Saturday, October 1
Bowling Green, Ohio
3:00 PM
Bowling Green State University
1-4 , 0-1
25
vs
28
Eastern Michigan
4-1 , 1-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Eastern Michigan
7
0
14
7
28
Bowling Green
7
0
3
15
25
Donovan Wilson hauls in a TD pass from James Morgan in the first quarter
Photo by: BGSU Marketing and Communications
Falcons Drop MAC Opener to Eastern Michigan 28-25
October 01, 2016 | Football
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University football team dropped a hard-fought 28-25 decision to the Eastern Michigan Eagles on Saturday, Oct. 1 at Doyt L. Perry Stadium in Bowling Green, Ohio. The game served as the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams. It was also BGSU's homecoming game and was played on the 50th anniversary of the first game at Perry Stadium.
LINKS
FINAL STATISTICS: HTML | PDF
POST-GAME AUDIO: Morgan | Greene | Jinks
PHOTO GALLERY
Fred Coppet set a single-game high in rushing yards and scored twice, Trenton Greene pulled down his first career interception, and Donovan Wilson caught his first career touchdown pass. Redshirt freshman also made his first career start at quarterback in the losing effort.
BGSU took the game's opening kickoff and drove 62 yards to the Eastern Michigan 13 yard line before the march stalled. Jake Suder missed a 30-yard field goal attempt to keep the game scoreless.
The Falcons had another chance to score a few minutes later after the team's exchanged punts. On the third play of EMU's second drive, Trenton Green made a spectacular diving interception of a Todd Porter pass at the Eagles' 31. It was his first career pick and gave BGSU a prime scoring opportunity.
Bowling Green quickly took advantage. Scott Miller caught a 15-yard pass to open the drive, then Donovan Wilson posted back-to-back seven-yard carries. On 4th-and-goal from the 2, Morgan found Wilson wide open in the right flat for Wilson's first career touchdown reception and a 7-0 lead. It was only the second catch of Wilson's career and first since the 2015 season opener.
EMU answered on the next possession with an eight-play, 75-yard drive. The Eagles used six runs and two long passes, including a 38-yarder from Porter to Antoine Porter. They capped the drive with a three-yard run by Breck Turner that tied the game at 7-7 late in the first quarter.
The game remained tied at 7 through halftime, but that changed quickly in the second half.
Morgan led a 10-play drive that resulted in a 32-yard field goal from Suder and a 10-7 BGSU lead halfway through the third quarter. However, EMU answered once again. Backup quarterback Brogan Roback replaced Porter for the Eagles, and on his second drive, he led them on a three-play drive for a touchdown.
On the second play, wide receiver Isaac Holder threw deep to Nigel Kilby for 64 yards, then Holder caught an eight-yard strike from Roback on the next play to give EMU a 14-10 lead. The Eagles scored again the next time they held the ball, when Roback connected with Kilby for seven yards to cap a ten-play drive.
Down 21-10 early in the fourth quarter, BGSU marched 75 yards in ten plays to pull within one score. Coppet started the drive with a 41 yard run, then carried five more times, including a two-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 21-17.
EMU took the kickoff and again drove 75 yards for a score. The final play was a 40-yard touchdown pass from Roback to Sergio Bailey. BGSU defensive back Alfonso Mack had his hands on the ball first, but Bailey managed to take the ball away to give the Eagles a 28-17 lead.
The Falcons would not give up and scored once again with 5:16 to play. Coppet again ended a lengthy 82-yard drive with a two-yard run. Morgan threw to Scott Miller for the two-point conversion, and BGSU was within a field goal at 28-25.
EMU was able run the final 5:16 off the clock too cement their 28-25 edge as the final score.
BGSU posted 456 total yards, including 206 on the ground and 250 through the air. It is the most total offense in a game this season for the Falcons and is also the first game with 200 or more yards rushing and passing in the same contest.
Coppet rushed 25 times for 141 yards to earn his sixth career 100-yard game and his career single-game high in rushing yards. He also moves into ninth place on BGSU's all-time rushing list with 2,388 yards. His two touchdowns are also a career single-game best.
Wilson posted 44 yards on ten carries and now has 115 yards this season. His single-game and season-long totals are both career bests. Meanwhile, Miller hauled in 11 catches for 148 yards. The 11 catches are a single-game high for Miller, and his 148 yards were just 13 shy of his most in a game. He leads the Falcons with 33 catches and 415 yards this season.
In his first career start, James Morgan threw 46 times and completed 23 for 250 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The touchdown was the first of his career, and the yards, completions and attempts were all career highs.
Eastern Michigan totaled 474 yards, including 212 rushing and 262 passing. Roback threw for 91 yards and three touchdowns, while Porter added 107 and Porter 64 through the air. Breck Turner led the Eagles with 107 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Nigel Kilby led the EMU receivers with five catches, 92 yards and a touchdown.
BGSU is now 1-4 this season and 0-1 in Mid-American Conference play, while Eastern Michigan is 4-1 (1-0). The Falcons will take the field again next Saturday (Oct. 8) in Athens, Ohio against the Ohio Bobcats. Kickoff of that game will be 2:00 p.m., and it will be broadcast on ESPN3.
LINKS
FINAL STATISTICS: HTML | PDF
POST-GAME AUDIO: Morgan | Greene | Jinks
PHOTO GALLERY
Fred Coppet set a single-game high in rushing yards and scored twice, Trenton Greene pulled down his first career interception, and Donovan Wilson caught his first career touchdown pass. Redshirt freshman also made his first career start at quarterback in the losing effort.
BGSU took the game's opening kickoff and drove 62 yards to the Eastern Michigan 13 yard line before the march stalled. Jake Suder missed a 30-yard field goal attempt to keep the game scoreless.
The Falcons had another chance to score a few minutes later after the team's exchanged punts. On the third play of EMU's second drive, Trenton Green made a spectacular diving interception of a Todd Porter pass at the Eagles' 31. It was his first career pick and gave BGSU a prime scoring opportunity.
Bowling Green quickly took advantage. Scott Miller caught a 15-yard pass to open the drive, then Donovan Wilson posted back-to-back seven-yard carries. On 4th-and-goal from the 2, Morgan found Wilson wide open in the right flat for Wilson's first career touchdown reception and a 7-0 lead. It was only the second catch of Wilson's career and first since the 2015 season opener.
EMU answered on the next possession with an eight-play, 75-yard drive. The Eagles used six runs and two long passes, including a 38-yarder from Porter to Antoine Porter. They capped the drive with a three-yard run by Breck Turner that tied the game at 7-7 late in the first quarter.
The game remained tied at 7 through halftime, but that changed quickly in the second half.
Morgan led a 10-play drive that resulted in a 32-yard field goal from Suder and a 10-7 BGSU lead halfway through the third quarter. However, EMU answered once again. Backup quarterback Brogan Roback replaced Porter for the Eagles, and on his second drive, he led them on a three-play drive for a touchdown.
On the second play, wide receiver Isaac Holder threw deep to Nigel Kilby for 64 yards, then Holder caught an eight-yard strike from Roback on the next play to give EMU a 14-10 lead. The Eagles scored again the next time they held the ball, when Roback connected with Kilby for seven yards to cap a ten-play drive.
Down 21-10 early in the fourth quarter, BGSU marched 75 yards in ten plays to pull within one score. Coppet started the drive with a 41 yard run, then carried five more times, including a two-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 21-17.
EMU took the kickoff and again drove 75 yards for a score. The final play was a 40-yard touchdown pass from Roback to Sergio Bailey. BGSU defensive back Alfonso Mack had his hands on the ball first, but Bailey managed to take the ball away to give the Eagles a 28-17 lead.
The Falcons would not give up and scored once again with 5:16 to play. Coppet again ended a lengthy 82-yard drive with a two-yard run. Morgan threw to Scott Miller for the two-point conversion, and BGSU was within a field goal at 28-25.
EMU was able run the final 5:16 off the clock too cement their 28-25 edge as the final score.
BGSU posted 456 total yards, including 206 on the ground and 250 through the air. It is the most total offense in a game this season for the Falcons and is also the first game with 200 or more yards rushing and passing in the same contest.
Coppet rushed 25 times for 141 yards to earn his sixth career 100-yard game and his career single-game high in rushing yards. He also moves into ninth place on BGSU's all-time rushing list with 2,388 yards. His two touchdowns are also a career single-game best.
Wilson posted 44 yards on ten carries and now has 115 yards this season. His single-game and season-long totals are both career bests. Meanwhile, Miller hauled in 11 catches for 148 yards. The 11 catches are a single-game high for Miller, and his 148 yards were just 13 shy of his most in a game. He leads the Falcons with 33 catches and 415 yards this season.
In his first career start, James Morgan threw 46 times and completed 23 for 250 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The touchdown was the first of his career, and the yards, completions and attempts were all career highs.
Eastern Michigan totaled 474 yards, including 212 rushing and 262 passing. Roback threw for 91 yards and three touchdowns, while Porter added 107 and Porter 64 through the air. Breck Turner led the Eagles with 107 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Nigel Kilby led the EMU receivers with five catches, 92 yards and a touchdown.
BGSU is now 1-4 this season and 0-1 in Mid-American Conference play, while Eastern Michigan is 4-1 (1-0). The Falcons will take the field again next Saturday (Oct. 8) in Athens, Ohio against the Ohio Bobcats. Kickoff of that game will be 2:00 p.m., and it will be broadcast on ESPN3.
Team Stats
EMU
BGSU
Total Yards
474
456
Pass Yards
262
250
Rushing Yards
212
206
Penalty Yards
56
48
1st Downs
24
29
3rd Downs
7
5
4th Downs
0
2
TOP
31:39
28:21
1st Quarter
EMU 0, BGSU 7
BGSU - WILSON, Donovan 2 yd pass from MORGAN, James (SUDER, Jake kick) 7 plays, 31 yards, TOP 2:46
EMU 7, BGSU 7
EMU - TURNER, Breck 3 yd run (FRICANO, Paul kick), 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:06
3rd Quarter
EMU 7, BGSU 10
BGSU - SUDER, Jake 32 yd field goal 10 plays, 53 yards, TOP 2:54
EMU 14, BGSU 10
EMU - HOLDER, Isaac 8 yd pass from ROBACK, Brogan (FRICANO, Paul kick) 3 plays, 74 yards, TOP 1:00
EMU 21, BGSU 10
EMU - KILBY, Nigel 7 yd pass from ROBACK, Brogan (FRICANO, Paul kick) 10 plays, 73 yards, TOP 3:50
4th Quarter
EMU 21, BGSU 17
BGSU - COPPET, Fred 2 yd run (SUDER, Jake kick), 10 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:41
EMU 28, BGSU 17
EMU - BAILEY, Sergio 40 yd pass from ROBACK, Brogan (FRICANO, Paul kick) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:09
EMU 28, BGSU 25
BGSU - COPPET, Fred 2 yd run (MILLER, Scott pass), 14 plays, 82 yards, TOP 4:06
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
23
TD
1
YDS
250
INT
1
CMP
0
TD
0
YDS
0
INT
0
Players Mentioned
RB
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LB
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DB
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WR
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K
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RB
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