BOWLING GREEN, Oh -- The Bowling Green Falcons set a school record for total offense and scored 60 points for the first time in ten years en route to an emphatic 62-38 victory over the Massachusetts Minutemen Saturday afternoon at Doyt L. Perry Stadium
The Falcons wasted no time in starting their offensive juggernaut. They won the coin toss and selected to receive the opening kickoff. Eleven plays later, Matt Johnson had the team in the end zone when he rolled right and hit a wide open Derek Lee for a two-yard touchdown pass.
The Minutemen responded with a long drive but stalled inside the BGSU 10. After settling for a field goal, they forced a BGSU punt and marched downfield again. This time, they found the end zone when Blake Frohnapfel hit Shakur Nesmith for a 15-yard touchdown and a 10-7 lead. It would be Massachusetts' only lead of the game.
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The Falcons wasted no time in starting their offensive juggernaut. They won the coin toss and selected to receive the opening kickoff. Eleven plays later, Matt Johnson had the team in the end zone when he rolled right and hit a wide open Derek Lee for a two-yard touchdown pass.
The Minutemen responded with a long drive but stalled inside the BGSU 10. After settling for a field goal, they forced a BGSU punt and marched downfield again. This time, they found the end zone when Blake Frohnapfel hit Shakur Nesmith for a 15-yard touchdown and a 10-7 lead. It would be Massachusetts' only lead of the game.
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Bowling Green was penalized on the ensuing kickoff and started on their own nine-yard line. Four plays netted 20 yards, but as the first quarter clock expired, Johnson made magic again. This time, he connected with Ronnie Moore on a 71-yard catch-and-run touchdown, and BGSU claimed a 14-10 lead that it would never relinquish.
BGSU added two touchdowns in the second quarter and expanded its lead to 18 points. Both scores were on runs, as Travis Greene busted through the middle for a 32 yard score followed by a Donovan Wilson one-yard plunge. The defense helped keep the Minutemen at bay, first with an Alfonso Mack interception and then with a three-and-out stand.
Massachusetts scored late in the second quarter to cut the Falcons' lead to 28-17 at halftime, but the Falcons' defense sealed the game early in the third quarter.
First, the Minutemen attempted to convert a pass on 4th-and-1 from their own 45 on the opening drive of the second half. BGSU forced an incomplete pass, and eight plays later, Fred Coppet scored from 10 yards out for a 35-17 lead.
On the next play from scrimmage, the Falcons' defense struck again. Nate Locke hit Marquis Young and forced a fumble, which Nilijah Ballew recovered at the Massachusetts' 30.
Johnson was sacked on first down, but two plays later, he threw a rainbow that Ryan Burbrink caught at the back of the end zone for a 40-yard touchdown and a 42-17 lead.
The two teams traded touchdowns on the next three possessions, including Greene's second score of the game, this time from 12 yards out. Tyler Tate followed with a 37-yard field goal on the final play of the third quarter, and the Falcons held a 52-31 edge.
BGSU's final points came on a 68-yard touchdown from Johnson to Roger Lewis and a 27-yard field goal by Tate. Massachusetts added a touchdown with 2:15 left for the final 62-38 margin.
The Falcons accumulated a school-record 725 yards of total offense, eclipsing the previous school record of 706 set versus Grand Valley in 1978. The team also set a team record with 519 passing yards. BGSU's 62 points are the most by the team since 70 versus Temple on Oct. 1, 2005.
As a team, the Falcons also had 206 yards rushing, 37 first downs and 37:17 of possession time. They were 9-for-13 on third downs and six-for-six in the red zone.
Individually, Johnson completed 33 of 39 passes for 450 yards and five touchdowns. James Knapke connected on four of six passes for 69 yards during the fourth quarter. Lewis caught eight balls for 142 yards and a touchdown. Gehrig Dieter also caught eight passes for 85 yards, and Moore, Burbrink and Lee all caught touchdown passes.
On the ground, Travis Greene ran for 122 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, and he also had a touchdown among three catches for 35 yards. Coppet carried 17 times for 68 yards and a score, and Wilson added a touchdown run of his own.
The BGSU defense held Massachusetts to just 30 yards rushing, forced two turnovers and sacked the quarterback five times.
The Falcons are now 4-2 overall and 2-0 in Mid-American Conference play, with both wins coming against Eastern Division foes. They will return to the field on Saturday, Oct. 17th at 3:30 p.m. when they host the Akron Zips for homecoming.
UMass hosts Kent State Saturday.
(Courtesy of BGSU Athletics)
BGSU added two touchdowns in the second quarter and expanded its lead to 18 points. Both scores were on runs, as Travis Greene busted through the middle for a 32 yard score followed by a Donovan Wilson one-yard plunge. The defense helped keep the Minutemen at bay, first with an Alfonso Mack interception and then with a three-and-out stand.
Massachusetts scored late in the second quarter to cut the Falcons' lead to 28-17 at halftime, but the Falcons' defense sealed the game early in the third quarter.
First, the Minutemen attempted to convert a pass on 4th-and-1 from their own 45 on the opening drive of the second half. BGSU forced an incomplete pass, and eight plays later, Fred Coppet scored from 10 yards out for a 35-17 lead.
On the next play from scrimmage, the Falcons' defense struck again. Nate Locke hit Marquis Young and forced a fumble, which Nilijah Ballew recovered at the Massachusetts' 30.
Johnson was sacked on first down, but two plays later, he threw a rainbow that Ryan Burbrink caught at the back of the end zone for a 40-yard touchdown and a 42-17 lead.
The two teams traded touchdowns on the next three possessions, including Greene's second score of the game, this time from 12 yards out. Tyler Tate followed with a 37-yard field goal on the final play of the third quarter, and the Falcons held a 52-31 edge.
BGSU's final points came on a 68-yard touchdown from Johnson to Roger Lewis and a 27-yard field goal by Tate. Massachusetts added a touchdown with 2:15 left for the final 62-38 margin.
The Falcons accumulated a school-record 725 yards of total offense, eclipsing the previous school record of 706 set versus Grand Valley in 1978. The team also set a team record with 519 passing yards. BGSU's 62 points are the most by the team since 70 versus Temple on Oct. 1, 2005.
As a team, the Falcons also had 206 yards rushing, 37 first downs and 37:17 of possession time. They were 9-for-13 on third downs and six-for-six in the red zone.
Individually, Johnson completed 33 of 39 passes for 450 yards and five touchdowns. James Knapke connected on four of six passes for 69 yards during the fourth quarter. Lewis caught eight balls for 142 yards and a touchdown. Gehrig Dieter also caught eight passes for 85 yards, and Moore, Burbrink and Lee all caught touchdown passes.
On the ground, Travis Greene ran for 122 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, and he also had a touchdown among three catches for 35 yards. Coppet carried 17 times for 68 yards and a score, and Wilson added a touchdown run of his own.
The BGSU defense held Massachusetts to just 30 yards rushing, forced two turnovers and sacked the quarterback five times.
The Falcons are now 4-2 overall and 2-0 in Mid-American Conference play, with both wins coming against Eastern Division foes. They will return to the field on Saturday, Oct. 17th at 3:30 p.m. when they host the Akron Zips for homecoming.
UMass hosts Kent State Saturday.
(Courtesy of BGSU Athletics)
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