Sheehan, Barnes Shatter Records In Falcons' Stunning 36-35 Win Over Kent State

Saturday, October 10

Kent, Ohio

3:30 PM

Bowling Green State University

2-4 , 1-1

Kent State

2-4 , 1-1

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Bowling Green	0	17	0	19	36
Kent State	14	0	14	7	35

Sheehan, Barnes Shatter Records In Falcons' Stunning 36-35 Win Over Kent State

October 10, 2009 | Football

Box Score

By: by Jason Knavel, Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications

Boxscore
Post-game audio: Dave Clawson
Post-game audio: Tyler Sheehan
Post-game audio: Freddie Barnes

Dave Clawson Postgame Press Conference Video

Kent, Ohio – Tyler Sheehan and Freddie Barnes hooked up for a record-breaking performance as the Bowling Green football team came from behind to stun Kent State 36-35 Saturday afternoon at Dix Stadium.

Sheehan set school records for completions, attempts, and passing yards by going 44-for-63 for 505 yards, while Barnes broke his own receptions record and set a new receiving yardage standard with an eye-popping 22 catches for 278 yards, adding three touchdowns. Sheehan threw for four touchdowns and rushed for the game-winner with five seconds remaining.

Kent State had the ball and a 35-23 lead with under five minutes remaining but, after punting, Barnes turned in a whirling dervish of a 45-yard touchdown reception, breaking four tackles and weaving through defenders to score with 4:29 left.

With the score 35-30, Kent State went three-and-out and punted back to Bowling Green. Willie Geter fumbled the punt return but the ball bounced right to Barnes, who recovered to give the Falcons possession at the BG 26-yard line.

Sheehan methodically drove the Falcons down the field but it appeared that the drive might stall when Bowling Green faced a third-and-goal from the nine-yard line with 11 seconds left. Head Coach Dave Clawson dialed up a risky quarterback sneak and Sheehan powered his way the final two yards into the end zone to give the Falcons the win.

Kent State jumped out to a 14-0 lead after one quarter with an 86-yard reverse and an 82-yard return off of a blocked field goal. The Falcons battled back with a pair of second-quarter Sheehan touchdown passes, one to Adrian Hodges and the other to Barnes, and Matt Norsic made a 21-yard field goal to put BG on top 17-14 at the half.

The Golden Flashes again went on top with a pair of third quarter touchdowns before the wild ending.

Adrian Hodges ended with eight catches for 73 yards and Justus Jones had six catches for 70 yards. For the game, Bowling Green had 548 yards of total offense and Kent State had 343. The Falcons had 25 first downs to the Golden Flashes' 11. BG also held the ball for 37:50 time of possession.

Kent State falls to 2-4 on the season and 1-1 in MAC play as Bowling Green improves to 2-4 overall and 1-1 in league play. The Falcons will play at Ball State Saturday at noon.

Notes

* The win gives Bowling Green a 1-0 lead in the Centennial Cup race over Kent State.

* The fourth quarter comeback was Tyler Sheehan's fourth of his career and first since Oct. 11, 2008. With The Falcons trailing 28-17 entering the fourth quarter Sheehan was 17-of-24 for 197 yards and two touchdowns. He also added the game-winning nine-yard touchdown run with five seconds remaining in the contest.

* Tyler Sheehan and Freddie Barnes both had career-high games on Saturday night in Dix Stadium. Sheehan set school records in pass attempts (63) completions (44) and yards (505). He also matched his career-best with four passing touchdowns and added a rushing touchdown, his first five touchdown game of his career.

* Barnes, who caught half of Sheehans' completions, finished the game with school records in receptions (22) and yards (278). It was the third time in 2009 where Barnes broke the school record for catches in a game. In the season opener he posted 15 catches versus Troy and added 17 catches at Marshall. Barnes has now has 75 receptions in six games, which leads the NCAA. He added a career-high three touchdowns, second-most in school history.

* Those 75 receptions rank fifth in the BGSU record books for catches in a season. Cole Magner is the current record holder with 99 grabs in 2003.

* Barnes' 22 catches were also a new Dix Stadium record, held previously by KSU's Eugene Baker in 1997 … continuing with Barnes' big numbers, his 22 catches are one shy on the NCAA record of 23, held by three different players.

* Barnes has also made another major jump in the all-time reception list in BGSU history. The Chicago Heights, Ill., native began the day with 195 career receptions, fourth-best in school history, has pasted Robert Redd (211) and Cole Magner (215) on that list and now sits second in school history with 217 receptions. Charles Sharon is first in BGSU history with 232 catches.

* Obviously Sheehan's 505 passing yards are a new career-high and school record. The previous school record holder, Brian McClure, recorded 479 yards set versus Ohio in 1985. It was the second time in two weeks where Sheehan set new career-bests, throwing for 390 yards last week versus Ohio. That's 895 passing yards in the last two games for the senior from Cincinnati, Ohio, the most ever in school history for a quarterback in back-to-back games.

* Despite trailing 14-0 after one quarter the Falcons dominated the other stat categories. BGSU led in plays (25-6), time of possession (12:08-2:52), first downs (5-1), and passing yards (82-7).

* After falling behind 14-0 early the Falcons rallied back to score the games' next 17 points in the second quarter. BGSU senior signal caller, Tyler Sheehan, was a huge reason why, completing 10-of-11 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns on three straight Bowling Green drives. Sheehan's main target was Freddie Barnes, who had six catches for 136 yards a one score on those three possessions.

* Sheehan threw an interception late in the third quarter, snapping a streak of 101 pass attempts without throwing an interception.

* Nick Rieke had his first career reception, an 11-yard gain.

* Jordon Roussos recorded his first career sack.