Bowling Green State University
1-6 , 0-3
Toledo
5-1 , 2-0
Falcons Rally In Battle Of I-75; Last Minute TD Lifts Rockets
October 15, 2016 | Football
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TOLEDO, Ohio – Redshirt freshman James Morgan threw five touchdown passes in a stirring comeback attempt, but the Bowling Green State University football team ultimately fell to the Toledo Rockets 42-35 Saturday afternoon. The 81st edition of the Battle of I-75 was held in front of 30,147 fans at the Glass Bowl in Toledo, Ohio.
Morgan was named BGSU's starting quarterback three weeks ago, and his numbers have gotten better each week. Against the Rockets, he threw 38 times and completed 25 for 335 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception. His completion, yardage and touchdown totals were all career-bests.
Morgan threw for more yards than any BGSU quarterback since Matt Johnson last November against Ohio and more touchdowns than any since Johnson last October at Kent State. In three games as starter, he has 838 yards passing and an 8-to-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Sophomore wide receiver Scott Miller was the primary beneficiary of Morgan's success. Miller posted eight catches for 149 yards and three touchdowns. The catches and yards were the second most of his season and career, and the three scores equaled Miller's total from the Falcons' win over North Dakota.
Miller caught scoring throws of 10, 15, and 57 yards. He now has seven touchdown receptions in 2016. It was his third 100-yard receiving game of the season and his fifth effort with 100 or more all-purpose yards.
That 10-yard touchdown capped an eight-play, 70-yard drive with 8:59 left in the first quarter and gave Bowling Green an early 7-0 lead. His second touchdown, the 15-yarder, tied the game at 14-14 early in the third quarter after Toledo had taken the lead with a pair of touchdown passes from Logan Woodside to Michael Roberts.
The game remained 14-14 until Woodside and Roberts victimized BGSU again, this time on a five-yard pass with 3:22 left in the third quarter. A few minutes later, Corey Jones caught a Woodside pass over the middle and raced 64 yards for another touchdown and a 27-14 lead after 45 minutes.
Two plays after Toledo's score, Miller answered the call again. After a 16-yard completion from Morgan to Ronnie Moore, Miller was wide open on a go route, and he raced upfield with a connection from Morgan for a 57-yard score.
Terry Swanson restored Toledo's two-touchdown lead with a 63-yard burst, but Bowling Green answered again.
Morgan threw two more touchdowns in the final seven minutes of the game. The first was a 20-yard strike to freshman Marquis Zimmerman, then after a quick Toledo three-and-out, Teo Redding toe-tapped in the end zone for an 18-yard scoring reception and a 35-35 tie.
Toledo capped the game with a 66-yard touchdown march that ended with a three-yard run from Kareem Hunt with 18 seconds to play. That was the final salvo in the Rockets' 42-35 win.
BGSU posted 502 total yards for their best offensive output this season. That included 104 rushing yards from Fred Coppet. That is Coppet's third 100-yard rushing game of 2016 and seventh of his career.
That offensive yardage total also included a 24-yard run from punter Joe Davidson that converted a 4th-and-22 and led to a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Davidson also boomed an 82-yard punt during the game, the second-longest in BGSU history.
Bowling Green drops to 1-6 overall and 0-3 in Mid-American Conference play. Toledo is now 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the MAC. The Falcons return to action on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 12:00 p.m. when they host the Miami RedHawks at Doyt Perry Stadium in Bowling Green, Ohio. It is BGSU's first against Miami since 2013.
Team Stats
BGSU 7, TOLEDO 0
BGSU - MILLER, Scott 10 yd pass from MORGAN, James (SUDER, Jake kick) 8 plays, 70 yards, TOP 3:00
BGSU 7, TOLEDO 7
TOLEDO - ROBERTS, M. 41 yd pass from WOODSIDE, Logan (VEST, Jameson kick) 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:36
BGSU 7, TOLEDO 14
TOLEDO - ROBERTS, M. 22 yd pass from WOODSIDE, Logan (VEST, Jameson kick) 8 plays, 84 yards, TOP 1:58
BGSU 14, TOLEDO 14
BGSU - MILLER, Scott 15 yd pass from MORGAN, James (SUDER, Jake kick) 7 plays, 69 yards, TOP 2:59
BGSU 14, TOLEDO 21
TOLEDO - ROBERTS, M. 5 yd pass from WOODSIDE, Logan (VEST, Jameson kick) 6 plays, 56 yards, TOP 2:57
BGSU 14, TOLEDO 27
TOLEDO - JONES, Corey 64 yd pass from WOODSIDE, Logan (VEST, Jameson kickfailed) 3 plays, 67 yards, TOP 1:42
BGSU 21, TOLEDO 27
BGSU - MILLER, Scott 57 yd pass from MORGAN, James (SUDER, Jake kick) 2 plays, 73 yards, TOP 0:34
BGSU 21, TOLEDO 35
TOLEDO - SWANSON, Terry 63 yd run (ROBERTS, M. pass), 6 plays, 93 yards, TOP 2:31
BGSU 28, TOLEDO 35
BGSU - ZIMMERMAN, M. 20 yd pass from MORGAN, James (SUDER, Jake kick) 8 plays, 78 yards, TOP 3:33
BGSU 35, TOLEDO 35
BGSU - REDDING, Teo 18 yd pass from MORGAN, James (SUDER, Jake kick) 6 plays, 80 yards, TOP 1:35
BGSU 35, TOLEDO 42
TOLEDO - HUNT, Kareem 3 yd run (VEST, Jameson kick), 7 plays, 66 yards, TOP 2:48
