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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
Kent State
Harris Leads No. 25 Falcons Over Kent State, 42-33
November 15, 2003 | Football
Nov. 15, 2003
By JOHN SEEWER
Associated Press Writer
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (AP) - Josh Harris threw for 324 yards and three touchdowns Saturday, sending No. 25 Bowling Green to a 42-33 victory over Kent State.
The Falcons (8-2, 5-1 Mid-American Conference) have a chance to play in their first conference title game since the MAC split into two divisions in 1997. But they still must win at Ball State next week and against Toledo.
Bowling Green then would host the MAC championship game and get another shot at No. 23 Miami of Ohio, which already has secured its spot.
The RedHawks dominated Bowling Green 33-10 just more than a week ago.
The Falcons scored touchdowns the first four times they had the ball in the second half Saturday after a listless opening half.
Harris engineered four time-consuming drives of at least 67 yards each. He capped the final march with a 5-yard touchdown run that put the game out of reach with 1:21 left.
The Falcons led 35-14 early in the fourth quarter, but Kent State (4-7, 3-4) kept coming back, relying heavily on speedy quarterback Joshua Cribbs, who ran for 196 yards and passed for 239.
His 1-yard scoring run with 5:01 left cut the lead to 35-27.
Cribbs' scrambling and passing on the run kept the Falcons' defense off balance the entire game.
He had to be carried off the field after taking a shot to his left knee on a 2-point conversion attempt with 2 seconds remaining. Kent State had just scored to make it 42-33.
Harris finished 24-of-35 passing and ran for two scores. It was the fourth time this season he's thrown for more than 300 yards. He came in averaging 323 yards of total offense per game, fourth-best in the nation.
In his third year as a starter, Harris has become more comfortable with Bowling Green's complex offense. He has thrown for 2,769 yards - more than all of last season - with two games to play.
Harris threw a 91-yard touchdown pass to Charles Sharon that gave the Falcons a 14-0 lead with 13:10 to go in the second quarter.
Bowling Green led just 14-7 at halftime despite dominating the first two quarters.
The Falcons missed two field goals and fumbled twice - the second being the most costly.
P.J. Pope lost the ball 1 yard from the goal line late in the second quarter with the Falcons on the verge of taking a 21-point lead.
Kent State put together an 80-yard drive just before the end of the half, with Cribbs running for 49 yards. Kevin Beverly scored on a 6-yard run that cut it to 14-7 with 48 seconds left.
