Kent State University
3-5 , 2-2
Bowling Green
6-2 , 4-0
Team Stats
BGSU 7, KENT 0
BGSU - JOHNSON, Matt 4 yd run (TATE, Tyler kick), 14 plays, 75 yards, TOP 5:20
BGSU 14, KENT 0
BGSU - MOORE, Ronnie 24 yd pass from JOHNSON, Matt (TATE, Tyler kick) 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:40
BGSU 21, KENT 0
BGSU - BURBRINK, Ryan 11 yd pass from JOHNSON, Matt (TATE, Tyler kick) 10 plays, 85 yards, TOP 2:56
BGSU 24, KENT 0
BGSU - TATE, Tyler 22 yd field goal 10 plays, 51 yards, TOP 3:09
BGSU 31, KENT 0
BGSU - MOORE, Ronnie 58 yd pass from JOHNSON, Matt (TATE, Tyler kick) 6 plays, 78 yards, TOP 1:55
BGSU 34, KENT 0
BGSU - TATE, Tyler 25 yd field goal 5 plays, 19 yards, TOP 1:23
BGSU 41, KENT 0
BGSU - LEWIS, Roger 64 yd pass from JOHNSON, Matt (TATE, Tyler kick) 2 plays, 77 yards, TOP 0:31
BGSU 48, KENT 0
BGSU - LEWIS, Roger 15 yd pass from JOHNSON, Matt (TATE, Tyler kick) 9 plays, 57 yards, TOP 3:20
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Battle for MAC East lead goes to Bowling Green
10/24/2015 5:09:00โฏPM | Football
Bowling Green's offense lived up to its reputation while remaining at the top of the Mid-American Conference East Division standings with a 48-0 victory over Kent State on Saturday at Dix Stadium.
"It was a disappointing game," said Kent State head coach Paul Haynes, whose Golden Flashes fell to 3-5 overall and and remained in a second-place tie with Ohio University in the East Divisionย at 2-2 in MAC play. "We didn't play very well today, but I give Bowling Green a lot of credit. They are a very good team โฆ We can analyze it all we want, but they are a good football team and we didn't play our best. This is what happens when you play a very good football team and don't play your best."
Falcons quarterback Matt Johnson, who is ranked No. 1 in the nation in passing, threw for five touchdowns during a 430-yard day. He also ran for a 4-yard touchdown to cap an opening drive that provided an early turning point.
Kent States's defense โ ranked No. 1 in the MAC in total defense this week โ walked off the field almost five minutes into the game thinking it had scored an early victory by holding the Falcons scoreless on a drive deep into KSU territory. Instead, when Najee Murray was flagged for running into BGSU kicker Tyler Tate on a short field goal that had sailed wide right, the defense was forced to trot back onto the field.
A few plays later, Johnson scrambled into the end zone for a score that would be all the Falcons needed to improve to 6-2 overall and 4-0 in MAC play.
"Those are penalties you can't have, especially when you get stops," said Haynes. "But (Murray) was just playing hard. I can't be upset with him for that. He was trying to make a playโฆand he made one later."
Bowling Green led 14-0 after the first quarter and 31-0 by halftime thanks to Johnson touchdown passes of 24 yards to Ronnie Moore and 11 yards to Ryan Burbrink. Tate added a 22-yard field goal.
Falling behind early put Kent State's offense in an uncomfortable position. Instead of sticking with the keep-away gameplan that worked so well in a 15-10 win at UMass last week, the Flashes were forced to become one-dimensional.
"The game got into one that is not our type of (situation)," Haynes admitted. "We are not scoring a bunch of points right now, so it was difficult for us to stay in itโฆWe are behind a little bit on offense right now. We aren't there yet. But we will get there."
The second half saw Johnson connect with Moore again on a 58 yard score and with Roger Lewis on touchdown throws of 64 and 15 yards.
Kent State's day was highlighted by Terence Waugh's ninth sack of the season. Waugh began the day ranked No. 8 in the nation.ย
Murray also blokced a Tate field goal late in the second quarter.
In his second career start for Kent State, redshirt freshman quarterback George Bollas completed 12-of-25 passes for 111 yards and two interceptions.ย
Freshman Antwan Dixon led the Flashes in receiving with 52 yards on four catches after missing last week's game at UMass to injury. Fellow freshman P.J. Simmons led KSU in rushing with 48 yards on five carries from his wide receiver position.ย
The No. 1-ranked team in the MAC in total offense out-gained Kent State 602-to-166, running 91 plays to the Flashes' 51 while dominating time of possession 33:47-to-26:13.
"There's still fight in the team," junior safety Nate Holley said.ย "We don't quit and we won't quit. There are leaders on this team that won't allow us to quit. Me, personally, I won't allow us to quit.ย There's a lot of positives to build off for the rest of the season. We can win out and hope for the best."
The Golden Flashes, who were tied for second place with Ohio at the start of the day, will return to action on Thursday, Nov. 5 when Buffalo visits Dix Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Kent State Postgame Notes
- Junior Terence Waugh upped his MAC-leading sack total to 9.0 and tackle for loss total to 11.0.
- Junior Najee Murray recorded Kent State's first blocked field goal since 2013.
- Senior Anthony Melchiori has had a punt of 54 or more yards in 6-of-8 games.
- Redshirt freshman George Bollas had a career-long 40-yard pass.
- Freshman Antwan Dixon had a career-long 40-yard catch.
- Junior Nate Holley hit the 15-tackle mark for the third time this season.ย He led both sides with 16 tackles
- Kent State's three senior specialists served as game captains: Anthony Melchiori, April Goss and Chad Bushley.
- The Flashes allowed more than one sack in a game for the first time since Game 4 (at Virginia) of 2014.
- Redshirt freshman Zaquon Tyson made his first career catch, becoming the 16th Kent State player with a catch this season.
