How does it feel? OHIO wins MAC championship

It was finally old OHIO’s day on Saturday, Dec. 7, when the OHIO Bobcats won their first Mid-American Conference (MAC) football championship since 1968.

The historic day was filled with spectacular play on the field, incredible support from Bobcat fans and the Marching 110, and joy and jubilations from generations of fans who celebrated the championship.

And if that wasn’t enough, it was all predicted by movie star Timothée Chalamet.

Yes, you read that correctly, Paul Atreides from the Dune movies had a vision that OHIO would win the game, and then the Bobcats claimed the MAC title. Bobcats across the nation took notice, with a Tweet from the University's X account gaining particular traction.

Chalamet, who is starring in the upcoming Bob Dylan movie, “A Complete Unknown,” appeared on ESPN’s popular program “College Gameday” on Saturday as a guest picker for the games.

Chalamet was the only expert on the panel who correctly predicted that OHIO would beat Miami. He talked about OHIO quarterback Parker Navarro and gave great information on the Bobcats, impressing the panelists and fans around the world with his knowledge.

OHIO fans were suitably impressed with Chalamet, who has previously starred in movies such as “Wonka” and “Dune,” and shared their thoughts on social media throughout the weekend.

International media outlets were also dazzled by the 28-year-old actor,  as Sports Illustrated, The Hollywood Reporter, USA Today, NBC News, The Daily Mail and many more all reported on his predictions and football knowledge. 

Once the game got started, the Bobcats dominated on the field, winning 38-3. You can read the full game recap in this OHIO Athletics article.

OHIO students, alumni and fans made themselves heard throughout the day, cheering on the Bobcats whether they were there in-person at Ford Field, socializing in Uptown Athens or watching the game at home. No matter where you were on Saturday, you were sure to hear plenty of chants of “OU- Oh yeah!”

The win gave OHIO its third-straight 10-win season, as the Bobcats are now 10-3 in this remarkable year. It was even sweeter to pick up the victory over rival Miami, who won the championship in 2023.

OHIO students also played a huge role in the media coverage of the MAC Championship game and gained great experience from the day.

The students working in media roles before, during and after the game included:

• Robert Keegan III, Charlie Fadel and Reece Merkel for The Post
• Grant Kiefer, Andrew Bowlby and Conor Mallonn for WOUB
• Alaina Dackermann and Emma Perry for OHIO Athletics.

Additional OHIO students worked in multiple roles on the sidelines for OHIO Athletics and also received valuable experience. You can read more about the work of the media students at the MAC Championship game in this article from proud Bobcat Ken Klein.

After the game, the Bobcats celebrated with fans and coaches on the field, and then came back to Athens where they were met by an energetic crowd on the College Green for another celebration.

President Lori Stewart Gonzalez told the College Green crowd that she had been hearing from alumni from all over the country who were so proud and happy to finally see the MAC Football Championship come back to Athens.

OHIO coaches and players also saluted past teams for helping to build the foundation for this team and said they were all part of the celebration. They also saluted the fans for cheering them on all season long.

Now, the Bobcats are preparing for the StaffDNA Cure Bowl, which will be played on Dec. 20 in Orlando. Each year, the game honors and empowers the men and women who are living with cancer today, have overcome cancer, as well as those who may face it tomorrow, according to the bowl website.

The Bobcats will take on Jacksonville State University, as they finish a historic 2024 season which has already seen them make memories that will last a lifetime for Bobcats everywhere.