ATHENS, Ohio -Ohio University quarterback Theo Scott watched much of Saturday's game against Kent State from the sidelines as his team's perfect record in the Mid-American Conference slipped away.

Had Scott not already been ill, Ohio's offense without him would likely have turned his stomach. With Scott battling flu-like symptoms, the Bobcats struggled to even get first downs in a 20-11 loss to the visiting Golden Flashes.

"It was our worst performance in some time," Ohio coach Frank Solich said. "It looked like a fairly complete breakdown in all phases of the game,"

Scott said he entered the game feeling sick but tried to play though the illness and didn't want to make any excuses for the loss.

"I'll take the blame," Scott said. "I touch the ball every play and my role is key."

Despite throwing up on the sidelines, Scott continued to play throughout much of the game, but he wasn't as effective. The Golden Flashes chased Scott out of the pocket all day, which caused off-balance passes and two interceptions.

Solich brought freshman Tyler Tettleton in as his replacement. After the Bobcats scored an early field goal in the first quarter, they struggled to find a rhythm as Tettleton alternated on drives with Scott. Ohio punted on its final four drives of the first half.

"Obviously it changed something," wide receiver Taylor Price said of Scott's absence. "Whenever you don't have that one guy in there you can't get something going.''

The Bobcats (5-3 overall, 3-1 MAC) looked as if they could manage Scott's sickness as their defense shut down the Golden Flashes throughout the first half. And it looked even better in the third quarter, when Julian Posey intercepted Kent State starting quarterback Spencer Keith on Ohio's 8-yard line and took it 59 yards to Kent State's 33.

Tettleton then drove the Bobcats down to the 9-yard line on a pass to wide receiver LaVon Brazil. But then Tettleton made a freshman mistake. On the next play, he threw an interception in the end zone which the Golden Flashes took for a touchback.

"We have not shown ourselves to be a great football team in the red zone," Solich said. "That came back to haunt us a little bit there."

That drive was as close as Ohio would get throughout the second half as they couldn't keep the offense on the field. The offensive struggles put an added pressure on the defense which began to give up big plays, and soon surrendered points to the Kent State offense.

"We were out there quite long as the game progressed and it started a little wear and tear," Ohio cornerback Patrick Tafua said. "That's part of the game."

After a field goal in the third, the Golden Flashes recorded touchdowns on back-to-back drives early in the fourth to put the game out of reach. With Kent State finally breaking through, the combination of a sick Scott and Tettleton could barely muster a first down. They shouldn't shoulder all the blame, however, as Ohio's running game slogged along for just 61 yards including just 19 from their running backs.

"Obviously when you don't run the ball well you're not getting guys blocked real well," Solich said.

Ohio had a chance to become bowl eligible as well as distance themselves in the Mid-American Conference East race. Now they find themselves tied with the Golden Flashes (4-4 overall, 3-1 MAC).