Chad Voytik, replacing an injured Tom Savage, is helping out the Panthers tremendously. They were the first to get on the board after completing a 98-yard drive in under four minutes with a naked bootleg for a rushing touchdown for himself.
But Matt Johnson just doesn't quit. On the following drive, Johnson went 5-for-5 for 76 yards, finishing with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Burbink, tying the game back up 27-27 with less than four minutes to go in regulation.
As good as the Bowling Green defense is, James Conner has been a real task to bring down, rushing the ball 5 times for 32 yards to put Chris Blewitt in range for a field goal, which was good from 39 yards away.
Down by 3 with 1:13 to go in the final quarter, Bowling Green took over on their own 15-yard line. But even after Johnson's first pass was completed to Alex Bayer for a first down, a holding call and a pair of sacks gave the Falcons a world of hurt, having to make something happen on a 4th & 40-to-go from the 1-yard line.
Even though they probably practiced it a billion times in practice, the screen play with 14 backward laterals didn't work for the Falcons.
James Conner is the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl MVP, running the ball 26 times for 229 yards and a touchdown.
The Panthers finish the year off with a 7-6 record while BGSU finishes 10-4.