Falcons Clinch MAC East Title with 30-20 Win

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Bowling Green, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University football team is headed back to Detroit to seek a second consecutive Mid-American Conference Championship! The Falcons earned a berth in the 2014 MAC Championship Game by clinching the MAC Eastern Division regular season crown with a 30-20 victory over the Kent State Golden Flashes on Wednesday night (Nov. 12) at Doyt Perry Stadium in Bowling Green, Ohio.

BGSU quickly put Kent State in a hole that the Flashes could not escape. The Falcons drove 54 yards to the KSU 18 on their opening drive. Tyler Tate missed a 36-yard field goal attempt, but the BGSU defense quickly forced the Flashes to go three-and-out.

The Bowling Green offense started on their own 42 after a short punt, and a 32-yard run by Andre Givens put them in scoring position. Four plays later, Givens ran through the left side for a six-yard touchdown run and a 7-0 lead for BGSU.

Kent State was unable to muster any offense on their second possession, but a better punt buried BGSU at their own 18. The Falcons were still at the 18 two plays later, when James Knapke lobbed a long pass down the middle to Roger Lewis. Lewis caught the ball in stride and raced into the end zone for an 82-yard score. The lightning strike gave BGSU a 14-0 edge just 9:13 into the game.

The Falcons were finally forced to punt on their fourth possession, but even that went against the Flashes. KSU's Jerrell Foster touched Joe Davidson's punt on the return, which made it a live ball. Brian Sutton recovered the fumble for the Falcons at the KSU 35-yard line.

Tate converted the fumble recovery into points with a 37-yard field goal. The Falcons' defense then forced another punt, and four minutes into the second quarter, Tate kicked a 22-yard field goal. The second boot through the uprights gave BGSU a 20-0 lead.

At that point, Kent State replaced starting quarterback Nathan Strock with Colin Reardon. On his second possession, Reardon led the Golden Flashes on an 11-play, 92-yard drive that took 5:56 off the clock. He threw to Chris Humphrey four times for 65 yards on the drive, and the fourth of those completions was a 21-yard touchdown pass with 0:38 remaining in the first half.

BGSU led 20-7 at halftime, and the two teams traded punts on the first four possessions of the second half. The last punt gave KSU possession at the BGSU 30, but the Flashes failed to score as Reardon threw an interception to Clint Stephens.

However, two plays later, Chris Pohlman fumbled and Kent State's Najee Murray recovered at the BGSU 6. On third-and-goal, Reardon threw a fade into the right corner of the end zone for a four-yard touchdown pass that cut the BGSU lead to 20-14.

The Falcons were quickly forced to punt again, and Kent State had an opportunity to take the lead. Reardon led a drive into BGSU territory, but he again threw an interception, this time to Gabe Martin.

Martin's interception provided a spark to BGSU's offense, and Knapke led them on a 15-play drive that resulted in a 21-yard field goal by Tate. Tate's kick restored some control as BGSU claimed a 23-14 lead with 11:59 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Kent State responded immediately with a six-play, 60-yard touchdown drive that took just 2:18 off the clock. Reardon's 14-yard pass to Casey Pierce cut BGSU's lead to 23-20, but Anthony Melchiori's missed extra point kept the BGSU lead at three.

Knapke gambled with another deep pass on the opening play of their next drive, and the 45-yard completion to Ryan Burbrink set them up for a score. A 33-yard strike to Lewis put the ball at the KSU 2, and Givens plunged into the end zone on the next play. Tate's extra point provided the final margin in BGSU's 30-20 victory. The BGSU defense sealed the victory with interceptions of Reardon on KSU's final two possessions, first by Ryland Ward and then by Taylor Royster.

BGSU's offense ran 96 plays and possessed the ball for 34:14. They accumulated 527 total yards, including 315 through the air and 212 on the ground. They converted 12 of 22 attempts on third down. On defense, the Falcons allowed only 61 plays for 328 yards, including a paltry 22 rushing yards. KSU was just 3-for-11 on third down, and BGSU forced five turnovers.

Knapke was 22-of-37 for 315 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Givens carried the ball 38 times for 157 yards, both of which are career-highs. He also scored two touchdowns. Burbrink caught eight passes for 111 yards, while Lewis led the team with 116 receiving yards and a touchdown on just three receptions. Gehrig Dieter added six catches for 78 yards.

Reardon came in as a reserve for Kent State, but finished with 24 completions in 37 attempts. He threw for 284 yards and three touchdowns, but also added four costly interceptions. Pierce led the Flashes with 12 catches for 127 yards, while Humphrey added eight for 132. Nick Holley led the KSU rushing attack with 11 carries for 21 yards.

Bowling Green is now 7-3 overall and 5-1 in MAC play. The newly-crowed Eastern Division Champions will continue their season next Wednesday night (Nov. 19) at Toledo, then will conclude the regular season on Friday, Nov. 28 at home against Ball State.

The Falcons will then head to Detroit to face an opponent to be determined in the 2014 MAC Championship Game on Friday, Dec. 5 at Ford Field.

Fans can purchase tickets to the 2014 MAC Championship Game on Dec. 5 by going to:
https://oss.ticketmaster.com/aps/bgsu/EN/buy/details/14fbmac

For more information on the MAC Championship Game and other ways to purchase tickets through the BGSU Ticket Office go to:
http://bgsufalcons.com/sports/2009/6/18/FB_0618093625.aspx

Notes
*BGSU's 30-20 win over Kent State makes the Falcons East Division champions for the second straight season. It is the first time since Miami in 2003 and 2004 that a team has won the East Division in back-to-back seasons.
*Andre Givens rushed for a career high 157 yards on a career high 38 rushes. His 38 rushes are the fourth most in school history for a single game.
*Ryan Burbrink and Roger Lewis both surpassed 100 yards receiving in the game
*BGSU's defense forced five turnovers for the second straight game. The Falcon defense has now forced 24 turnovers through 10 games on the season after forcing just 21 in 14 games during 2013.
*The Falcons had a season-high four interceptions in the game. The defense has now forced 13 fumbles and recorded 11 interceptions in 2014.
*James Knapke's 315 yards passing marked the fourth time that the redshirt sophomore has recorded 300-or-more yards in a game this season.
*Knapke is now 7-2 in a starter, having completed at least 20 passes and throwing at least one touchdown in every win.
*The Falcons have now won 12 straight games against East Division foes. The win vs. KSU finishes off the second straight season in which the Falcons have gone undefeated against East Division foes.
*James Knapke found Roger Lewis for an 82-yard touchdown in the first quarter. marking the longest play from scrimmage for the Falcons this season. It was the 8th-longest passing touchdown in school history.

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James Knapke

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Ryan Burbrink

Joseph Davidson

Gehrig Dieter

Andre Givens

James Knapke

Roger Lewis

Gabe Martin

Chris Pohlman

Taylor Royster

Clint Stephens

Brian Sutton

Tyler Tate

Ryland Ward

Players Mentioned

Ryan Burbrink

Joseph Davidson

Gehrig Dieter

Andre Givens

James Knapke

Roger Lewis

Gabe Martin

Chris Pohlman

Taylor Royster

Clint Stephens

Brian Sutton

Tyler Tate

Ryland Ward

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