BG's Roger Lewis registered six catches with two touchdowns as the Falcons hammered Akron. (SGWarren/BMP) Story by EVAN MEYER
BOWLING GREEN, OHIO – The Bowling Green Falcons boast one college football's best offensive combinations in fifth year senior quarterback Matt Johnson and sophomore wide receiver Roger Lewis.
On Saturday afternoon, that pair hooked up six times for 118 yards and two touchdowns as Bowliing Green dominated the Akron Zips in every facet of the game as they rolled to their fourth consecutive victory, 59-10, before a homecoming crowd of 20,021 at Perry Stadium.
With the win and Western Michigan's victory at Ohio earlier in the day, Bowling Green (5-2, 3-0 MAC) moved into sole possession of first place in the MAC Eastern Division.
“It was a team win today.” Falcons head coach Dino Babers said. “We played great in every phase of the game. The defense came together today, allowing 10 points to a team like Akron. Special teams came up with big plays.”
Akron (2-4, 1-2 MAC) has lost five of its last six MAC games away from home while absorbing its worst conference road loss since 2011 at Western Michigan (68-19).
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BOWLING GREEN, OHIO – The Bowling Green Falcons boast one college football's best offensive combinations in fifth year senior quarterback Matt Johnson and sophomore wide receiver Roger Lewis.
On Saturday afternoon, that pair hooked up six times for 118 yards and two touchdowns as Bowliing Green dominated the Akron Zips in every facet of the game as they rolled to their fourth consecutive victory, 59-10, before a homecoming crowd of 20,021 at Perry Stadium.
With the win and Western Michigan's victory at Ohio earlier in the day, Bowling Green (5-2, 3-0 MAC) moved into sole possession of first place in the MAC Eastern Division.
“It was a team win today.” Falcons head coach Dino Babers said. “We played great in every phase of the game. The defense came together today, allowing 10 points to a team like Akron. Special teams came up with big plays.”
Akron (2-4, 1-2 MAC) has lost five of its last six MAC games away from home while absorbing its worst conference road loss since 2011 at Western Michigan (68-19).
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Ryan Burbrinck hauls in a 34-yard touchdown pass. (SGWarren/BMP) “We got whipped today.” Zips head man Terry Bowden said. “We weren’t good enough to beat that team. We didn’t match up well with them today. Our kids have to recover from this and move on.”
It was a windy, chilly afternoon. However that did not stop the BGSU offense, which came into the game leading the MAC in points (40.7 ppg) and total yards (604.7 ypg).
The hosts scored on their first possession of the game after blocking an Akron punt and taking possession on the Zips 48 yard line. Johnson and the offense needed just six plays for a touchdown as sophomore running back Donovan Wilson ran up the middle from two-yards out for a 7-0 lead.
After an exchange of punts, UA moved the football for the first time. Starting from his own 48 yard line, sophomore QB Thomas Woodson put together a 10-play drive, tying the score at 7-7. WR Tyrell Goodman took a pass over the middle for the points.
It was the Zips offense best drive of the game as they managed just 271 total yards overall. Woodson completed 13-of-28 passes for only 91 yards and a pair of interceptions before being replaced by senior QB Kyle Pohl in the fourth quarter.
After the kickoff, Bowling Green took complete control of the game.
It was a windy, chilly afternoon. However that did not stop the BGSU offense, which came into the game leading the MAC in points (40.7 ppg) and total yards (604.7 ypg).
The hosts scored on their first possession of the game after blocking an Akron punt and taking possession on the Zips 48 yard line. Johnson and the offense needed just six plays for a touchdown as sophomore running back Donovan Wilson ran up the middle from two-yards out for a 7-0 lead.
After an exchange of punts, UA moved the football for the first time. Starting from his own 48 yard line, sophomore QB Thomas Woodson put together a 10-play drive, tying the score at 7-7. WR Tyrell Goodman took a pass over the middle for the points.
It was the Zips offense best drive of the game as they managed just 271 total yards overall. Woodson completed 13-of-28 passes for only 91 yards and a pair of interceptions before being replaced by senior QB Kyle Pohl in the fourth quarter.
After the kickoff, Bowling Green took complete control of the game.
Akron's Jamal Marcus celebrates a sack. (SGWarren/BMP) Taking possession on their own five yard line, Johnson and the offense needed eight plays to reach the other end, where Wilson scoring his second touchdown of the afternoon. This one came from a yard away at the start of the second quarter to make it 14-7. It was a lead the Falcons would not relinquish. The big plays on the drive were a pair of Johnson completions -- 42 yards to Lewis and 43 yards to sophomore Teo Redding.
The following kickoff was a short one that bounced on the artificial turf and was fumbled by the Zips. BGSU recovered at the Zips 26. Johnson found Lewis over the middle on the next play for a touchdown, increasing the lead to 21-7.
Johnson would finish the afternoon completing 25-of-30 passes for 357 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions. Coming into the game, he led the Football Bowl Subdivision in total passing yards (2,534) and touchdowns (19).
UA did respond with a score on the next series. Woodson got the offense moving with two completions to sophomore WR Jerome Lane, who led the Zips in receptions with four for 45 yards. The drive reached the Falcons 29 before stalling. Senior PK Robert Stein made a 46-yard field goal into a stiff breeze to make the score 21-10.
It would be the Zips final score on the afternoon.
The following kickoff was a short one that bounced on the artificial turf and was fumbled by the Zips. BGSU recovered at the Zips 26. Johnson found Lewis over the middle on the next play for a touchdown, increasing the lead to 21-7.
Johnson would finish the afternoon completing 25-of-30 passes for 357 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions. Coming into the game, he led the Football Bowl Subdivision in total passing yards (2,534) and touchdowns (19).
UA did respond with a score on the next series. Woodson got the offense moving with two completions to sophomore WR Jerome Lane, who led the Zips in receptions with four for 45 yards. The drive reached the Falcons 29 before stalling. Senior PK Robert Stein made a 46-yard field goal into a stiff breeze to make the score 21-10.
It would be the Zips final score on the afternoon.
Tyrell Goodman's 14-yard score was Akron's only touchdown. (SGWarren/BMP) Late in the period, BGSU gained possession after a punt and an illegal block penalty on its own 11. Johnson put together a seven play drive using the running of junior backup RB Fred Coppet, who gained 31 yards on the drive. From the UA 13 Johnson threw his second touchdown pass of the day over the middle to junior WR Gehrig Dieter, making the score 28-10 at halftime.
Bowling Green put the game further out of reach early in the third period
by driving his first possession 65 yards in eight plays. Johnson finished with his third touchdown pass -- all three to different receivers. Fifth-year senior Ryan Burbrink ran a go pattern and caught up with Johnson’s pass in the end zone from 34 yards out to make the score 35-10.
The Johnson-to-Burbrink tally was the first of five consecutive Falcons scores in the second half (four touchdowns and a field goal). They added two more touchdowns in the third when Coppet scored on a six-yard run and Johnson found senior RB Travis Greene on the left sideline.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Johnson and Lewis hooked up for the second time in the game -- this one from a yard out. It followed a 42-yard Johnson-Lewis connection that video replay ruled to be out of bounds just short of the goal line.
There was little to be salvaged by the Zips on this day. After the Stein field goal, they managed just 78 offensive yards in the second half.
Bowling Green put the game further out of reach early in the third period
by driving his first possession 65 yards in eight plays. Johnson finished with his third touchdown pass -- all three to different receivers. Fifth-year senior Ryan Burbrink ran a go pattern and caught up with Johnson’s pass in the end zone from 34 yards out to make the score 35-10.
The Johnson-to-Burbrink tally was the first of five consecutive Falcons scores in the second half (four touchdowns and a field goal). They added two more touchdowns in the third when Coppet scored on a six-yard run and Johnson found senior RB Travis Greene on the left sideline.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Johnson and Lewis hooked up for the second time in the game -- this one from a yard out. It followed a 42-yard Johnson-Lewis connection that video replay ruled to be out of bounds just short of the goal line.
There was little to be salvaged by the Zips on this day. After the Stein field goal, they managed just 78 offensive yards in the second half.
Akron QB Thomas Woodson gets off a pass. (SGWarren/BMP) Akron turned the ball over four times (two fumbles, two interceptions) and were stopped twice on fourth down. In addition, UA committed nine penalties for 85 yards.Two personal foul penalties kept BGSU drives alive. Ultimately, the results were a stark comparison to a week earlier when UA rolled up 500 yards and 47 points in its win at Eastern Michigan.
“Everybody played terrible today,” senior NT Cody Grice said. “It was a bad game all around.”
One surprising stat in the game was the Falcons had 532 yards of total offense. It was surprising in the fact that it was Bowling Green's lowest output so far this season. By contrast, it was the second most yards given up by the UA defense in 2015. They allowed 539 yards at nationally ranked Oklahoma.
“That is the best defense we have faced in the MAC so far this season.” Babers said. “They are big and they are fast.”
Bowling Green travels east to battle Kent State, while Akron has the week off and will return to action October 31 when Central Michigan comes to InfoCision Stadium.
“Everybody played terrible today,” senior NT Cody Grice said. “It was a bad game all around.”
One surprising stat in the game was the Falcons had 532 yards of total offense. It was surprising in the fact that it was Bowling Green's lowest output so far this season. By contrast, it was the second most yards given up by the UA defense in 2015. They allowed 539 yards at nationally ranked Oklahoma.
“That is the best defense we have faced in the MAC so far this season.” Babers said. “They are big and they are fast.”
Bowling Green travels east to battle Kent State, while Akron has the week off and will return to action October 31 when Central Michigan comes to InfoCision Stadium.
Fred Coppet had 10 rushes for 52 yards and this touchdown. (SGWarren/BMP)
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