BOWLING GREEN — Here was our quarter-by-quarter analysis as the action happened in Thursday’s Bowling Green’s football season opener.
Team stats can be found at the bottom of the article.
FIRST QUARTER
■ What happened : The Falcons couldn’t have gotten off to a better start as Justin Pegues returned the opening kickoff a program-record 100 yards for a touchdown, and they kept up the strong play the rest of the quarter.
Pegues, a junior running back and transfer from Tennessee Tech, ran up the right sideline, got through a wall of players, and received a couple of great blocks from a teammate en route to finding the end zone. The PAT was off the mark, but BGSU took a 6-0 lead just 12 seconds into the game.
BGSU running back Terion Stewart capped off a 10-play, 78-yard scoring drive with a 7-yard touchdown run to make it 13-0 with 8:20 left in the quarter. Redshirt freshman quarterback Lucian Anderson III added a 13-yard touchdown run on his first play of the game with nine seconds left to extend the Falcons’ lead to 20-0.
The Falcons’ defense had three sacks, as well. Offensively, BGSU had a 171-42 advantage in total yards.
■ Analysis : Pegues’ kickoff return for a touchdown set the tone for the Falcons, who did just about anything it wanted to offensively. With the exception of a few penalties, BGSU played nearly perfect football in its first quarter of the season.
SECOND QUARTER
■ What happened: BGSU tacked on another score early in the quarter to extend its lead.
Quarterback Connor Bazelak ran it in from 8 yards out to give the Falcons a 27-0 lead with 9:54 left. BGSU went 38 yards on eight plays in the scoring drive. Justin Pegues’ 25-yard punt return helped the Falcons start in Rams’ territory.
Fordham’s Bennett Henderson kicked a 24-yard field goal as time expired to put the Rams on the board.
Overall, BGSU had a 234-140 advantage in total yards. Neither team had a turnover, and BGSU’s first and only punt of the half came with five minutes left.
■ Analysis : Fordham found some success offensively in the run game with Julius Loughridge, who finished the half with 108 rushing yards on 12 carries. BGSU, however, is doing a great job in limiting Fordham quarterback C.J. Montes, who is just 5 of 9 passing for 47 yards. As long as the Falcons continue their strong play, they will open the season with a victory for the first time since 2019.
THIRD QUARTER
■ What happened: After a couple of big plays helped Fordham find the end zone on its first possession, BGSU bounced back with a score of its own late in the quarter with the help of a fake punt.
C.J. Montes’ shovel pass to Julius Loughridge resulted in a 44-yard gain, and on the next play, Montes found Cole Thornton for a 30-yard touchdown to cut Fordham’s deficit to 27-10 with 13:35 left.
BGSU’s Terion Stewart scored from 7 yards out with 1:21 left to make it 34-10 BGSU. Falcons’ punter John Henderson ran 28 yards on a fake punt on fourth-and-24 from the BGSU 49 to keep the drive alive.
■ Analysis : BGSU’s gamble on the fake punt paid off in a big way and gave the Falcons a much-needed score to slow down Fordham’s momentum. Loughridge has proven to be a problem for BGSU, and Montes’ scrambling ability has extended some drives for the Rams, as well.
FOURTH QUARTER
■ What happened: For the first time since 2019, BGSU is 1-0 as the Falcons rolled to a convincing season-opening win over Fordham.
Terion Stewart’s 73-yard rushing touchdown with 7:28 left — his third score of the game — put the Falcons ahead 41-10. Overall, he finished with 161 rushing yards on just 14 carries.
Neither team had a turnover. BGSU also didn’t allow a sack.
■ Analysis : A balanced attack offensively, coupled with some big special teams plays and timely defensive stops, powered BGSU to a solid win. The Falcons’ deep and talented running back room was impressive in both the run game, passing game, and special teams. BGSU’s response after Fordham scored 10 straight points to pull within 17 early in the third quarter was key.
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