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The Bowling Green Defense Steps Up Late To Stop Western Michigan and Win, 13-9

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Football

The Bowling Green State University football team got a fourth-down stop with the game on the line, downing Western Michigan University by a 13-9 final on Wednesday night (Nov. 2). The Mid-American Conference matchup took place at Doyt L. Perry Stadium.

Mason Lawler kicked a pair of field goals to stake the Falcons (5-4, 4-1 MAC) to a 6-0 halftime lead, and Ta'ron Keith's long kickoff return to begin the second half put the home team in business. Harold Fannin Jr. ran for an eight-yard score with 13:39 left in the third quarter.

The Broncos (3-6, 2-3 MAC) got on the board late in the third period, when Treyson Bourguet found Corey Crooms on a 39-yard touchdown pass, but an errant snap on the extra-point try kept the score at 13-6.

A Bronco field goal cut the BG lead to four points with 5:28 left in the game, and WMU then held the Falcons to a three-and-out. Sami Sir's punt pinned the Broncos at their own 10-yard line, but Western drove into BG territory.

On fourth and 2 from the BGSU 19, Bourguet completed a short pass to Jehlani Galloway, but Jordan Oladokun wrapped up the receiver for no gain, and the Falcons took over on downs with 1:22 to go.

A pair of Jaison Patterson runs picked up a first down, and one kneel-down later, the Falcons had the victory.

Matt McDonald was an efficient 23-of-31 for 161 yards in the win, while Patterson ran for 56 yards and Keith 53. Odieu Hiliare caught nine of McDonald's passes on the night.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Falcons won the opening coin toss and deferred to the second half. Western Michigan elected to receive and defend the north end zone to start the contest.
• Late in the first quarter, Chris Bacon intercepted a Western Michigan pass attempt and bring the ball back to the Broncos' 25. 
• Early in the second quarter, the Falcons put the first points on the board with a 24-yard field goal off the foot of Mason Lawler to give BGSU a 3-0 lead. 
• On the following Broncos drive, the Falcons' defense forced a turnover on downs, standing strong on a fourth-and-short. 
• Western Michigan regained possession on a sack-fumble. 
• Later in the half, Ta'ron Keith broke a 32-yard rush to give the Falcons a new set of downs from the WMU 15. 
• After Keith's gain, the Falcons added another Lawler field goal to the tally. Lawler's kick was good from 28-yards out to extend the BGSU advantage to 6-0.
• Keith opened the second half of the game with an 83-yard kick return, taking the ball all the way to the WMU 17 to begin the first drive of the third quarter.
• The return set up an eight-yard touchdown rush by Harold Fannin Jr., his fourth rushing touchdown this season, for the first TD of the game, extending the BGSU lead to 13-0.
• Western Michigan was driving on the next possession, but Darren Anders forced and recovered a fumble to move the ball back into Bowling Green's hands. 
• The Broncos found the end zone for their first points of the game later in the third quarter. A 39-yard pass resulted in the score, but the point-after-attempt was unsuccessful, keeping the score at 13-6 Falcons.
• WMU cut the BG lead to four points, hitting a field goal with 5:28 remaining in the fourth quarter.
• The Broncos held BGSU to a three-and-out on the next drive, before Sami Sir's punt gave the ball back to Western at their own 10-yard line.
• On the next WMU drive, the Broncos got into BGSU territory, and reached the red zone, setting up a fourth-and-2 play at the Falcons' 19. But, on that fourth-down play, Jordan Oladokun wrapped up the WMU receiver for no gain.
• Back-to-back Jaison Patterson rushes produced a first down, enabling McDonald to kneel down on the next play as the clock ran out.

STATS LEADERS
• Matt McDonald: 23-of-31, 161 yards
• Jaison Patterson: 10 rushes, 56 yards
• Ta'ron Keith: 10 rushes, 53 yards; 2 kickoff returns, 102 yards
• Odieu Hilaire: 9 catches, 51 yards
• Karl Brooks: 7 tackles (5-2); 1 FF
• Trent Simms: 6 tackles (3-3)
• Chris Bacon: 5 tackles (3-2), 1 INT, 39-yard return
• Darren Anders: 5 tackles (2-3); 1 FF; 1 FR

GAME NOTES
• BGSU's fifth win of the season gives them the most since the Falcons won the MAC in 2015 with a 10-4 record.
• BGSU's fourth win in league play give the Falcons the most since going 7-1 during 2015.
• Bowling Green won the toss for the seventh time this season and deferred for the seventh time this season.
• BGSU held Western Michigan to 91 yards of total offense in the first half.
• TE Harold Fannin Jr. scored his fourth rushing touchdown of the season in the third quarter. The score went for eight yards. He currently leads BGSU with four rushing touchdowns.
• RB Ta'ron Keith returned the second half opening kick for a career-high 83 yards. It set up BGSU's first touchdown on the game.
• With 15 receiving yards, WR Tyrone Broden became the 40th Falcon in program history to reach 1,000-career receiving yards. He is the first Falcon to surpass the plateau since current Buffalo Bill Quintin Morris joined the club in 2019.
• S Chris Bacon snatched his first interception of the season and fourth of his career. His first career BGSU interception was returned 39 yards.

UP NEXT
The Falcons wrap up the home portion of the schedule next Wednesday (Nov. 9), when Kent State comes to Perry Stadium. That game will begin at 7:00 p.m. and will be televised by CBSSN.