Oct. 9, 2010
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes
ATHENS, Ohio- A comprehensive effort on all sides of the ball helped Ohio earn a resounding 49-25 victory over the visiting Bowling Green Falcons on Saturday. Boo Jackson threw for three touchdowns on 9-for-14 passing while also rushing for 53 yards. His second touchdown pass of the day vaulted him into second place of the Bobcat record books, as it was the 27th of his Bobcat career. Tight end Jordan Thompson caught two touchdown passes and Donovan Fletcher returned an interception for a touchdown in the win. Phil Bates had a big day on the ground for Ohio, rushing 11 times for 144 yards and two touchdowns.
Ohio is now 7-1 when scoring 40 or more points during Frank Solich's tenure. The 49 points scored by the Bobcats on Saturday were the most accumulated since a November 22, 2008 win over Akron in which the Green and White won by a final score of 49-42.
With the victory, the Bobcats improve to 3-3 (2-1 Mid-American Conference) while the Falcons drop to 1-5 (0-2 MAC). Ohio has now won two conference games in a row, as the team won 30-17 at Eastern Michigan on October 2. Saturday's win over Bowling Green snaps a four-game losing streak to the Falcons in Peden Stadium, with Ohio's last home win against their MAC rivals coming on October 23, 1999.
Bowling Green got off to a fast start defensively, forcing a fumble on Ohio's first drive. Wideout Riley Dunlop (Liberty Township, Ohio) caught the ball for the Bobcats but was hit hard by Bowling Green's Jovan Leacock. Dwayne Woods then picked up the loose ball and carried it to Ohio's three-yard line. The Bobcat defense stood strong throughout the Falcons' first possession, stopping the visitors short of the goal line on three consecutive occasions. Facing a fourth-and-one from the Ohio one-yard line, Bowling Green called a quick quarterback sneak. Not fooled, Ohio's Chad Clemens (Dayton, Ohio) and Marcellis Williamson (East Cleveland, Ohio) combined for the stop, forcing the Falcons to turn the ball over on downs.
The Bobcat defense stepped up again on Bowling Green's next possession, holding the Falcons to a 22-yard field goal. This score was the first of the game, putting the visitors ahead 3-0 with 9:22 remaining in the first quarter.
The Bobcats put together an electrifying return on the ensuing kickoff, as Julian Posey (Cincinnati, Ohio) ran 49 yards to give the Green and White its best field position of the day. This proved important, as seven plays and 51 yards later, Ohio found the endzone to take a 6-3 lead. Jackson (Gardena, Calif.) found receiver Terrance McCrae (Vanderbilt, Pa.) on a five-yard strike and kicker Matt Weller (Twinsburg, Ohio) converted the PAT to put Ohio up 7-3. The touchdown reception was McCrae's fourth of the year and also the 14th of his career, putting him in a tie for second-place all-time with Bobcat legend and 2010 third round NFL draft pick Taylor Price.
Ohio's defense kept up its strong play on the next possession, forcing a fumble from quarterback Matt Schilz. Jay Edwards (Nelsonville, Ohio) pounced on it for the Bobcats, giving his team excellent field position for the second consecutive drive. The offense yet again took advantage of the good field position, capping off a five-play, 26-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run by Vince Davidson (Dayton, N.J.). The score was Davidson's third touchdown run of the season. Upon successful conversion of the PAT, Weller became tied for seventh all-time in Ohio's record books with 44 PATs.
Through the first quarter of play, Ohio had accumulated an impressive 150 offensive yards and seven first downs while holding the ball for 9:48.
The Bobcats kept up their offensive success in the second quarter, scoring a touchdown to go ahead 21-3 with 13:29 remaining before halftime. A seven-yard pass from Jackson to tight end Thompson (Rockford, Ohio) capped off a seven-play, 80-yard drive that spanned three minutes and 51 seconds. With the touchdown pass, Jackson cemented himself in second place all-time with 27 career passing touchdowns, surpassing former quarterback Theo Scott's career total of 26, achieved in 2009.
Late in the second quarter, Paul Hershey (Fremont, Ohio) boomed a 72-yard punt after a stalled drive. This kick tied for sixth place all-time in the Bobcat record books.
With 11 seconds remaining in the first half, Jackson combined with Thompson for another score, this one a six-yard strike. The Bobcats took this 28-3 lead into halftime, having averaged 6.4 yards per play and 13 first downs. The defense, meanwhile, had held the Falcons to 83 yards of total offense and 0 for 6 on third-down conversions.
Bowling Green's first possession of the second half yielded another touchdown for the Bobcats, as Fletcher (Youngstown, Ohio) intercepted a pass on Ohio's 45-yard line and ran it back 55 yards for a Bobcat score. Schilz, feeling pressure from the outside, stepped up into the pocket and released the ball across the middle. Fletcher leapt up high and picked it out of the air and then raced down the home sideline for an emphatic touchdown. The interception was the fourth of Fletcher's career and marked the first time that he had ever run one back for a score.
The Falcons responded with a very impressive drive on their next possession, going the length of the field on a 19-play, 93-yard drive that lasted 10:45. The drive culminated in a one-yard touchdown run by Willie Geter. Bowling Green then successfully completed a two-point conversion, making the score 35-11 with 1:48 remaining in the third quarter.
The Green and White responded immediately and emphatically, scoring on a 62-yard touchdown run by Bates (Omaha, Neb.). The run was the longest of Bates' career and was also his first-ever rushing touchdown. The score came with 23 seconds remaining in the third quarter and the ensuing PAT put the Bobcats ahead 42-11.
Bowling Green refused to quit, putting together another scoring drive to make the score 42-17. On this particular touchdown drive, Schilz connected with Kamar Jorden for a ten-yard score.
Travis Carrie (Antioch, Calif.) contributed a 43-yard punt return in the middle of the fourth quarter, setting up another Ohio touchdown. This time, Bates scored on a 12-yard rush, putting the Bobcats ahead by 32 points at 49-17.
A 59-yard touchdown pass from Schilz to Jorden added a few more points to the board for Bowling Green. The Falcons successfully converted another two-point attempt, making the scoring 49-25 in favor of the Bobcats.
Ohio's next game is an October 16 home date against Akron, which is a part of Ohio University's Homecoming Weekend. The game will kick off at 2 pm.
