Sources: Ohio star QB Rourke to start vs

• Pete Thamel, ESPNAug 21, 2023, 04:50 PM ET

Ohio University star quarterback Kurtis Rourke will begin on Saturday at San Diego State in one of the highest-profile Week 0 matchups, sources told ESPN.Rourke won MAC Offensive Player of the Year honors last season, in spite of an ACL injury in November that ended his season after 11 games. Sources told ESPN that Rourke is “ahead of schedule, “which hints at him flashing the kind that made him one of the country’s most prolific quarterbacks last year.Rourke was the MAC’s leading passer at the time of the injury, as

he threw for 21 goals, 2,725 lawns and finished almost 69 %of his passes. He likewise impersonated a dual danger, as he hurried for 4 goals and compiled 234 rushing yards.Rourke’s return to form is a huge boon for Ohio, which is coming off a 10-4 season.

That consisted of a 17-7 loss in the MAC title game to Toledo, which Rourke missed out on. Rourke is entering his 3rd season as a full-time starter for Ohio.San Diego State is coming off a 7-6 season, but the Aztecs are normally

one of the most constant programs beyond the power conferences.That Week 0 trip to San Diego is the start of a difficult early-season

stretch for Rourke and Ohio, as they likewise travel to FAU and host Iowa State.Rourke is the younger brother of Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Nathan Rourke, who also starred at Ohio.