BOWLING GREEN — Bowling Green took advantage of an Ohio miscue for points and took at 13-10 lead midway through the third quarter.

Ohio punter Jonah Wieland dropped a snap and was tackled by BGSU's JB Brown for a 6-yard loss, giving the Falcons the ball at the Ohio 28. Nate Needham kicked through a 43-yard field goal to give the Falcons a 13-10 lead with 4:06 left in the third.

The Falcons were stopped on a 4th-and-goal from the Ohio 1 and turned the ball over on downs, but defensive captain Karl Brooks and Blaine Spires made good on the other end for the Falcons defense by tackling Ohio’s Rogers in the end zone for a safety to give BGSU a 15-10 lead with 12:55 left.

Needham made a 40-yard field goal with 7:03 left to extend BGSU’s lead to 18-10. On Ohio’s ensuing possession, Northview product Trent Simms jumped a pass from Rourke, picked it off, and ran it 51 yards to the Ohio 24 with 3:47 left.

Needham’s 39-yard field goal with 1:19 left gave BGSU a 21-10 lead. Ohio had no timeouts left to spend at that point.

Deshawn Jones, Jr., intercepted Rourke as time expired for his second of the day.

Ohio 10, Bowling Green 10 — Halftime

Ohio got a 45-yard carry from quarterback Kurtis Rourke that placed the Bobcats on the BGSU 7, and Rourke found Alec Burton for what was ruled a touchdown, but was reversed on review as Burton was tackled at the 1 by Blaine Spires.

The first quarter ended with Ohio facing a 3rd-and-goal on the 1, and Armani Rogers took a QB keeper forward. The original ruling by the officials was that he was short of the goal line, but replay review reversed the call and awarded Rogers the TD with 14:17 left in the first half.

A pair of miscues on Bowling Green’s ensuing drive, including an overthrow by McDonald deep to Tyrone Broden and a drop by tight end Christian Sims, were limiting. BGSU was stuffed on a 4th-and-1 call on its own 37, as Nick Mosley was blown up in the backfield by Jack McCrory and Bryce Dugan at the 36.

Ohio got a 22-yard field goal by Stephen Johnson on its ensuing possession to take a 10-3 lead with 8:47 left in the first half.

But the Falcons responded on their next drive, as Austin Osborne’s spectacular catch in the end zone through contact and around traffic led to a tie at 10 following PAT with 4:48 left in the half.

Deshawn Jones, Jr., intercepted Rourke to give Bowling Green the ball at the Ohio 31 with 3:53 left until halftime, but the Falcons couldn’t move the ball and had to settle for a field goal try.

But Needham’s 43-yard attempt with 1:58 to play went wide right. It was Needham’s first miss on the season after making 16 consecutive field goals to begin the season.

The Bobcats will receive the second-half kickoff after deferring the opening coin toss.

Bowling Green 3, Ohio 0 — 1st quarter

Nate Needham’s 23-yard field goal gave Bowling Green a 3-0 lead after its first drive, but the Falcons are probably feeling like they should’ve had seven points instead of three on the board.

BGSU stalled a 13-play drive on the Ohio 4-yard line and had to kick on 4th-and-goal.

Terion Stewart got the start at tailback for BGSU after sustaining a minor foot injury last Tuesday against Miami. He took the game’s first three plays for 11 yards, and BGSU converted a 4th-and-1 from the Ohio 42 on quarterback Matt McDonald’s 3-yard keeper.

McDonald connected with running back Jamal Johnson for a 31-yard pass play that set the Falcons up with 1st-and-goal on the Ohio 8.

Ohio punted away its first possession.

First Published November 26, 2021, 5:32 p.m.