Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
TOLEDO
Falcons Fall on the Road at Toledo in Season Finale
November 21, 2006 | Football
Nov. 21, 2006
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TOLEDO, Ohio - Toledo jumped out to a 21-0 lead and put the clamps on BGSU's offense for most of the first half as the Rockets (5-7 and 3-5 in the MAC) defeated Bowling Green (4-8 and 3-5 in the MAC) 31-21 in the Glass Bowl, Tuesday evening.
""Yeah we were fighting uphill most of the night," said BGSU coach Gregg Brandon. "I'll give coach [Tom] Amstutz and Toledo credit they did a nice job. They got up on us and held the lead and it was tough sledding all night. But my kids battled. They battled hard and it's been a grind this season. I just don't there is much gas left in the tank right now."
The Falcons looked like they opened the game with momentum. After the BGSU defense held Toledo on its first series, the Falcons gained 11 yards on their first two carries of the game. Four plays later on a fourth and three, junior Pete Winovich ran a fake punt and gained seven to give BGSU its second first down.
However, footing early for the Falcons was an issue and twice BGSU gained or lost yardage on first down after slipping on the NexTurf surface, which allowed Toledo to blitz and put added pressure on the Falcon offense in second and long situations.
UT would gain the field position advantage and needed just three plays after taking the ball on the Falcon 46 to grab a 7-0 lead on a seven-yard run by Jalen Parmele.
The Rockets made it 14-0 on the first drive of the second quarter on a 16-play, 71-yard drive when Rocket QB Aaron Opelt snuck it in from the one-yard line.
The Falcons made a change under center, when freshman Tyler Sheehan replaced sophomore Anthony Turner and Sheehan's third down passing attempt was picked off by UT's Barry Church and taken 31 yards for a 21-0 Rocket advantage.
"We made too many mistakes," said sophomore wide receiver Corey Partridge. "We were put in a good position to win. The coaches were calling the right plays, but we made too many mistakes on the field. As they add up they can be little things, but as they add up it ends up killing you."
Partridge's efforts would be a big reason why the Falcons remained in the game. Partridge returned a punt 29 yards to put the Falcons in UT territory and would catch three passes from Sheehan (7 yards, 5 yards and 21 yards) to move the ball to the Rocket one yard line.
Turner came back into the game and after a Falcon false start, he found Partridge for a six-yard TD strike who worked the side of the end zone like a tightrope and BGSU went into the locker room trailing 21-7 at halftime.
From that point on, both sophomores took control. Turner would finish the game completing 21 of 35 passes for 213 yards and three TDs, tying his career-best for TD strikes in a game (2006 vs. Buffalo). In the second half, the Dayton native completed 18 of 29 passes for 193 yards.
Partridge would tie a school record by catching 14 passes. He now shares the mark with Robert Redd who caught 14 balls at Northern Illinois in 2002. His 161 yards receiving also topped his career-high of 160 set last year against Wisconsin.
"I thought he was outstanding," said Brandon. "He had a great game. He's a competitor, I mean he can catch balls with guys whacking him and he runs great routes. The punt return really set us up and I'm glad to have him back for two years."
The Falcons would close the gap to 28-14 when Turner found senior Kenneth Brantley for his first career TD reception from 21 yards out near the end of the third quarter and 31-21 when Turner again hooked up with Brantley with 6:14 to go.
"I started out the game with a few jitters, but then I settled in," said Turner. "Next year starts on the bus ride home. We have to continue to work and develop leaders."
