ATHENS – Ohio scored two quick touchdowns and took care of Ball State with a 42-21 victory Friday afternoon at Peden Stadium to clinch a spot in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game.

Parker Navarro accounted for five touchdowns, with three passing and two rushing, hitting Colman Owen for a pair of long scores early. The Bobcats (9-3, 7-1 MAC) finished undefeated at home for the second time in three years and will get a second shot at rival Miami.

“I could not be happier for our program and for our players to do it in front of our fans,” Ohio coach Tim Albin said. “To go undefeated again two out of the last three seasons, to finish the regular season with nine wins, and to my understanding, get a rematch in Detroit with Miami.”

Navarro hit Coleman open deep on a play-action pass on the game’s opening possession for a 50-yard touchdown, and after a punt by the Cardinals, Navarro followed a 34-yard run by Anthony Tyus III with a slant to Owen, who took it to the house from 41 yards out to make it 14-0 not even midway through the first quarter.

Owen finished with five catches for 142 yards and became the third receiver in school history to top 1,000 yards in a season, following LaVon Brazill and Donte’ Foster.

“I'm just so thankful and blessed to have this opportunity,” Owen said. “It means a lot. Those individual stats are cool too, but we have one more game that we're really trying to get after, and that's the focus right now.”

With likely two games remaining, Owen is 114 yards behind Brazill’s single season receiving yards record.

Thailand Baldwin intercepted Navarro near the goal line on Ohio’s next possession, but Ball State (3-9, 2-6 MAC) went three and out, and the Bobcats got the ball back in Ball State territory after a punt.

The Bobcats did not take advantage once again, but on the following possession, they got a Navarro 32-yard run, followed by a Navarro 29-yard completion to Owen, before Navarro ran the ball into the end zone from 20 yards out to make it 21-0.

Ball State answered with a touchdown, getting a couple of long pass plays, including one for a touchdown. Kadin Semonza completed a 31-yard pass to Cam Pickett and then threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Dahya Patel.

The Cardinals were successful on an onside kick that followed, but they eventually turned the ball over on downs, and the score remained 21-7 until the second half.

Ohio’s defense made a big play on the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter. Bradley Weaver sacked Semonza and knocked the ball free, with Shay Taylor recovering. That led to a Navarro 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mason Williams.

On Navarro’s final possession before going to the bench, he led one more touchdown drive that included a 28-yard run before he scored on a 4-yard keeper to make it 35-7 with 6:40 left in the third quarter.

Semonza threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to star tight end Tanner Koziol late in the third quarter, but Ohio’s backups had no problem holding the lead the rest of the way, keeping everyone healthy for next weekend.

Backup quarterback Nick Paulos fumbled near midfield with just under 10 minutes remaining. Only two plays later, after Pickett ran for 27 yards, Semonza was sacked by Taylor, with Dustin Johnson recovering a fumble on the play. That set up the game’s final score, a Paulos 19-yard touchdown pass to Max Rodarte.

Navarro was 7-of-11 passing for 169 yards and ran 11 times for 110 yards. Tyus rushed 13 times for 109 yards.

Semonza completed 29-of-47 passes for 333 yards and three touchdowns, completing nine passes for 119 yards to Pickett. Koziol had 10 receptions for 88 yards. But Ball State managed just 42 yards rushing on 26 attempts.

“We've got some really good depth in our defensive line,” Albin said. “From a philosophy standpoint, with the rotation, we've got guys that can go in there and keep us fresh. We've been able to, for the most part, keep teams one dimensional.”

Since a 30-20 loss at Miami on Oct. 19, the Bobcats have won five in a row, basically all of them in dominating fashion with a combined 189-54 margin. That has allowed Ohio to tie the RedHawks for first place in the MAC standings, with the top two teams earning a spot in the title game. Miami won showdown against Bowling Green 28-12 to earn the other place opposite of the Bobcats.

Ohio is the MAC championship for the second time in three years and for the sixth time overall, looking to win its first league title since 1968 when it faces the RedHawks at noon Dec. 7 at Ford Field in Detroit on ESPN.