Tradition has come back to Bowling Green.
Falcon football and its reputation of being a winning program have gone hand-in-hand. After a six year build-up of losing seasons, that reputation lost some of its gusto. Saturday, BG took a major step in polishing its winning reputation back up.
With the Falcons 17-0 win over Ohio in Athens, BG is ensured its first winning season since 1994. Their six consecutive losing seasons was the longest drought in school history. It was the first time that the Falcons won in Athens since 1993.
“Winning this game and guaranteeing a winning season … it’s everything,” said senior defensive end Ryan Wingrove. “Guys were coming out of the locker room and saying that was for you.”
Wingrove and 13 other BG senior gridders have been through most of the bad times for the Falcons. At last they could rejoice.
“It means a lot to go out the way we did … we started getting BG back to where it has been in the past,” defensive back Karl Rose said. That’s an accomplishment and I can’t be any happier about it.”
“One thing I’ve learned in this profession is that you need to trust people and lean on people,” BG coach Urban Meyer said. “I’ve leaned on those seniors. I am following their lead right now. When you can trust guys and love those kids, then you can follow their lead.”
The seniors lead the way, with a strong showing by the defense who led Ohio to a season low 140 yards of total offense. While the defense was stuffing the Bobcats, the BG offense, lead by sophomore quarterback Josh Harris’s record setting performance was more than enough to give the Falcons their third road win of the season.
Harris, who totaled 148 rushing yards on 28 carries, set a BG record for rushing yards by a quarterback. The previous record was set against Toledo in 1988 when Mike Wright rushed for 131 yards in a 45-27 victory over the Rockets. Harris start in place of junior quarterback Andy Sahm.
“We were well aware of Josh,” Ohio coach Brian Knorr said. “We recruited him. He got hit 28 times and he never gave up the ball. He’s a tough kid.”
The Falcons struck first on a 27-yard field goal by kicker Shaun Suisham. Rose came up with a key interception late in the first half giving the Falcons possession near midfield.
Harris hit senior receiver Kurt Gerling across the middle for a 36-yard gain on third-and-26. The Gerling catch extended his streak to 39 consecutive games with a reception. Gerling would later be on the receiving end of a four-yard touchdown pass by Harris with 19 seconds left in the first half. BG went into half-time with a 10-0 lead.
“I wanted to score some points,” Meyer said. “We had to make sure that the play-makers on this team get their hands on the ball. So we just handed Josh Harris the ball and said go play quarterback.”
Senior runningback John Gibson added a one-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to secure the victory for the Falcons. BG will take on Northwestern on the road Saturday.
