What a difference a week makes.
After playing No. 1 ranked Ohio State in one of the more hostile environments in all of athletics, the Falcons returned to Bowling Green for Homecoming to square off against winless Eastern Michigan. Although the Eagles put up a fight until the end, BG came away with the win, 24-21.
Once again, the Falcon offense set the tone on the ground, rushing for 159 yards in comparison to EMU’s 82 rushing yards. BG (4-3, 3-1) was led once again by freshman Chris Bullock, who ran for 99 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
BG coach Gregg Brandon is pleased with the emergence of his young, dependable running back.
“Bullock’s the guy – he’s proven that he’s the guy we can feed it to 15, 20 times per game,” Brandon said.
Entering the game, BG knew the Eagles (0-6, 0-3) were vulnerable against the run, giving up an average of 186 yards per game. The Falcons keyed on that in their win this weekend.
“The way [EMU] set their defense up, it was pretty much made to run against,” said quarterback Anthony Turner, who rushed for 67 yards. “We just kept making first downs and kept the chain moving.”
Turner passed for 165 yards and a touchdown, completing 14 of 24 attempts.
“Anthony ran the ball pretty effectively and managed our offense – [he] wasn’t as sharp as he needed to be throwing the football,” Brandon said. “I think he’s still a little rusty from his shoulder – he’s not 100 percent.”
Although Turner refused to make excuses, he admitted that the shoulder injury suffered in week three is preventing him from being 100 percent.
“Throughout the game I get banged up and it takes that percentage down,” Turner said. “It’s something I’ve just got to fight through, it’s a physical game and it’ll get better.”
The Falcons did most of their scoring in the second quarter – first off a 33-yard touchdown pass from Turner to Corey Partridge, then on a 4-yard run by Freddie Barnes.
Going into the fourth quarter the Falcons were trailing 21-17, but a 78-yard drive, capped off by Bullock’s 15-yard touchdown was the difference, putting BG ahead for good.
“I think we performed well today,” Bullock said. “We can run the ball and our passing game is stepping up – we’re just getting better every week.”
