 BOISE, Idaho — Boise State scored touchdowns on each of its first three possessions and Bowling Green could never recover Saturday night, dropping a 20-7 decision to the Broncos.
“We’ve got a damn fine football team. They worked their butts off. They won the second half,” BG head coach Gregg Brandon said about the Falcons. “We just set our jaw at halftime and came out and played guts-out football in the second half and didn’t get it done.”
Bowling Green, now 1-2, entered Boise State territory on seven of its 10 possessions and held a 34:35-25:25 edge in time of possession. However, the Falcons managed only one touchdown.
“The first thing I’d like to say is just how pleased we are right now with our defense,” Boise State head coach Chris Petersen said. “(BG) is one heck of an offense. Those guys can move the ball. There’s a lot more going on out there than you can probably see from the stands — the different formations, the binds they’re trying to create. They’re very smart at Bowling Green with what they do offensively.”
BG missed two field goals in the first half. Then in the fourth quarter, BG lost a fumble and suffered an interception, to keep them from at least a chance of making it closer.
With just over five minutes remaining the Falcons had a first-and-10 at the Boise 32-yard line, but backup quarterback Andrew Beam fumbled with Boise recovering. Beam was in the game after starter Tyler Sheehan had been shaken up on the previous play, a 13-yard pass to Chris Wright on fourth-and-5.
Sheehan then was intercepted with 1:17 remaining on a third-and six play from the Boise 29-yard line.
“We had penalties, turnovers; they killed us, no questions,” Brandon said about two lost fumbles and an interception, and seven penalties for 55 yards. “We just didn’t execute ... It certainly wasn’t because of effort, or lack of.”
BG took the opening kickoff and drove to the Boise 24-yard line, but Sinisa Vrvilo’s 42-yard field goal attempt bounced off the right upright and was no good.
Boise State then responded with a 12-play 76-yard drive for a TD with quarterback Kellen Moore scoring on a 1-yard sneak. The Broncos tired a trick-play on the 2-point conversion, but Jerett Sanderson made the stop on kicker Kyle Brotzman, who had taken the pitch from the holder and was attempting to run for the conversion.
The Falcons lost versatile offensive performer Anthony Turner on their next offensive possession with a shoulder injury. He did not return to the game.
Bowling Green stalled on its second drive, but appeared to be in good position when Nick Iovinelli’s punt was downed at the 4-yard line and then a penalty moved the ball back to the 2-yard line.
However, the Broncos worked out of the hole due in part to a 39-yard pass from Moore to Jeremy Childs, who was back in the lineup after a two-game suspension.
Tailback Ian Johnson capped the 98-yard, 12-play drive with a 1-yard run and with the PAT Boise was up 13-0 with 10:08 to play in the first half.
Bowling Green moved to a first-and-10 at Boise’s 17-yard line on its next possession as the Broncos had a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty and Sheehan made big completions to Freddie Barnes for 18 yards and Tyrone Pronty for 14 yards.
However, after three straight incomplete passes from the 17-yard line, Vrvilo missed a 35-yard field goal.
The Broncos responded with a quick 6-play 80-yard drive using just 1:52. Johnson jump-started the drive with a 53-yard run and later scored on a 6-yard run and Boise was up 20-0 with the PAT.
The teams traded lost fumbles to start the second half as the third quarter was scoreless.
The Falcons finally got on the scoreboard with 11:10 to play in the game on a fourth-and-goal pass from the 4-yard line. Barnes found Jimmy Scheidler for the TD on a play on which Barnes got the ball off a reverse.
However, BG could get no closer. A roughing the passer penalty kept alive Boise’s drive right after BG’s score, costing the Falcons field position and time off the clock. And while BG’s defense was getting stops, the Falcons’ last two possessions ended in turnovers, wiping out any chance for a comeback.
“We took a toll on those guys,” Boise State safety Ellis Powers said. “They were looking for the big play and we came in and shut those (playmakers) out. That breaks an offense’s confidence.”
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