2020 MAC Football Week 4 Game Recap: Bowling Green Falcons at Ohio Bobcats

Ohio (2-1) scored six touchdowns on its first seven possessions en route to punishing the Bowling Green Falcons (0-4), by a final score 52-10.

The Bobcats largely dominated the Falcons in all phases in the first half.

Ohio took the opening kickoff to the 46-yard line and never looked back. Ohio marched down the field on a seven-play, 54-yard drive capped by an eight-yard TD run by De’Montre Tuggle. On this drive and others, Kurtis Rourke was more effective running the option and beating the blitz by scrambling than earlier in the season. Rourke had some key runs on third down, finishing with 43 yards on the day.

After a Bowling Green punt, Ohio scored on its first play of its second drive, a 70-yard run by De’Montre Tuggle that you could have driven a truck through. Tuggle finished with 185 yards rushing on 15 carries and three touchdowns on the day.

The teams traded punts then Bowling Green started to get something going on offense. The Falcons went to star TE Quintin Morris early and often as Morris was targeted at least ten times in the first half, producing with six catches for 69 yards.

Falcons RB Andrew Clair had some nice moments, looking like he did his freshman and sophomore years when he was selected third-team, All-MAC. Clair finished on the day with 118 yards rushing and a catch for 21 yards.

With Morris and Clair doing some heavy lifting, the Falcons scored points on back-to-back drives. First, a 32-yard FG by Nate Needham. The second, a five-play, 73-yard drive capped by a 26-yard touchdown pass from QB Matt McDonald to freshman Javonte Kinsey. The touchdown pass was McDonald’s and the Falcons’ first on the season.

Ohio countered Bowling Green each time. RB Julian Ross, appearing for the first time this season, answered the Falcons FG with a 96-yard kickoff return for touchdown. Tuggle helped his fellow RB with with a nice block on the return.

Following the Falcons TD, Ohio answered with a 15-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that took eight minutes and 53 seconds off the clock. This is the kind of drive the Bobcat coaches have been looking for since the start of the season, controlling the clock and keeping the offense on the field. Ohio had lost the time of possession battle in the first two games by and average of about ten minutes.

Ohio reversed the trend in this one, winning time of possession by about 37 minutes to 23 minutes.

Ohio scored 17 unanswered points to end the first half as the Falcons imploded, unable to overcome penalties and forced throws into coverage that were intercepted by the Bobcats.

After a Falcon punt, Rourke’s non-throwing arm was injured on Ohio’s next drive, and he was replaced at QB by Armani Rogers. Rogers’ first play was a 29-yard touchdown run on the option. Rourke did not return in the second half and his current condition or status for next week is unknown at this time.

No matter though, as Rogers’ speed, physicality, and toughness was notable through the second and third quarters.

Ohio safety, Alvin Floyd, made the most of his 2020 season debut with an interception of McDonald which set-up a three-play, 34-yard touchdown drive.

On the next drive, Ohio DB Tariq Drake picked off a McDonald overthrow and returned it 50 yards. Drake might have scored but for an assisted tackle by the turf monster at the Falcons’ ten yard line.

Ohio went into the half leading 45-10 and not much happened after that.

Bowling Green’s last serious drive was the second-half opener, where the Falcons drove to the Ohio four. DE Bryce Dugan made a nice play on a tackle for loss and the Falcons eventually turned the ball on downs at the Ohio two. Ohio’s Dugan and redshirt sophomore DE Vonnie Watkins were noticeable, getting some nice stops and pressures throughout the game.

Ohio finished the scoring, with a 98-yard, ten-play drive, capped by a 43-yard touchdown run by Tuggle.

Ohio’s third-team QB freshman CJ Harris made his Bobcats debut with 16 yards rushing and one pass complete for four yards. Falcon freshman QB LaBronz Davis also made his debut, going 0-1.

Ohio hosts Buffalo (4-0) Saturday December 5, at 3:30pm ET. The Falcons head to Akron (0-4) on the same day at 2:00pm ET for what could be the first win of the year for the Falcons or Zips,