COLUMBIA, Mo.. — Things were going along just fine for Bowling Green Saturday evening against No. 25
Missouri.
The Falcons scored on the opening drive of the second half to take a 20-6 lead. BG’s defense held the
Tigers on the ensuing possession and the Falcons quickly got the ball back.
Then on a second-and-1 play from the Missouri 49-yard line, the Falcons were hit with an 15-yard illegal
chop block penalty.
Bowling Green never recovered from that key penalty and Missouri rallied for a 27-20 victory over the
upset-minded Falcons.
“The real turning point in the game was, we got the ball back on the second drive in the second half. We
had a second-and-one and we were going for the jugular, we were trying to end the game there,” BG head
coach Dave Clawson said. “We took a shot, and we got called for the chop block. So instead of
third-and-one, now we were second-and-16.
“And you say the game changed on the play, it might have been that play. That’s when I thought the
momentum really swung away from us.”
The Falcons managed only 61 yards in total offense after the key penalty.
Without any consistent offense from the Falcons, Missouri was able to take control of the game using its
offensive line to wear down the Bowling Green defense.
Missouri’s three second-half scoring drives were a combined 28 plays for 220 yards taking 9:14 off the
clock. The Tigers pulled to within 20-13 ,scoring in the final minute of the third quarter. Missouri
tied the game at 20 with 10:15 remaining to play and went ahead with 5:38 left in the game.
“When it’s 20-6 about five minutes into the third quarter, obviously it’s a big gut check time for our
football team. I thought we responded well … We started moving the football and got some momentum
going,” Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel said.
Derrick Washington did most of the damage on the ground for the Tigers, rushing 23 times for 120 yards in
the game while scoring what proved to be the game-winning touchdown. Kendail Lawrence added 49 yards on
seven carries.
“It sure as heck helped us. That opened up the passing game and without that running game, we were just
stalling,” said Missouri’s starting center Tim Barnes. “So once we got that running game going it opened
up our offense and got us running on all cylinders.”
Missouri finished with more rushing yards (181) than passing yards (172).
“They really stepped up in the second half, compared to the first. They got a little bit more physical it
seemed,” BG defensive end Angelo Magnone said about Missouri’s offensive line. “We kind of got away from
our game plan. We missed some assignments on the line and gave away some big plays.”
Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert was very effective in the second half. He completed 9-of-10 passes
when Missouri went from down 20-6 with 4:50 left in the third quarter until the Tigers went up 27-20
with 5:38 left in the fourth quarter.
“We had to get our offense on a roll in the second half because we didn’t execute in the first half. We
had to open up some running lanes. And Derrick and Kendial ran extremely hard and that opened up the
passing game in the second half,” Gabbert said.
Bowling Green had the ball twice after Missouri went ahead 27-20, but a false start penalty led to a BG
punt with less than three minutes remaining to play. BG’s defense then forced a three-and-out and got
the ball back with 1:36 and no time outs left. Sheehan hit two passes, but a fourth-and-three effort was
incomplete and Missouri ran the final 50 seconds off the clock.
“I think we played good enough to win, the outcome just didn’t happen,” Sheehan said. “With a loss it’s
always a collective effort as much as a win is also a collective effort.”
The Falcons started the game strong taking a 13-0 lead.
Sheehan’s 11-yard pass to Ray Hutson gave the Falcons a 7-0 lead with 2:52 remaining in the first
quarter.
The Falcons got the ball back two plays later as Cody Basler sacked Gabbert with Carlos Tipton recovering
for the Falcons at the Missouri 22-yard line. However, BG gained only three yards on three plays and
Jerry Phillips kicked a 37-yard field
Early in the second quarter, Jahmal Brown jarred the ball loose from Missouri punt returner Carl Gettis
with long snapper Neal Dahlman recovering at the Missouri 18-yard line.
This time an illegal shift penalty wiped out a first down and the Falcons had to settle for a 32-yard
field goal.
Also in the first half, BG’s Roger Williams had a 47-yard kickoff return to the Missouri 49-yard line,
but the Falcons were hit with a holding penalty on a first down play which wiped out a big gain and they
were forced to punt.
“We definitely missed opportunities,” Sheehan. “We had the ball in clear touchdown zone and we shot
ourselves in the foot with a lot of the stuff we did.”
Front page caption: Bowling Green’s Ray Hutson, right, slips past Missouri’s Brian Coulter, left, as he
scores a touchdown during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009,
in Columbia, Mo. (AP photo/L.G. Patterson)