There have been signs of offensive inconsistencies over the last two weeks for Bowling Green. All had
been forgotten with wins. Photo Gallery
But those inconsistencies finally caught up Saturday afternoon.
Dino Babers lost his first regular-season home game as a head coach as the Falcons’ offense went dry in a
26-14 loss to Western Michigan at Doyt Perry Stadium.
Bowling Green took a 14-13 lead into halftime, but mustered just 91 second-half yards as it saw three of
its six drives result in three-and-outs. The Falcons had five three-and-outs in the game.
“I don’t remember what we did in the second half,” Babers said. “I’m not sure we did much of anything. We
weren’t good today. We were off. We were definitely off. We were missing on all cylinders.”
Bowling Green (5-3, 3-1 Mid-American Conference) struggled in nearly every aspect offensively, totaling
just 274 yards, its second-lowest total of the season. It had 271 yards at Wisconsin.
Trailing 19-14, the Falcons traveled deep into Western Michigan (4-3, 2-1) territory on their opening
drive of the second half. Bowling Green had already converted two fourth downs on the drive. The third,
and what would have been most important, went begging.
James Knapke, facing a 4th-and-goal from the Broncos’ two-yard line, threw a fade to the left corner of
the end zone looking for Heath Jackson who tangled with a Western Michigan defender. The pass fell
incomplete and Bowling Green’s offense never came close to scoring again.
“I knew in my gut that it wasn’t going to be a field-goal game, it was going to be a two-touchdown type
game,” Babers said. “It was a good opportunity to go get it. I wasn’t going to pass it up for a field
goal.
“(It was the) same play that beat Indiana. I think it’s a good play,” Babers added. “There was some stuff
that went on and we didn’t make the play.”
“When we get down to that part of the field we’ve got to get points,” said Knapke, who was 20-of-33 for
139 yards and an interception and a fumble late in the fourth quarter. “We have to make those plays.
Those are the plays you have to make to win games.”
Wide receiver Ryan Burbrink said he felt the emotion of the game change after the turnover on downs. The
Falcons managed just 46 yards the rest of the game.
Bowling Green saw two of its five first-half drives result in touchdowns, including a one-yard touchdown
from Andre Givens to make it 14-13 with 31 seconds to play in the half. It was Givens’ second rushing
score of the day, this one capping a 17-play, 83-yard drive.
The Falcons followed by going three-and-out on three of its first five drives in the second half. The
sixth and final drive ended when Knapke fumbled after a 19-yard run up the middle. The fumble was
reviewed but upheld.
“It looked like from the (video board) in the stadium we were going to be OK,” Babers said. “I guess the
review official saw it another way. … I just looked up there and saw the picture and I started calling
another play. I thought we were going to be OK.
“We had guys open. There were plays to be made out there and we just weren’t making our plays,” he later
said. “We’ve gone through a nice little stretch, we’ve gone through a nice run of every time we needed a
play we made it. And we just didn’t make the plays this time.”
Knapke, under duress for the better portion of the game, had what was likely is worst outing of the
season in a game where Bowling Green held the ball for 20:34, running 64 plays. The Falcons possessed
the ball for just 1:52 in the fourth quarter, which included three drives.
“We didn’t have a winning effort today … and that’s on me,” Knapke said. “I feel like we left a lot of
plays out there that could have changed the game. There were a couple throws here and there that I
should have made. And that’s on me.”
Babers was sure and quick to address the fact that there is not even an inkling of speculation of putting
Knapke on the bench.
“We weren’t going to change personnel, we’re not going to start a quarterback controversy, we’re not
going to do any of that,” Babers said. “If the guy is good enough to beat Indiana, he’s good enough to
beat Western Michigan. It was just a matter of execution. We did not execute well today.”
Western Michigan’s Jarvion Franklin all but sealed the win for the Broncos with a 22-yard scamper through
the heart of the Bowling Green defense, scoring with 7:36 to play, making it 26-14. It was Franklin’s
16th rushing touchdown of the season, which leads the nation. He finished with 149 yards on 37 carries.
NOTES: Linebacker DJ Lynch started and played for the first time since week
two … Wide receiver Ronnie Moore was injured on a kickoff return early in the second half. He did not
return … Bowling Green allowed a season-low 361 yards … Seven different Falcon receivers caught passes,
none of which totaled more than 42 yards … Travis Greene ran for just 46 yards … Joe Davidson punted six
times averaging 41.8 yards per punt … Side judge Matt Kukar was injured and did not return on the
kickoff to open the second half.
