Second-Half Surge Sends Falcons Past Akron, 36-20

Friday, November 20

Bowling Green, Ohio

5:30 PM ET

Bowling Green State University

6-5 , 5-2

Akron

2-9 , 1-6

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Akron

Bowling Green

November 20, 2009 | Football

Box Score

Sheehan, Barnes rack up big numbers again

By: BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSU Athletic Communications)

Trailing by a point at the half, the Bowling Green State University football team exploded for 27 second-half points en route to a 36-20 win over the University of Akron Friday night (Nov. 20). The Mid-American Conference game was held at BGSU's Perry Stadium.

LINKS
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Coach Clawson Audio | F. Barnes & J. Brown Audio
BGSU-Akron Photo Gallery (photos by Craig Bell & Brad Phalin, BGSU Photo Services)

With the win, the Falcons improve to 6-5 overall and 5-2 in MAC action, while dropping the Zips to 2-9 and 1-6, respectively.

Tyler Sheehan threw for 338 yards and two touchdowns, finding Freddie Barnes for both scores. Barnes had game-high totals of 12 receptions and 197 yards, scoring twice in the third quarter to help the Brown and Orange erase a 10-9 halftime deficit.

Willie Geter's 4-yard run midway through the opening quarter gave the Falcons a 7-3 lead, but UA quarterback Patrick Nicely hit Jeremy Bruce for a 10-yard score halfway through the second period. That scoring play capped a 17-play, 86-yard drive that took a whopping 9:27.

The Zips stopped the Falcons on a fourth-and-goal play at the 1-yard line late in the period, but two plays later, BGSU's Jahmal Brown and Adrien Spencer combined to tackle UA running back Broderick Alexander in the end zone for a safety.

In the third period, the Falcons took the kickoff and proceeded to put together a drive that lasted nearly half the quarter. That 14-play, 73-yard drive culminated in a touchdown, as Sheehan hit Barnes on a shovel pass for a four-yard score. That play gave the Falcons the lead for good.

After the Falcons forced a three-and-out, Sheehan connected with Barnes on a 53-yard play to open the next drive, and the duo hooked up on a 15-yard scoring play to give the Brown and Orange a 23-10 lead. Barnes made an acrobatic one-handed catch in the end zone.

The Zips got a field goal from Branko Rogovic to cut the Falcons' lead to 10 points, but the home team went 54 yards on the next drive, with Chris Bullock carrying the ball the final yard. The Falcons led, 30-13, with 12:41 remaining.

Quickly, however, Akron responded. Nicely hit Andre Jones for a 34-yard TD strike to again put the Zips within 10 points. But, BGSU's Keith Morgan grabbed UA's ensuing onside-kick attempt out of the air and raced untouched for what proved to be the final score of the game.

Sheehan completed 23 of his 32 passes on the night, with Barnes catching 12. In the third quarter alone, Barnes had seven receptions for 116 yards and the two scores.

The Falcons had a 474-430 advantage in total offense, as both teams had 21 first downs. UA racked up 151 rushing yards in the first half, but the Brown and Orange held the Zips to just 20 second-half yards on the ground.

Nicely completed 22-of-32 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns, with Jones catching eight passes for 114 yards.

Bullock had a game-high 90 yards on the ground, including a 71-yard blast up the middle to enable BGSU to run out the clock.

The Falcons close the regular season next Friday (Nov. 27), hosting the arch-rival University of Toledo in a 2:00 p.m. kickoff at Perry Stadium.

Notes
*Freddie Barnes continues his monster year, posting 12 catches for 197 yards and two touchdowns. It was the seventh time this year he has finished with at least 10 catches in a game and eighth time he has gone over the 100-yard plateau.

*Barnes also extended his touchdown and 100-yard mark streak to six straight games. Alone in the third quarter Barnes had seven catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns.

*Tyler Sheehan finished 23-of-32 for 338 yards and two touchdowns. It was the Cincinnati, Ohio, native's eighth 300-yard game in 2009 and his 20^th straight game with a touchdown pass, dating back to 2008, the third longest active streak in the NCAA.

*Sheehan now has 914 career completions, the most in BGSU history. Sheehan surpassed Brian McClure, who had 900 completions from 1982-85. The senior also has 64 career touchdown passes, second most in school history.

*Jahmal Brown recorded a safety in the second quarter, the first Falcon to do so since Monte Cooley versus Southeast Missouri State on Sept. 11, 2004.

*Roger Williams had four kick returns for 103 yards and now has over 2,000 career kick return yards, fourth-most in Mid-American Conference history.

*Keith Morgan took an onside kick and returned it 41 yards for a touchdown, the Falcons' first kick return for a touchdown since Roger Williams recorded a 78 yard touchdown on Jan. 6, 2008 in the 2008 GMAC Bowl.

*Offensively the Falcons finished with 474 total yards, second-most this season and had 136 yards on the ground, also second-highest this season.

*Helping the running game was senior Chris Bullock, who finished with eight carries for 90 yards, including a career-long 71-yard run late in the fourth quarter.