Disappointment for the Golden Hurricane

Bowling Green shut down the Tulsa offense on Thursday night and scored 21 second-half points as the Falcons garnered a 34-7 victory at Doyt L. Perry Stadium in front of 18,142 fans. Tulsa avoided its first shutout since a 2009 45-0 loss at Oklahoma.
 
The BGSU defense held Tulsa to just 212 yards through the first 45 minutes, and the Hurricane ended the game with its lowest total offense output of 273 yards since gaining 269 yards against Oklahoma in 2009.
 
Tulsa’s lone score came on a 27-yard touchdown toss from Dane Evans to Derek Patterson with just 5:56 remaining in the game. The Hurricane score covered 50 yards in five plays taking just 0:45 off the clock.
 
With a 6-0 halftime lead, Bowling Green took the second-half kickoff 75 yards in six plays in just 2:51 and took a 13-0 on a one-yard run by William Houston.
 
Late in the third quarter, a Tulsa fake punt attempt was stopped dead as Cole Way took the snap and tried running around right end, but was halted for no gain, giving the Falcons the ball at the Tulsa 16-yard line.
 
BGSU scored in four plays to take a 20-0 lead at the 13:52 mark of the fourth period. The Falcons touchdown came on a second one-yard run by the 262-pound Houston.
 
Following a fumbled punt by Trey Watts at the eight-yard line with just over eight minutes to play, the Falcons took just two plays to go ahead 27-0 on the third one-yard TD run by Houston.
 
After Tulsa went three-and-out, BGSU’s Ryan Burbrink took the punt 67 yards for another Falcon touchdown, giving the home team a 34-0 lead with 6:48 remaining in the contest.
 
Tulsa’s defense already missing starting safety Demarco Nelson appeared to lose starting end Derrick Alexander to an injury on the opening kickoff, and later in the first quarter the other starting defensive end Chris Hummingbird was sidelined with an injury. Alexander would return later in the quarter, but Hummingbird watched the rest of the game from the sidelines.
 
Bowling Green put the first points on the scoreboard at the 3:29 mark of the first quarter with a Tyler Tate 34-yard field goal. BGSU had first-and-10 at the Hurricane 16-yard line, but the Tulsa defense forced the field goal allowing just one yard on three downs.
 
Tulsa took the subsequent possession to the BGSU 20-yard line, but a 37-yard field goal attempt by Carl Salazar missed wide right with 1:10 on the first-quarter clock.
 
Tulsa took its’ second possession of the second quarter to the BGSU 11-yard line where the Falcons recovered a Derek Patterson fumble at the two-yard line after a seven-yard gain. The Tulsa defense forced the Falcons to a three-and-out, as the Hurricane started its drive after a Trey Watts 14-yard return at the BGSU 33-yard line.
 
However, Tulsa missed another opportunity to put points on the scoreboard when Salazar missed his 34-yarder wide right with 3:45 left in the first half. Bowling Green took possession and went 70 yards in 16 plays and 3:43 to make the score 6-0 with 0:02 remaining in the first half.
 
At halftime, BGSU held a 6-0 lead while out-gaining the Hurricane 197 to 162 in total offense. The Falcons gained 101 rushing yards and 96 passing yards, while Tulsa had 116 through the air and 46 on the ground. Tulsa was shutout in the first half for the first time since Sept. 24, 2011 when Boise State had a halftime lead of 27-0.