Ohio kept out of end zone again in blowout loss
Bowling Green shuts out Ohio, 49-0
By Lonnie McMillan / Contributor
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
BOWLING GREEN – Ohio was held to 172 yards and was held without a touchdown for the second straight Tuesday night road game, falling 49-0 to Bowling Green at Doyt Perry Stadium.
The Falcons got two quick stops and scores, taking a 14-0 lead barely more than three minutes into the game and led 35-0 after the first half.
Matt Johnson was 12 of 17 passing for 229 yards and two touchdowns, while Travis Greene carried 22 times for 149 yards and two scores.
After forcing a three-and-out on the game’s opening possession, Bowling Green needed only two plays to find the end zone. Johnson connected to Shaun Joplin for a 43-yard pass and Greene scored on an 11-yard run on the next play.
After Grant Venham’s fake punt run netted only 2 yards on fourth-and-12, Johnson threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Heath Jackson for a 14-0 Falcons lead.
Bowling Green’s third score did not occur so quickly but rather came as part of an 11-play drive and was capped by William Houston’s 1-yard run on third-and-goal.
Houston scored on another 1-yard run early in the second quarter for a 28-point lead before Ohio finally gained a first down on a 16-yard pass from Tyler Tettleton to Troy Hill.
Xavier Hughes had an interception later in the quarter, but Ohio gave the ball back to Bowling Green when Donte Foster fumbled near midfield. That led to a 16-yard Greene run that made it 35-0 before halftime.
Alex Bayer caught a 57-yard touchdown pass from Johnson on the first possession of the second half.
The Bobcats had their best drive of the game at the end of the third quarter into the fourth quarter, but Tettleton was picked off by BooBoo Gates at the goal line and returned to the Ohio 9-yard line. Backup Matt Schilz gave the Falcons a 49-0 lead with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Fred Coppet after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty pushed them back.
With Derrius Vick in at quarterback, Ohio moved 47 yards on 13 plays but had a drive stall out after reaching the red zone.
Tettleton was 15 of 27 for 93 yards. Beau Blaneknship carried nine times for 26 yards.
Bowling Green’s victory and a Buffalo loss to Toledo leaves the Falcons and Bulls tied for first place in the MAC East with the teams closing out the regular season against each other at Buffalo on Nov. 29.
Ohio will try to end its losing streak when it returns home for an 8 p.m. game Tuesday against Kent State.
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