Tuesday, December 30, 2003
Quarterback Josh Harris led the Falcons to a 28-24 win over Northwestern.
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
DETROIT -- Offered a shoot-out Friday, Bowling Green gladly accepted.
The Falcons traded the lead with Northwestern in the fourth quarter of Friday's Motor City Bowl and, accustomed to high-scoring games, held off the Wildcats, 28-24, to win the seventh annual bowl before a record 51,286 fans at Ford Field.
Bowling Green retook the lead for good with 4 minutes, 6 seconds remaining in the game on quarterback Josh Harris' third passing touchdown of the game. He hit wide receiver Charles Sharon with a three-yard touchdown pass to take a 28-24 lead.
Despite a slow start, Harris emerged as the game's hero, throwing for three touchdowns -- all in the second half -- and 386 passing yards.
"They were able to confuse us early and it took us a while to adjust," Harris said. "Luckily, our defense was able to contain them long enough for us to settle down and figure things out."
88-yard kickoff return
Before that, though, it was a game of hot potato. Northwestern's Jason Wright took a kickoff back 88 yards to set up fellow tailback Noah Herron's second touchdown of the game with 10:01 remaining.
Herron's two-yard run gave Northwestern a 24-21 lead.
But Harris kept his team in it. Trailing, 17-7, early in the second half, Harris threw back-to-back touchdown drives. His first went 80 yards in just over five minutes to close Northwestern's lead to 17-14 at the end of the third quarter. The touchdown came on a seven-yard pass to wide receiver Cole Magner.
Then he came back with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Steve Sanders with 11:32 left in the game, pushing Bowling Green to its first lead at 21-17.
"We knew going in that Josh Harris was a special player," Northwestern coach Randy Walker said. "We wanted to make him throw the ball. ... He showed why he's such a great player by having success throwing the ball in the second half."
No secret formula
Northwestern's formula is no secret. Keep the ball low, hand it to the tailbacks and let them work.
Wright, who set a career high in rushing yards in the final regular-season game against Illinois, flew past that Friday, cruising with 231 yards on his first 18 carries.
Bowling Green spent its night in the air, throwing three interceptions, and twice making questionable decisions inside Northwestern's 30-yard line in the first half. That allowed Northwestern to lead, 10-7, at the half.
That's because it took Harris a few minutes to find his rhythm. His first four drives were disasters: an interception (only his fifth of the year), a fourth-down sack and two punts.
But the old Harris returned thereafter, marching the Falcons 67 yards in seven plays, including three passes of 16 yards or more.
When it came down to the red zone, Harris was taking no chances. He kept the ball for a five-yard touchdown sneak, closing Northwestern's lead to 10-7 with 10:41 remaining before halftime.
But the Falcons tempted fate twice. First, they ran a wide receiver option and after being handed the ball by Harris, Magner threw the ball into the hands of Northwestern's Marvin Ward, who made his first career interception.
Then, after getting the ball back with no harm done, BG ran an effective two-minute drill. At least until throwing an end zone pass with 48 seconds left in the half.
Burkes blocks FG try
Fortunately for BG, the offense was bailed out again as Detroit native Jovon Burkes blocked Northwestern's field goal attempt just before the half.
Northwestern, which just squeezed into a bowl game with a 6-6 record, continued to live on the edge in the first half, needing to convert a fourth-and-two from Bowling Green's 40-yard line.
Not surprisingly, the Wildcats kept the ball on the ground. But instead of a draw up the middle to Wright, quarterback Brett Basanez took a chance, pitching to Herron, who broke a few tackles and ended up scoring on the 40-yard run.
"I think our kids knew at halftime that we were still in the game," Falcons coach Gregg Brandon said. "I could tell that they had enough resolve to get it done."
XThe Associated Press contributed to this report.