Two interceptions and two forced fumbles caused by the Falcons’ defense helped Bowling Green overpower Ball State Saturday night.
“We needed to turn it around and get some turnovers,” Marcus Allen said. “They had some great pressures today and we had some hurries on their quarterback.”
BG entered the game averaging 12.1 points off of opponent turnovers this year and scored 21 points off of Ball State turnovers. The Falcon defense was able to create plays that resulted in the Cardinals turning the ball over and forced Ball State to punt the ball away four times.
“[Bowling Green] came out with a defense we weren’t expecting,” Ball State’s quarterback Andy Roesch said. “We practiced for a certain defense all week and they came out and played soft [on receivers]. I thought they covered everybody well. They had a good scheme against us. We had a chance to make some big plays, we just didn’t make them. They had a good defensive plan.”
Allen, Jason Morton and Keon Newson were to blame for most of the damage caused to Ball State’s offense. Both Allen and Morton had the first interceptions of their collegiate career. Allen intercepted a pass by Roesch at the Falcons 18 yard line and returned it 25 yards. The interception resulted in a 9-yard touchdown run by P.J. Pope to give the Falcons a 21-3 lead.
Patton intercepted the ball in the endzone resulting in a touchback, but the Falcons’ weren’t able to convert and Josh Harris threw an interception of his own. However, the defense was far from being done.
Newson forced a fumble on a punt return, which was recovered by Joe Guiterrez at Ball State’s 40-yard-line.
“It was a tight ball game and then Keon Newson caused a turnover on special teams. I feel as though that changed the game,” head coach Urban Meyer said. “The defense made a great interception when they were driving, and that changed the game.”
The forced fumble resulted in another Falcon touchdown putting Bowling Green up 31-13. Allen had another great defensive play that forced another fumble resulting in the Falcons’ last touchdown of the game.
“When our defense is doing bad, like last week, our offense came through and scored touchdowns for us,” Allen said. “This week, with the turnovers, we had to go out and get the ball back.”
