They call them rivalries for a reason.
They bring out the competitive juices, and Bowling Green had all that going Saturday as it upset rival Toledo 20-7 at Doyt Perry Stadium.
The Falcons came in riding a four-game losing streak, with the most recent result being . . .
Toledo, the preseason MAC West favorite, owned a four-game win skein. It’s last outing was a huge 31-24 victory Western Michigan.
None of that mattered, though, once the opening kickoff left the tee. And in case anybody forgot, Falcons quarterback Grant Loy ripped off a 56-yard run on the game’s first play from scrimmage.
Seven plays into BG’s ensuing drive Loy found Bryson Denley on a 66-yard pass play to make it a 10-0 Falcon lead midway through the first period.
With Toledo averaging 33.8 ppg (2nd MAC) and Bowling Green ranked last in scoring defense, there was little reason to believe 10 points would be an overwhelming deficit. Such was the case, though, as the two teams combined for just 17 points the rest of the way.
Fourteen of those points came in the second period. Toledo got its only points of the game with a 14-play, 75-yard drive. Shakif Seymore covered the final three yards and Evan Davis added the PAT.
The Falcons responded with their own scoring drive, moving 82 yards in nine plays. Loy’s 22-yard strike to Denley took it to the Rockets 15, and Loy ran it into the end zone one play later.
Toledo got one more shot at the scoreboard in the first half’s final seconds. However, Dvan Davis’s 23-yard field goal was blocked by David Knowalski as time expired.
After UT missed a third quarter try from 41 yards, Bowling Green came back the other way on a 10-play, 67-yard drive. Needham’s 26-yard try was good, closing out the scoring
NOTES:
-- Carter Bradley replaced Guadagni at quarterback after his third quarter injury. When Bradley was injured, Eli Peters followed. Guadagni completed 17 of 20 for 194 yards and one TD before leaving. Peters and Bradley combined for 6 of 15 for 66 yards and one interception.
-- Bryant Koback, the MAC’s leading rusher (125.6 ypg) was held to 14 carries for 60 yards.
-- Danzel McKinley (3 catches, 71 yards) and Desmond Phillips (6 catches, 65 yards) led Toledo receivers.
-- Bowling Green’s Loy connected on 14 of 21 passes for 185 yards with one TD and one interception. He was also the Falcons leading rusher, making 19 trips for 137 yards with one score. Davon Jones had 17 rushes for 84 yards as BGSU totaled 240 yards on the ground.
-- Bryson Denley’s six catches produced an even 100 yard with one touchdown.
-- Two Bowling Green defenders registered double-digit tackles: Kholbe Coleman (14), Brandon Perce (10).
-- Each team had one interception: Samuel Womack for Toledo and Jamari Bozeman for Bowling Green.