Akron Tops Falcons 34-23 on Military Appreciation Day

Saturday, September 30

Bowling Green, Ohio

6:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

0-5 , 0-1

Akron

2-3 , 1-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Akron

Bowling Green

September 30, 2017 | Football

Box Score

By: by Matthew Daley, Athletic Communicationis Assistant

Photo Gallery (BGSU Marketing & Communications)

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- The Bowling Green State University football team dropped its 2017 Mid-American Conference opener to the University of Akron on Saturday evening (Sept. 30) at Doyt L. Perry Stadium ni Bowling Green. The Falcons took a 23-20 lead in the third quarter, but the Zips scored the final 14 points of the game for a 34-23 final. The Akron offense was limited to just seven points in the second half and 14 over the final three quarters. However, the Zips' defense converted a decisive pick-six in the fourth quarter to seal the win.

With the loss, Bowling Green drops to 0-5 for the first time since 1988 and begins the conference season 0-1. Akron is now 2-3 overall and 1-0 in the MAC. Both teams lost important components of their offense early in the contest. Falcon starting quarterback Jarret Doege left early in the first quarter after a pass reception due to a back injury. On the following drive, Akron running back Warren Ball departed with a knee injury.

BGSU returns to action next Saturday when they travel to Oxford, Ohio for battle with the Miami RedHawks. The game is scheduled to kick off at 2:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN3. Miami dropped to 2-3 (1-0 MAC) following a 52-17 loss to Notre Dame on Saturday. The Falcons' next home game is in two weeks, against Ohio University at 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 14. BGSU will celebrate Homecoming during that weekend.

STAT FACTS
OFFENSE
-- BGSU outgained Akron 376-361 overall, 195-183 passing, and 181-178 rushing.
-- Josh Cleveland led all rushers with 20 carries and 94 yards.
-- Cleveland now has a BGSU-best 289 yards rushing and averages 4.7 yards per carry. He's now within 58 yards of 1,000 for his career.
-- Matt Domer carreid four times for 42 yards and scored a touchdown, his first since 2015 against Ball State.
-- Domer has 17 carries for a 6.0 average in 2017.
-- Andrew Clair scored his first career touchdown on a 26-yard reception in the third quarter.
-- Clair accumulated 190 all-purpose yards (27 rush, 33 receiving, 130 kick return) and nearly doubled his to-date total (194).
-- James Morgan had his best stat day of the season in relief of Doege, going 17-of-28 for 163 yards and two touchdowns.
-- Morgan now has four touchdown passes in 2017 and 20 in his career.
-- Scott Miller caught ten passes for 60 yards, one reception off his career best.
-- In the last two games, Miller has 18 catches and 172 yards.
-- Quarterback Grant Loy saw his first career action with three carries for three total yards
-- Hunter Folkertsma caught his fourth career touchdown pass and first since last November against Kent State.

DEFENSE
-- Kyle Junior was credited with BGSU's only sack of the night. It's his second career sack; the other came against South Dakota.
-- Six other Falcons had a tackle for loss: Lautanen, Smith, Posey, Harris, and Schwieterman.
-- Clint Stephens finished the game with five tackles, one interception, one fumble recovery, and one pass break-up.
-- Stephens' interception was the seventh of his career. The fumble recovery was his second; the other occurred at UMass in 2014.
-- Aaron Banks, Nico Lautanen, and Hunter Folkertsma each had one forced fumble.
-- Fred Garth led the team with nine tackles and now has 33 in five games.

SPECIAL TEAMS
-- Joseph Davidson punted five times for 205 yards for a 41.0 average. He had a long of 48 yards.
-- Davidson downed two of his five punts inside the Akron 20 yard line.
-- Jake Suder connected on a 25-yard field goal and is now 8-for-8 in 2017.
-- BGSU posted 164 kickoff return yards, the team's most since the 2014 MAC Championship Game.