What Ohio U football said after winning Frisco Bowl without head coach

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What Ohio U football said after winning Frisco Bowl without head coach

After the abrupt firing of coach Brian Smith, the Ohio Bobcats won their final game of the 2025 season, beating UNLV 17-10 in the Frisco Bowl Dec. 23 with interim head coach John Hauser taking the reins of the program.

After raising the bowl game trophy, many of Hauser’s players − even his own kids − chanted “Hire Hauser,” in support of the coach losing the interim tag next season.

“These guys never flinched. Our coaches never flinched,” Hauser said in a postgame interview. “The culture here is strong at Ohio University.”

The Bobcats caught an early break when a long passing touchdown for the Rebels was called back for an ineligible man downfield in the first quarter. Entering the second quarter scoreless, veteran quarterback Parker Navarro scored Ohio’s first points with a 5-yard rushing touchdown.

Ohio quarterback Parker Navarro throws a pass against UNLV on Dec. 23.

Ohio continued to hold UNLV scoreless, picking up a touchdown in the third quarter from running back 23-yard rushing touchdown Sieh Bangura.

UNLV scored its first field goal after a muffed punt by the Bobcats. The Rebels scored their first touchdown with 4:45 in the fourth quarter, but a long offensive drive from Ohio chewed the clock and secured Ohio its seventh straight bowl game victory.

Bangura, a senior, finished with 149 rushing yards on 19 carries and was named the offensive player of the game, making sure to show support for his interim coach.

“He came in in ’22 and he just us nothing but love,” Bangura said after the game, “Everybody loves coach Hauser. We love him for head coach; even with me gone, we want coach Hauser [as] head coach.”

Ohio interim coach John Hauser is doused with water following a win over UNLV on Dec. 23.

ESPN reported the leading outside candidate to be Oklahoma State quarterbacks coach Kevin Johns, with Hauser listed as a strong internal candidate.

The Bobcats’ defensive coordinator to begin the season, Hauser was elevated to the interim role after head coach Smith was placed on leave Dec. 1. The school fired Smith for cause Dec. 17.

Hauser has been on the Ohio staff since 2022, elevated to defensive coordinator and associate head coach in December 2024. Under Hauser, the Bobcats allowed 21.9 points per game in 2025, the third-best figure in the conference.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: What Ohio U football said after winning Frisco Bowl without head coach

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