Bowling Green State University Athletics
Final Game Quotes
October 19, 2002 | Football
Oct. 19, 2002
Bowling Green, Ohio -
BGSU Coach Urban Meyer
I think we topped last week with one of the greatest team wins that I have ever been a part of. My hats off to our student body, they helped us win that game.
It never fails that the team who invests more will win the game. I looked the players in the eyes and told them that if Western Michigan invested more, they will beat you. If you invested more there is always somehow that you will win the game. I really believe that in the last two years, this team has invested as much or more than anybody in the country. In my opinion, that is why you win games like this.
I'm really proud of our coaching staff. They did a really good job. We have two excellent coordinators and I can't say enough about those guys. This community, this campus, this school is fortunate to have a group of assistant coaches that we have right now. They are really good.
BGSU QB Josh Harris
About the last play of the game in overtime...
We had been running the ball effectively the entire game. Our line did an excellent job making holes. Coach had the right call at the right time, it just took a little guts to get into the end-zone.
The defense stepped it up major in the second half. They saved us. That was a big time team win. We had a great offense, great defense and great special teams, that's what we do. When we were down, no one stopped believing that we could come back.
About being hurt and staying in the game...
I think it just got stiff because it was cold out. I'll be all right. What kept me in the game was just knowing that there were people looking at me to make a play. You couldn't get me out of that game unless it was very serious.
About being a marked team and the talent of Western Michigan...
BGSU Def. Tackle Alex Glantzis... "People are gunning for us. We knew Western Michigan was going to be a tough opponent coming into this. They are a first class team, our hats go off to them."
BGSU Def. Back Janssen Patton... "We knew coming into this game, Western Michigan had a 2-4 record, but you have to look at the four teams they lost to. We knew this was a team that was a lot better than their record."
When Pat Fleming downed the punt at the one-yard line as well as the interception:
Patton... "We had them down there, and needed to stop them to get the ball back to the offense. We knew we could turn the tide with one play."
Patton... "I saw the ball come off his hands. I'm not sure if the quarterback threw the ball too hard or too high, but I was able to get a good read and made the play"
Glantzis on blocking the WMU field goal:
"Coach always harps that it is a graded play. I was getting a decent push on the guard all game, and I saw he had to kick over me to make it through the uprights. I threw up my right arm, and the ball struck my right hand."
WMU Coach Gary Darnell
I think you saw as close of two Top-25 teams playing tonight...because they play that way every week and we play that way every week. They earned their ranking. The heroics that was done on both sides for both teams was commendable. It was a tribute to the sport of football. They did a good job with everything they tried to do, and our guys did a great job with what they had to do.
When it came down to it, the execution of one or two plays was certainly the difference in the football game. It was one of those games that if you ever took one step out of place, someone was going to take advantage of it. Whether you were Bowling Green or whether you were Western Michigan. I just think it was a heck of a football game. We obviously congratulate Bowling Green.
Darnell on BGSU QB Josh Harris...
The thing about Josh is that he's a strong runner. He is truly a back back there. A true tailback. Josh can run over you. He's durable. There was a time late in the second quarter I thought he was finally starting to show fatigure a little bit, but he recovered at halftime and was right there with it.
Chad Munson - WMU QB
On the Interception Returned by Patten...
It was a little high, got tipped into the air, the guy caught it and ran it in for a touchdown.
We did the best we could at halftime making our adjustments and they came out and made better adjustments. It ended up being there way at the end of the game.
