KENT, Ohio -- Nathan Rourke passed for 284 yards and a touchdown and scored on an 8-yard run with 1:28 remaining to rally Ohio to a 27-26 victory over Kent State in its Mid-American Conference opener on Saturday.

Kent State used two first-quarter TD passes from Woody Barrett -- including a 75-yarder to Isaiah McKoy -- and three field goals by Matthew Trickett to take a 23-14 lead into the final quarter.

The Bobcats (3-2) used a 5-yard TD run by A.J. Ouellette to pull within 23-21 with 12:45 left. Trickett added his fourth field goal to push the Golden Flashes lead to 26-21 with 5:12 remaining. But Rourke directed a nine-play, 81-yard drive, ending with his TD run to give Ohio a 27-26 lead.

After Kent State (1-5, 0-2) stopped Ohio on a two-point conversion run, the Golden Flashes saw their bid for a comeback fall short when Javon Hagan picked off Barrett with 1:15 to go.

Justin Rankin carried 16 times for 123 yards for the Golden Flashes. Barrett passed for 271 yards and McKoy had eight catches for 118 yards.