Eastern Illinois vs Bowling Green Recap 9/9/2023
Bowling Green Takes Care of Business in Home Opener
The passing game was indeed fixed this week as the main storyline is Connor Bazelak rebounding from a horrific performance to throw for 319 yards and 3 scores. The defense was a little shaky on long situations but ultimately held EIU to just 15 points, only 3 in the 2nd half. This was an important rebound for a Bowling Green squad that lost the FCS game last year and are facing a TOUGH 3 game stretch here.
Recap
1st Quarter
The game started out as good as it can, the offense moved down the field with Bazelak going 6/6 passing with a 10 yard touchdown to OJ Hilaire. The run game started off not getting much going but the pass protection was much improved from the Liberty game. Bazelak looked like he completely burned the tape from that game and was confident in his throws. Eastern Illinois proved they were here to play by marching down field and scoring a touchdown of their own. The Panthers did miss the PAT so the score was 7-6 as BG and EIU traded punts the following drives to end the quarter.
2nd Quarter
The Falcons started the 2nd quarter off hot too as they went 6 plays, 50 yards to get a 1 yard Terion Stewart rushing TD, his first since 2021. Taron Keith was showing off his running ability and Harold Fannin had a really nice TE screen. The BG defense responded in suite with a 3 and out and the offense then scored again. Austin Osborne finally looks like himself after missing basically all of 2022, Bazelak continued to dice up the defense and Jasion Patterson looked steady as always as the drive ended with a sliding toe drag catch by Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim. An unreal catch and a great throw on the run by Connor when the pocket collapsed. The next drive, Eastern Illinois pulled off a fake punt run and ultimately scored a TD on 4th and 7 at the BG 30. It seemed like the BG of old in terms of being unprepared and not being able to get off the field in advantageous situations. All in all, up 21-12 at half is solid.
3rd Quarter
The Falcons' defense showed resiliency by picking of EIU in the endzone when they were driving to start the 2nd half. Jalen Husky tracked the ball and had the awareness to knee it down in the end zone after the int. BGSU then drove 70 yards in 14 plays which led to an Alan Anaya field goal to extend the lead 24-12. After a nice 3 and out by the defense, the Falcons scored a touchdown in just 3 plays. Bazelak and Keith connected for a 60 yard screen pass, the O line doing a great job blocking down field. The Harold Fannin took a Bazelak pass 19 yards to the house. 31-12 Falcons.
4th Quarter
The Panthers drove into the BG redzone but the Orange and Brown defense forced them to kick and keep a solid lead. Then with QB Cam Orth in the game, the Falcons went 75 yards in 5 plays due to Taron Keith and Austin Osborne which led to another Terion Stewart TD. The defense then forced Eastern to turn it over on downs in BG territory which led the offense to running out the clock.
Offense
Passing
The pass game looked night and day compared to last week. 5 picks last week, 0 this week. Bazelak was 23/28 for 319 and 3 scores. Orth added 2 completions for 59 yards as well. Bazelak looked cool, calm, and collected and showed some mobility as well when the pocket broke down. The O line did not allow a single sack all game. The line seemed to be the normal Kam Stewart, Tunde Fatukasi, Alex Padgett, Bronson Warner, and Alex Wollschlaeger. Nate Pabst, Cedric Dunbar, and Jake Burns also rotated in a bunch during the game. Whatever combination of guys in the trenches seemed to work when pass protecting. The screen game also worked super well. Keith and Fannin caught 6 and 7 balls respectively, both going over 100 yards. Austin Osborne, Abdul-Fatai, and OJ all had good days with the latter two Alabama AM transfers each catching a touchdown.
Running
The run blocking was less stellar than pass pro but still a good day on the ground. As a team, there were 34 rushed for 141 yards and 2 scores. Terion Stewart was the bell cow, getting 10 carries for 51 yards and both touchdowns. The whole committee in the RB got carries, Jaison Patterson, Taron Keith, Nick Mosley, Jamal Johnson, and PaSean Wimberly all got touches.
Defense
The Falcons had a really solid day overall. Holding a team to 15 points is impressive but the pass defense was leaky but also resilient in a bend but don't break kind of way. I was really impressed with 2021 transfer Ali Saad in his ability to get pressures and a sack. Darren Anders, Joseph Sipp, and Darius Lorfils all had 6 tackles. Evan Branch-Haynes the young transfer had 5 as well as Jalen Husky who got the INT. Branch-Haynes, Demetrius Hardamon, Cashius Howell, Ali Saad, Davon Ferguson, Dierre Kelly, and Anthony Hawkins the captain all had sacks. Ferg delivered an electric hit stick in his sack very similar to the one in the Minnesota upset of 2021. Chace Davis is also a rotation guy who I thought played hard and could be a rotational player to watch out for.
Special Teams
I despise when we try to return kicks. Jack Sauder was doing the kickoffs and did solid except one, Alan Anaya was 5/5 in PATs and 1/1 in field goals. Sami Sir had a really good pin punt and had a very impressive day in his few punts. The punt coverage team had some nice tackles with 2 transfer WRs in Finn Hogan and Dom Grguric showing the effort and culture of this team as represented in special teams work.
Takeaways
This was a needed performance. Typically you do not get brownie points for FCS wins but we lost this game last year and NIU and Buffalo could not beat their FCS schools. The QBs needed confidence and this team needed to show that they can handle business against a lesser opponent. I expect the same thing against some of the MAC bottom teams like Akron and Western Michigan. This O line is looking much better than in recent years and if Bazelak stays this collected and sharp there is no doubt this team can still go bowling. We have the best RB room in the group of 5 and our pass catchers are very talented. OJ, Abdul, Osborne, and Fannin are scary good for Bowling Green standards and if Connor can step up and lead the troops, Coach Loeffler may pull off something special this year. Just like 90% of teams in football, the QB and the O line will decide how far this team goes.
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