BGSU football (2-1) defeated the Liberty Flames (1-2) 23-13 in a Homecoming weekend brawl Saturday night, defined by a Falcon defense that limited Liberty’s offensive firepower.
BG made key defensive plays to keep the game close. Sophomore safety Kal-El Pascal picked off Liberty quarterback Ethan Vasko; the Falcon defense forced and recovered two fumbles, and sacked Vasko four times. Junior defensive Eriq George had two sacks on the day.
“When I made that play, and I saw coach and the guys running up to me, I just felt their energy and wanted to keep it rocking,” Pascal said.
Notably, Liberty would have scored two touchdowns in the first half were it not for costly holding penalties, which resulted in both plays being called back.
This marks the first time since Oct. 12, 2019, that a college football team has had two touchdowns called back for holding in the same game. In that game, Penn State had two would-be scoring plays called back on the same drive.
Thanks to tight defense, BG overcame a somewhat stagnant offensive effort to enter the half with a 10-0 lead.
In the second half, BG pulled out the stops. Despite a third-quarter passing TD from Vasko, BG forced key stops to put the Flames defense on ice from then on. Junior kicker Jackson Kleather was a perfect 3-for-3 on field goal attempts throughout the game, giving the Falcons a comfortable cushion to work with.
In essence, despite a lack of high-flying or overly aggressive offense, BG managed to make well-timed defensive plays and take advantage of Liberty’s miscues. They essentially played a brand of football familiar with fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers – defensively opportunistic, keeping the game close, and leaning on the run game to milk time of possession.
“We prepared for this moment,” Eriq George said. “We emphasize playing hard, and I feel like we did that tonight.”
In the fourth quarter, a touchdown run by junior running back Chris McMillian solidified a 23-7 lead for the Orange and Brown. On Liberty’s next drive, sophomore linebacker Dorian Pringle caught a tipped pass for an interception.
Coming into the game, the Flames had averaged 462.5 yards of offense and 26 points per game across their first two contests. The BG defense held them to 332 yards and seven points on Saturday. Pascal and Pringle combined for fifteen tackles.
“Producing four turnovers and not turning the ball over gave us a chance,” Mike and Jan Wilcox Head Football Coach Eddie George said. “Jackson Kleather had another great day kicking field goals.”
On a negative note, the Falcons were penalized twelve times. Few of these penalties came in big moments, but they amounted to 90 lost yards.
However, the celebratory crowd at Doyt L. Perry Stadium didn’t seem to care. Freddie Falcon got to celebrate his 75th birthday with a win.
The Falcons will look to build on their success next week as they travel to Louisville, Kentucky, to face the Cardinals next Saturday at noon. Coverage can be found at bgfalconmedia.com.
