BUFFALO — Without a fourth-quarter meltdown last season against Buffalo, Dave Clawson might not even be
the head football coach at Bowling Green.
Still Clawson used that game, one in which Buffalo rallied from a 27-7 deficit for a 40-34
double-overtime win, as motivation for the Falcons.
It worked as Bowling Green rallied with two fourth-quarter touchdowns for 30-29 win over Buffalo Tuesday
before 13,202 fans in UB’s Stadium.
“It’s a lot of redemption. That’s something that we talked about going into this game,” said BG senior
quarterback Tyler Sheehan. “We felt they took a lot away from us last year when they really stole it
from us at the end. I think we did the same thing to them this year … It feels nice to get this one
back.”
Clawson was not ashamed to remind the Falcons at every opportunity during preseason drills about the loss
to Buffalo.
“When I took over I told them we were not that far away and if there was anything they could have back
they would love to have back two minutes of the UB game,” Clawson said.
“I always remind them that they were two minutes of the UB game away from playing for a MAC
championship,” he continued. “Every drill that we finish if we do one more rep it was one play away from
going to a MAC championship a year ago.
“In some ways I’m a hypocrite because the only reason I have the job at Bowling Green is that final
minute … Today we made that half-minute play.”
MAHONE: P.J. Mahone made his presence felt Tuesday, returning for a six-game suspension to lead the
Falcons in tackles with 10. He also blocked a punt, which he recovered leading to a touchdown, and he
also recovered BG’s first blocked punt of the game, which also led to a BG TD.
BARNES: With his first reception Tuesday Barnes became BG’s single-season reception leader, passing Cole
Magner who had 99 in 2003.
Barnes, who was averaging 12.4 receptions per game, finished with eight catches for 122 yards.
“We know when we need a big play, he’s going to come down the ball,” Sheehan said.
HUTSON: Ray Hutson played for the first time in a month since suffering a knee injury. He contributed
four receptions for 38 yards for the Falcons.
COMEBACK: Tuesday’s game was the fifth fourth-quarter comeback of Sheehan’s career.
It’s the second one this season as Sheehan rallied the Falcons from a 35-23 deficit at Kent State.
Sheehan completed only 55 percent of his passes against Buffalo, but made the big throw when he needed
and he finished with 313 passing yards.
ROAD WINS: All three of Bowling Green’s Mid-American Conference victories have been on the road.
NEXT: Bowling Green plays at Miami on Nov. 12 with kickoff at 6 p.m.