2025 Ohio Bobcats football team
| 2025 Ohio Bobcats football | |
|---|---|
Frisco Bowl champion | |
Frisco Bowl, W 17–10 vs. UNLV | |
| Conference | Mid-American Conference |
| Record | 9–4 (6–2 MAC) |
| Head coach |
|
| Offensive coordinator | Scott Isphording (4th season) |
| Offensive scheme | Spread option |
| Defensive coordinator | John Hauser (2nd season) |
| Base defense | 4–2–5 |
| Home stadium | Peden Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Michigan y$ | 7 | – | 1 | 10 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Miami (OH) y | 6 | – | 2 | 7 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ohio | 6 | – | 2 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Toledo | 6 | – | 2 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Central Michigan | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Akron* | 4 | – | 4 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Buffalo | 4 | – | 4 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kent State | 4 | – | 4 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Michigan | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ball State | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling Green | 2 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Illinois | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UMass | 0 | – | 8 | 0 | – | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championship: Western Michigan 23, Miami (OH) 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 2025 Ohio Bobcats football team represented Ohio University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bobcats were led by Brian Smith in his first year as the head coach. The Bobcats play home games at Peden Stadium, located in Athens, Ohio.
Ohio entered the season coming off of 2024 season with a school record 11 wins and three straight seasons with at least 10 wins. The Bobcats are the defending MAC Champion after Ohio avenged its only MAC regular season loss with a 38–3 win over rival Miami in the 2024 MAC Championship Game. They won the MAC Championship for the first time since 1968. Ohio entered the season on an FBS leading seven game winning streak and a six game winning streak in bowl games after defeating Conference USA Champion Jacksonville State in the Cure Bowl. Brian Smith entered his first full year as head coach after earning his first win in the bowl, having replaced Tim Albin after Albin took the head coach position at Charlotte.
Ohio entered the season ranked 94th out of 135 FBS teams and fourth in the MAC in returning production as determined by the SP+ rankings. Among the returners is starting quarterback Parker Navarro who entered the year with a 12–2 record as a starting quarterback. After a somewhat sluggish start, Navarro caught fire during the 2024 season ending seven game winning streak. Navarro won MAC Offensive Player of the week four times in the regular season and again in the MAC Championship and was MVP of the bowl win.
On December 1, 2025, the university announced that head coach Brian Smith was on indefinite leave. No further details were provided. Defensive coordinator John Hauser was named the interim head coach. On December 16, the University terminated Smith for cause. The only information provided stated that he "violated the terms of his employment agreement by engaging in serious professional misconduct and participating in activities that reflect unfavorably on the University" and that the search for a new coach would begin immediately. Hauser was named full-time head coach three days after the bowl win on December 26.
The Ohio Bobcats drew an average home attendance of 21,007, the 95th-highest of all NCAA Division I FBS football teams.