:13 mark of the second quarter, with a Parker Navarro rushing touchdown sandwiched between them.

Navarro was 17-of-23 passing for 205 yards and an interception.

Brune got on the board with a 66-yard scamper early in the third quarter. His second came less than seven minutes later.

Ohio (4-3, 2-1 Mid-American Conference) outgained Northern Illinois 538-293, with the offense going 5-for-5 in the red zone.

Josh Holst was 21 of 29 with 161 yards and a couple of passing touchdowns for Northern Illinois (1-6, 0-3 MAC), but five of the Huskies' first seven drives ended in punts.

Their penultimate drive ended in a 91-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Jalen Thomeson with 2:52 remaining.

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