Bowling Green State University Athletics
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WESTERN MICHIGAN
Broncos Hold On For 37-28 Win Against Falcons
October 13, 2001 | Football
Oct. 13, 2001
Kalamazoo, Michigan - For the second time in three weeks the BGSU football team found itself trailing on the home field of a defending MAC Divisional champion with a chance to come away with an upset win. Saturday against Western Michigan, what had been the Falcons strength through five games turned out to be their undoing today.
Ron Rogers 40-yard interception return with 1:15 left ended a BGSU (4-2) rally and gave the Broncos(4-2)a 37-28 Homecoming victory in front of 21,874 rain-soaked fans. It marked the second time in the game that WMU scored off an offensive turnover. The hosts' Bryan Pinder scooped up a fumble and scampered 21 yards to give WMU a 23-14 lead at the beginning of the second half. Entering Saturday's game, BGSU had the third highest number of non-offensive touchdowns in the country (4) and was ranked fifth in the nation in turnover margin. BG turned the ball over four times (3 INT's and one fumble)and forced just one fumble against the Broncos. The Falcons also had a season-high 90 penalty yards.
"With all due respect to Gary Darnell and WMU, we are a better team than we showed today," said BGSU Coach Urban Meyer. That was not a good effort by BGSU. Penalties and turnovers were the story."
The Falcons amassed a season-high 419 yards of total offense.
The Falcons retained posession with 1:39 after Chris Haneline blocked a field goal attempt. After one WMU interception return was negated by an offsides penalty, Rogers made his game winning play two plays later.
"There is no accident when you win and lose," said Meyer. "We have lost two games on the road against Marshall and Western Michigan. While we do have some seniors playing key positions, we also have a number of kids playing college football for the first time and it shows."
The Falcons had come back from a16-point deficit in the third quarter with a 60-yard drive. Andy Sahm scored a one-yard keeper with 5:59 remaining to cut the WMU lead to 30-28. BGSU scored its first TD of the second half on a three-play, 75-yard drive. Josh Harris scored on a 12-yard keeper that was set up by a career-long 41-yard run by John Gibson.
On WMU's first offensive series, Jeff Welsh hit Phillip Reed with a 14-yard toss to make the score 30-14 with 8:35 left in the third quarter.
WMU took the ball 77 yards in 10 plays and scored on an 18 yard pass from Jeff Welsh to Brandon Johnson with 2:11 left in the half to give WMU a 16-14 lead. The Broncos missed the ensuing extra point.
BGSU had 177 yards of total offense at halftime, while WMU had 175.
The Falcon defense forced a fumble and the BGSU offense capitalized immediately as BGSU took a 14-10 lead with 6:35 left in the half. Free safety Sergio Lund forced a Bronco fumble that linebacker Khary Campbell returned for 34 yards. On the Falcons first offensive play of the drive, Andy Sahm hit Robert Redd on a 22-yard scoring pass to give BGSU the advantage.
Robert Menchinger booted a 35-yard field goal with 3:08 left in the first quarter to give WMU a 10-7 lead.
The Falcons had tied the score on a 14-play, 6:40 drive. Sahm tied the game with a 17-yard scoring run with 8:00 remaining in the half. Western Michigan wasted little time scoring on its second play from scrimmage on a 45-yard pass from Welsh to Charles Woods 21 seconds into the game.
The Falcons will visit Akron next Saturday at 6 p.m.
GAME NOTES
The Falcons had a season-high 217 yards rushing.
Senior John Gibson posted his second career 100-yard plus rushing effort (116). His best game was a 149-yard effort against Akron in 2000. It also marked the third straight road game that BGSU had a player rush for more than 100-yards. Joe Alls gained 107 each at Marshall and Missouri.
Junior Robert Redd caught a career-high 10 passes. He has caught 28 passes in the last three games.
Junior Andy Sahm tied a career-best with two rushing TD's. He previously performed that feat at Central Florida in 1999.
Senior Khary Campbell had his MAC leading fourth fumble recovery of the season.
