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Blogs:
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Pet telethon re-airs
The Heldenfiles:
Chipmunks "Squeakquel" on DVD/BD March 30
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Late surge gives Zips ugly road win
Tribe Matters:
Blogmail response on Hafner
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Stallworth's contract terminated
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QB in Browns future: another mock draft
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – February 9
Cleveland Cavaliers:
NBA Power Rankings from Around the Internet
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Buckeyes grab 18 players on signing day
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Garfield at Buchtel basketball
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Palin At The Tea Party Convention
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Republican Pre-Conditions
Akron Law Café:
Citizens United v. F.E.C. (Part 4): Kennedy's and O'Connor's Basic Approaches to Constitutional Decisionmaking – Top Down and Bottom Up
Car Chase:
Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
Sound Check:
Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
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Track HR Research
Akron Gamer:
Makers of 'Castle Crashers' unveil 'BattleBlock Theater'
See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
By Tom Gaffney
Beacon Journal sports writer
POSTED: 08:44 p.m. EST, Nov 17, 2009
Bowling Green has hit its defensive stride in salvaging a season that looked bleak just six weeks ago.
After losing to Ohio University 44-37 at home on Oct. 3, the Falcons stood 1-4 and were facing the prospects of playing four Mid-American Conference road games in October and November.
Bowling Green won all four of those away games, only losing at home to Central Michigan in that stretch, to move to 5-5 overall, and 4-2 in the MAC headed to a home game Friday against the University of Akron.
The Falcons have had severe defensive woes for much of the season but turned that around in victories over Buffalo on Nov. 3 and Miami last Thursday.
''We have played our best six quarters of defense the last game and a half. . .the second half at Buffalo and at Miami,'' first-year coach Dave Clawson said. ''It's been the most complete defensive effort we have had this year. We are getting better.''
Against Buffalo, the Falcons trailed 21-13 at the half but held the Bulls to one touchdown in the second half to win 30-29. Against Miami, the Falcons allowed a season-low 295 total yards and had six sacks in a 35-14 triumph.
Bowling Green had only 10 sacks in its first eight games but had a total of eight against Buffalo and Miami.
''It took a little longer than we would have liked, but I think we are playing better defense,'' Clawson said. ''We need to make sure that continues this week.''
Offensively, Bowling Green has been a force all season, especially in the passing game.
Led by senior quarterback Tyler Sheehan and senior receiver Freddie Barnes, the Falcons are fourth in the nation in passing yards, averaging 324.7 per game.
Sheehan has thrown for 3,189 yards, which is the second-best figure in the country. Barnes leads all Football Bowl Subdivision receivers with a MAC-record 117 catches and is second in receiving yards with 1,285.
''It's been a lot of fun to watch them,'' Clawson said. ''I don't know where we would be without them this year.''
The Falcons are tied for third place with Kent State in the MAC East, and it appears either leader Temple (8-2, 6-0) or second-place Ohio (7-3, 5-1) will advance to the conference title game.
But the Falcons, with home games left against the Zips (2-8, 1-5) and Toledo (4-6, 2-4) could still qualify for a bowl if they finish 7-5.
In other MAC developments:
Ohio — Kicker Matt Weller, a redshirt freshman from Twinsburg High, kicked a 47-yard field goal with 1:25 left to give the Bobcats a 27-24 win at Buffalo on Nov. 10. Weller now has made 17-of-22 field goals and 22-of-23 conversions for a team-high 73 points. ''He has been absolutely fantastic for us,'' OU coach Frank Solich said. ''Playing conditions, wind, distance, timeouts. Those type of things are not a problem. He is a very mature kicker at a very young age. Obviously, through his career, he is not going to make every single one. But he gives you a chance every time he lines up for one.'' Ohio is second in the MAC-East to Temple and has a brutal stretch run, playing MAC-West runner-up Northern Illinois on Saturday and leader Temple on Nov. 27. Both are at home.
Central Michigan (8-2, 6-0) — Senior quarterback Dan LeFevour continued to climb NCAA career charts last Wednesday in a 56-28 victory over Toledo. He completed 29-of-36 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns. He also scored four rushing touchdowns, all on 2-yard runs. He now has 1,058 career completions, which is ninth in NCAA annals, and 92 touchdown passes, which is 16th. In addition, LeFevour now has 45 career rushing touchdowns, which is a school record. With the win over Toledo, CMU has eight or more wins for four consecutive seasons, the first time that has happened since 1977-80.
Toledo — Quarterback Aaron Opelt has had an injury-plagued senior season, but will still finish as one of the most prolific passers in school history. In the 56-28 loss to Central Michigan, he completed 14-of-22 passes for 128 yards and one touchdown before leaving in the third quarter when he reinjured his right shoulder. Opelt, who is from Fremont Ross High School, now has 627 career completions (second all-time at UT), 1,069 attempts (second) for 6,798 yards (fourth) and 46 touchdowns (third).
Miami (1-10, 1-6) — The Red-Hawks will be the first MAC team to finish their season when they play Buffalo at home tonight. The only Miami win of the season came on Halloween, beating Toledo 31-24. One of the primary problems for Miami this season has been an offensive line that has allowed 52 sacks, which is the most in the MAC by a significant margin. The next most allowed is 28 by Ball State.
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com.
Bowling Green has hit its defensive stride in salvaging a season that looked bleak just six weeks ago.
After losing to Ohio University 44-37 at home on Oct. 3, the Falcons stood 1-4 and were facing the prospects of playing four Mid-American Conference road games in October and November.
Bowling Green won all four of those away games, only losing at home to Central Michigan in that stretch, to move to 5-5 overall, and 4-2 in the MAC headed to a home game Friday against the University of Akron.
The Falcons have had severe defensive woes for much of the season but turned that around in victories over Buffalo on Nov. 3 and Miami last Thursday.
''We have played our best six quarters of defense the last game and a half. . .the second half at Buffalo and at Miami,'' first-year coach Dave Clawson said. ''It's been the most complete defensive effort we have had this year. We are getting better.''
Against Buffalo, the Falcons trailed 21-13 at the half but held the Bulls to one touchdown in the second half to win 30-29. Against Miami, the Falcons allowed a season-low 295 total yards and had six sacks in a 35-14 triumph.
Bowling Green had only 10 sacks in its first eight games but had a total of eight against Buffalo and Miami.
''It took a little longer than we would have liked, but I think we are playing better defense,'' Clawson said. ''We need to make sure that continues this week.''
Offensively, Bowling Green has been a force all season, especially in the passing game.
Led by senior quarterback Tyler Sheehan and senior receiver Freddie Barnes, the Falcons are fourth in the nation in passing yards, averaging 324.7 per game.
Sheehan has thrown for 3,189 yards, which is the second-best figure in the country. Barnes leads all Football Bowl Subdivision receivers with a MAC-record 117 catches and is second in receiving yards with 1,285.
''It's been a lot of fun to watch them,'' Clawson said. ''I don't know where we would be without them this year.''
The Falcons are tied for third place with Kent State in the MAC East, and it appears either leader Temple (8-2, 6-0) or second-place Ohio (7-3, 5-1) will advance to the conference title game.
But the Falcons, with home games left against the Zips (2-8, 1-5) and Toledo (4-6, 2-4) could still qualify for a bowl if they finish 7-5.
In other MAC developments:
Ohio — Kicker Matt Weller, a redshirt freshman from Twinsburg High, kicked a 47-yard field goal with 1:25 left to give the Bobcats a 27-24 win at Buffalo on Nov. 10. Weller now has made 17-of-22 field goals and 22-of-23 conversions for a team-high 73 points. ''He has been absolutely fantastic for us,'' OU coach Frank Solich said. ''Playing conditions, wind, distance, timeouts. Those type of things are not a problem. He is a very mature kicker at a very young age. Obviously, through his career, he is not going to make every single one. But he gives you a chance every time he lines up for one.'' Ohio is second in the MAC-East to Temple and has a brutal stretch run, playing MAC-West runner-up Northern Illinois on Saturday and leader Temple on Nov. 27. Both are at home.
Central Michigan (8-2, 6-0) — Senior quarterback Dan LeFevour continued to climb NCAA career charts last Wednesday in a 56-28 victory over Toledo. He completed 29-of-36 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns. He also scored four rushing touchdowns, all on 2-yard runs. He now has 1,058 career completions, which is ninth in NCAA annals, and 92 touchdown passes, which is 16th. In addition, LeFevour now has 45 career rushing touchdowns, which is a school record. With the win over Toledo, CMU has eight or more wins for four consecutive seasons, the first time that has happened since 1977-80.
Toledo — Quarterback Aaron Opelt has had an injury-plagued senior season, but will still finish as one of the most prolific passers in school history. In the 56-28 loss to Central Michigan, he completed 14-of-22 passes for 128 yards and one touchdown before leaving in the third quarter when he reinjured his right shoulder. Opelt, who is from Fremont Ross High School, now has 627 career completions (second all-time at UT), 1,069 attempts (second) for 6,798 yards (fourth) and 46 touchdowns (third).
Miami (1-10, 1-6) — The Red-Hawks will be the first MAC team to finish their season when they play Buffalo at home tonight. The only Miami win of the season came on Halloween, beating Toledo 31-24. One of the primary problems for Miami this season has been an offensive line that has allowed 52 sacks, which is the most in the MAC by a significant margin. The next most allowed is 28 by Ball State.
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com.
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