Falcons Fall at Home to the Broncos, 26-14

Saturday, October 18

Bowling Green, Ohio

2:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

5-3 , 3-1

Western Michigan (Legacy Weekend)

4-3 , 2-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Western Michigan

Bowling Green

October 18, 2014 | Football

Box Score

By: by Matt Daley, BGSU Athletic Communications

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Audio: Babers, Lynch, Knapke, Burbrink
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Bowling Green, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University football team could not put any points on the scoreboard after halftime and dropped a 26-14 decision to Western Michigan University on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 18). The game was held at Doyt Perry Stadium in Bowling Green, Ohio.

The Falcons began the day on a strong note. They won the coin toss and elected to receive. After a touchback on the opening kickoff, BGSU traveled 75 yards in 13 plays to score a touchdown.

Ronnie Moore, James Knapke and Travis Greene had big runs of 13, 16 and 15 yards to put the Falcons in scoring position. The offense then converted three straight third downs. The final conversion, a two-yard run by Andre Givens, placed the ball in the end zone for a 7-0 lead.

Western Michigan responded on their first possession with a score of their own. Quarterback Zach Terrell had four completions in the drive's first six plays, and those helped WMU reach the BGSU 26 yard line. Four straight runs by Jarvion Franklin pushed the ball inside the Falcons' five-yard line, but the defense held. Andrew Haldeman kicked a 25-yard field goal to complete a drive that lasted 7:28 and cut BGSU's lead to 7-3.

The Bowling Green offense stalled and could not produce a first down on their next three possessions, which ended in two punts and an interception. In between, the Broncos put 10 more points on the board. Terrell completed a four-yard touchdown pass to Corey Davis, and Haldeman kicked another field goal to give WMU a 13-7 lead.

The BGSU defense finally stonewalled the Broncos midway through the second quarter and took over at their own 17 with 5:29 remaining in the half. Knapke led the Falcons on a 17-play, 83-yard drive that sapped the remaining clock from the second quarter.

Knapke went 7-for-9 for 72 yards to put the Falcons inside WMU's 15-yard line, then Greene and Fred Coppet combined for three runs to give BGSU a first-and-goal at the two. After a Broncos' penalty, Givens came in and produced his second touchdown of the day, this time a one-yard plunge around the left end. BGSU took a 14-13 lead into halftime.

The Broncos quickly reclaimed the lead after halftime as Terrell connected with Darius Phillips on an inside slant for a 63-yard touchdown just five plays into the third quarter. Western Michigan took a 19-14 lead despite a missed extra point and would not relinquish it.

Bowling Green threatened on the ensuing possession, but a Knapke pass to Heath Jackson fell incomplete on 4th-and-goal from the two-yard line. The Falcons would not run another play in WMU territory for the remainder of the game.

The Falcons' defense kept the deficit at five points for the rest of the third quarter, but WMU broke through for another score early in the fourth. Franklin's 22 yard touchdown run with 7:36 left in the game provided the final 26-14 margin.

BGSU ran 64 plays and produced 274 yards of offense. Of those, the Falcons passed for 139 and ran for 135. The team was 5-for-13 on third down and 1-for-2 on fourth down, but managed just 14 first downs overall. WMU ran 74 plays for 361 yards, including 195 on the ground and 166 through the air. They were 9-for-18 on third down and accumulated 20 first downs.

Knapke finished 20-for-33 with 139 yards passing, no touchdowns and one interception. Greene finished with 46 yards rushing on 14 carries, while Knapke added 41 more yards. Givens had three carries for three yards, but two of those went for touchdowns. Burbrink and Greene were the Falcons' leading receivers with five catches each, for 42 and 32 yards respectively.

Ryland Ward and Gabe Martin led the Falcons' defense with 14 and 13 tackles, while D.J. Lynch produced the team's only sack of the game in his return from injury.

Terrell completed 15 of 24 passes for 166 yards and one touchdown. Franklin carried the ball 37 times for 149 yards and a touchdown, while Terrell rushed for 39 yards. Davis caught seven passes for 67 yards and a touchdown, and Phillips led the Bronco receivers with 94 yards and a touchdown.

Bowling Green drops to 5-3 overall and 3-1 in the Mid-American Conference with the loss. However, the Falcons still lead the Eastern Division after Akron's 23-20 loss to Ohio. The Falcons next game is in 17 days, on Tuesday, Nov. 4. BGSU will face the Akron Zips on the road. Game time will be 8:00 p.m. ET, and the game will be telecast by either ESPN2 or ESPNU.

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