Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Win At Missouri, 20-13
September 01, 2001 | Football
Sept. 1, 2001
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Bowling Green State University football team began the 2001 season in style, posting a 20-13 road win over the University of Missouri Saturday night (Sept. 1). The game was held at UM's Faurot Field.
A two-yard touchdown run by Joe Alls broke a 13-13 tie with 3:40 left in the fourth quarter, and Janssen Patton stopped back-to-back MU drives with interceptions in the final stanza to aid the cause.
The win made head coach Urban Meyer the seventh consecutive BGSU mentor to win his opening game. Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel, a former Toledo coach, was also coaching his first game at a new school.
After MU held the Falcons to a three-and-out possession on the game's opening drive, a 30-yard field goal by the Tigers' Brad Hammerich gave the hosts a 3-0 lead with 10:50 remaining in the first quarter.
On the ensuing drive, the Falcons drove 80 yards in 13 plays, with junior Andy Sahm completing a five-yard touchdown pass to senior David Bautista. Redshirt freshman Sean Suisham added the extra point, giving the Brown and Orange a 7-3 lead with 4:28 remaining in the opening quarter. A key play on the drive was a 32-yard completion from Sahm to Bautista on a third-and-8 play. The scoring drive consumed 6:17.
BGSU forced the Tigers to punt on the ensuing drive, and the Falcons took over at the 20-yard line. Sophomore Josh Harris entered the game, and scrambled for 11 yards and a first down on his first play. The Falcons were forced to punt, but a 62-yard kick by Pat Fleming sailed over the MU returner's head and rolled dead at the MU 12.
The Falcon defense forced the Tigers to punt on five consecutive drives spanning the end of the second quarter and the beginnnig of the third.
In the first half, the Falcons held a 7-4 edge in first downs and a 133-71 lead in total offense.
BGSU took over after forcing a Missouri punt on the opening drive of the second half. BG gained three first downs and moved to Mizzou's 25-yard line, but Sean Suisham's 42-yard field-goal attempt was short.
The Tigers took over at their own 25 with 10:24 left in the third quarter. A 43-yard pass from Darius Outlaw to Justin Gage put the Tigers into BG territory, but a Ryan Wingrove sack of Outlaw on third down stalled the drive. Hammerich, though, connected on a career-long 51-yard field goal with 7:17 left in the quarter.
BGSU got one first down on the next drive, but then had to punt. Missouri then drove 80 yards in 15 plays, capped by a two-yard Outlaw pass to Joe Chirumbolo. Hammerich's PAT gave the Tigers a 13-7 lead with 12:49 left in the fourth quarter.
BGSU began the next drive on the Falcons' own 20. Freshman Cole Magner caught passes for first downs on back-to-back plays in the drive, and Joe Alls ran for 31 yards to the MU 12 on third-and-one. On the next play, John Gibson ran up the middle for seven yards to the five-yard line. Sahm handed the ball to Gibson again, and the senior rumbled up the middle for a score with 10:07 left. The point-after attempt was blocked, leaving the score knotted at 13-13. The Falcons moved 80 yards in eight plays, using 2:36.
Missouri moved to near midfield on the next possession, but Ryan Wingrove forced a fumble that was recovered by Sergio Lund. BGSU had the ball at the MU 47 with 8:50 left.
On the next play, though, Sahm was intercepted by Antoine Duncan at the Tiger 20-yard line. The back-to-back turnovers were the first of the game.
The Falcon defense held the Tigers on three plays, and Redd's 14-yard punt return gave BGSU a first down at the Missouri 44-yard line with 7:45 left. The Falcons had to punt, and Mizzou began a drive at the Tigers' 11 with just over six minutes remaining. Two plays netted four yards, and on third down, sophomore Janssen Patton stepped in front of an Outlaw pass for his fifth career interception. The Falcons took over at the MU 35 with 5:20 left.
BGSU was called for holding on the next drive's first play, but back-to-back runs by Alls gained a total of 25 yards. Two plays later, Harris threw for 15 yards to Craig Jarrett at the two-yard line. Alls carried on a sweep right for the final two yards, going into the end zone with 3:40 remaining. Suisham's point-after attempt was good, and the Falcons held a 20-13 lead.
On the next drive, the Tigers moved into BGSU territory before Patton struck again. The sophomore grabbed his second interception of the night, giving the Falcons the ball at their own 31 with 1:37 left. From there, the Falcons kept the ball on the ground, with Alls and Gibson the primary carriers. BGSU ran out the clock for the win.
Alls had his third career 100-yard game, with 107 yards on 17 carries. Gibson had 55 yards on 10 rushes as the Falcons held a 194-76 advantage on the ground.
BGSU had 342 total yards to the Tigers' 234.
Sahm completed 11 passes in 18 attempts for 109 yards and a touchdown. Harris was 4-for-6 through the air for 39 yards on the night.
FALCON NOTES:
