When Bowling Green football coach Urban Meyer went on his “campus tour” to recruit fans and generate some excitement about the football team last spring, Meyer said that someday he hoped that fans would be able to tear down the goal post and parade them all the way down to Main Street after a big win.
Well it didn’t happen this year – the goal post only made it as far as Kohl Hall. Whether Kohl Hall, Main Street or the North Pole, the fall of the goal post marked a year of celebration for the Falcons
After Friday’s collision with Toledo, the BG gridders didn’t need to ice down their banged up bodies; a good pinch would do.
But no pinch could wake them up, because their 56-21 blowout over Toledo Saturday was a sweet reality, a dream come true. The fifth largest crowd ever at Doyt Perry Stadium (26,483), the talks of a bowl bid, the 8-3 record and the tearing down of the goal post by a swarm of rejoicing Falcon fans, were all real.
For the 14 seniors who played their final game at Doyt Perry Stadium, it was even more significant. They went out as winners.
“This was a dream come true,” BG senior wide receiver Kurt Gerling said. “Everybody played their best game. It was great to see a whole team effort. I couldn’t even describe how it felt to watch the fans tear down the goal post.”
“It was great,” senior defensive lineman Chris Glantzis said. “To see our football team come together like that was just awesome. I was nervous last night (Thursday), but we couldn’t have gone out here a better way.”
Sophomore quarterback Josh Harris put up more dream stats that helped bury the Rockets. In his third consecutive start of the season, Harris passed for 268 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for two scores. For the second consecutive week, Harris was named the Mid-American Conference offensive player of the week.
His teammate, junior receiver Robert Redd was a legitimate contender for Harris’ award. Redd had six catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns. His 72 receptions set a school record, eclipsing the old mark set by Mark Dowdell of 70 in 1983.
Redd caught a 63 yard pass from Harris to give the Falcons a 6-0 lead. BG scored its sixth non-touchdown of the season thanks to the Glantzis brothers. Chris Glantzis tipped a Brian Jones pass which was caught by his brother Alex, who ran it 16 yards into the end zone.
Toledo answered right back with a 26 yard touchdown reception from Jones to Manny Johnson. The Falcons went on a 10 play, 87 yard drive capped off by a three yard run by senior running back John Gibson to take a 21-7 lead. Just before the half, Redd caught a 26 yard touchdown and the Falcons went into half-time with a commanding 28-7 lead.
“You saw a Bowling Green team that is a disciplined team and I am extremely proud of that,” BG coach Urban Meyer said. “It’s going to continue to be that way. We are going to play extremely hard and extremely discipline, and I think that separated us from a lot of our opponents this year. I am extremely proud of their efforts.”
Even with “fantasy-like” numbers from Harris and Redd, it was a total team effort which dominated Toledo. The Falcons forced a season-high six turnovers on the night (four fumbles, two interceptions). Two of those fumbles were on consecutive kickoffs after BG touchdowns. BG special teams hero Jason Morton forced and recovered fumbles that both led to touchdowns. BG took a 49-21 lead when Harris connected with Gerling at the start of the fourth quarter. Gerling finished his regular season career with receptions in 42 straight games. It was his 18th career touchdown catch, good enough for third all-time in BG history.
The Falcon defense held the potentate Rocket offense scoreless the rest of the way. BG’s eight leading tacklers on the game were all members of the senior class.
“I’ve never been happier for a group of guys than I am today,” Meyer said. “I don’t think I have ever been apart of a football team where out of 14 seniors, there is no dead weight. All of our seniors start on some phase.”
Note: Toledo quarterback Tavares Bolden did not play due to a medical decision by team doctors. Although Rocket coach Tom Amstutz would not comment on the specifics of injury, reports say that Bolden is out due to back spasms.
BG?s hopes for a bowl bid are still alive, but highly unlikely. Bowl representatives for the Tangerine and Silicon Valley Bowls, who were reported to be at the game, were a no-show.
