New Mexico State holds off Bowling Green in Quick Lane Bowl

Associated PressDec 26, 2022, 10:40 PM EST
Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
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DETROIT – Diego Pavia threw for 167 yards and two touchdowns, and New Mexico State held off a late rally by Bowling Green to win the Quick Lane Bowl 24-19 on Monday.

The Aggies (7-6) were up 24-7 late in the third quarter, but the Falcons closed the gap in the fourth quarter to make it 24-19 after a field goal, a safety off of a blocked punt and Camden Orth’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Tyrone Broden with 6:27 left.

From there, New Mexico State kept control of the ball for the rest of the game.

New Mexico State coach Jerry Kill, who earned his first victory in six bowl appearances, gave much of the credit for the win to Pavia, who completed 17 of 19 passes, rushed for 65 yards and made three key third-down conversions on the last drive.

“Diego drives me crazy sometimes, but when it comes down to winning, he finds a way to win,” Kill said. “The last couple of runs he made toward the end were flat unbelievable. He just threw his body out there.”

Pavia said the team didn’t panic after Bowling Green scored its final touchdown.

“Really, it was just do your job,” he said. “Whenever anything broke down, it was make a play. So when it comes down to those things I want the ball in my hands. I feel we were successful tonight on it.”

Pavia added that the team was excited to be able to get Kill his first bowl win as a head coach.

“Coach Kill, he’s a winner,” Pavia said. “So for him to have his first one tonight is just crazy. Just because he’s born winning. He doesn’t like to lose.”

Bowling Green (6-7) lost starting quarterback Matt McDonald early in the first quarter when he was hit late by Aggies safety Dylan Early while going out of bounds on a third-down run. He was replaced by Orth, who twice led the Falcons into field-goal range in the first half but Mason Lawler missed both tries.

“I thought Cam went in there and that’s not easy,” Falcons coach Scott Loeffler said. “The whole game plan was built around Matt and I thought he did a great job and particularly in the second half adapting and adjusting.

“No one knows how hard it is to be the backup quarterback. And when you get thrown into the mix like that, we had to adapt and adjust, and we did to give him a chance in the second half.”

The Aggies scored first to make it 7-0 on Pavia’s 15-yard scoring pass to Star Thomas on their first possession of the game. The junior quarterback later added a 2-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter to Eric Marsh.

THE TAKEAWAY

New Mexico State: It’s only the second time in the last 20 seasons that New Mexico State has won at least seven games, the first being 2017 when the Aggies beat Utah State in the Arizona Bowl.

Bowling Green: The Falcons’ defense struggled throughout the season and it carried over into the game. Bowling Green was unable to slow the Aggies’ offense, especially Pavia’s ability to extend plays with his passing and running.

UP NEXT

New Mexico State: After five seasons as an independent, the Aggies join Conference USA. New Mexico State will aim to go to a bowl in back-to-back years for the first time since 1959-60. Their first game next season is Aug. 26, hosting Massachusetts.

Bowling Green: Will be at Liberty on Sept. 2 to start the season. The Falcons will have to replace two key starters in McDonald and defensive end Karl Brooks. McDonald started 29 of Bowling Green’s 30 games since he transferred from Boston College in 2019. Brooks was one of the nation’s leading defensive linemen with 10 sacks and 18 tackles for losses.

Bowling Green stuns Minnesota at homecoming, 14-10

Associated PressSep 25, 2021, 3:10 PM EDT
Harrison Barden-USA TODAY Sports
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MINNEAPOLIS — Quarterback Matt McDonald ran for a pair of scores, and two late interceptions by the Bowling Green defense sealed the win as the Falcons shocked heavily-favored Minnesota, 14-10, on homecoming.

The loss snapped Minnesota’s streak of 21 straight non-conference wins, the longest streak in the country entering Saturday’s game. The Gophers’ last non-conference loss was Sept. 3, 2015 against TCU.

It also marked Minnesota’s first loss to a non-Power 5 conference opponent since losing to North Dakota State on Sept. 24, 2011.

“Give Bowling Green a lot of credit,” said Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck. “I know how excited they are, and they deserve it and they earned it. We did not deserve to win that football game whatsoever.”

Bowling Green came to Minneapolis as 31-point underdogs but used a strong defensive effort to slow down the Golden Gopher offense. Minnesota’s fans booed their team at numerous points in the game, while Falcons players jumped on the field in celebration after the upset was complete.

“I couldn’t be more happy for a group of kids that have really been through a lot,” said Bowling Green head coach Scott Loeffler. “We’ve got the 24-hour rule. We’re going to celebrate for 24 hours, and then we’re going to get back to the office.”

The Gophers had the ball with a chance to take the lead late in the fourth quarter after Bowling Green failed to fall on a muffed punt by Minnesota’s Trey Potts. But one play after recovering the fumble, quarterback Tanner Morgan lofted a deep interception into the hands of Devin Taylor with 2:13 remaining. Morgan threw another pick with 17 seconds remaining.

The Gophers’ passing game struggled all day against the Falcons. Morgan was just 5-of-13 for 59 yards.

“I have to play way better,” said Morgan, who was also sacked four times.

McDonald scored on runs of one and three yards. He was 19-of-35 for 170 yards through the air.

Minnesota’s lone touchdown came on a 19-yard scramble by backup quarterback Cole Kramer.

Saturday was Minnesota’s first loss to a MAC school since losing to Northern Illinois in 2010.

“P.J. Fleck and this Minnesota team is a good football team,” Loeffler said. “They’re going to bounce back.”

NO GROUND GAME, NO PROBLEM

Bowling Green entered Saturday averaging a mere 53 rushing yards per game, second fewest in the country. The Falcons managed just 22 total rushing yards on 25 carries against Minnesota, with McDonald’s 18-yard run the only carry that went for more than seven yards. That run came at a key time, as it helped the Falcons convert on 4th-and-1 to extend their drive.

QB CONUNDRUM

After Morgan’s struggles Saturday, Fleck was asked if there was any chance Minnesota would make a switch at quarterback.

“That hadn’t even crossed my mind at all,” Fleck said.

THE TAKEAWAY

Bowling Green: This was a huge boost for a Bowling Green team that had lost two of its first three games. Few people gave the Falcons a chance in this one, especially after an impressive 30-0 win for Minnesota last weekend against Colorado. But the Falcons never trailed by more than three and took advantage of the Gophers’ mistakes. The ground game remains an issue, but the defense held its own against Minnesota.

Minnesota: There were miscues galore for the Gophers in Saturday’s loss. Minnesota was stuffed on a 4th-and-1 attempt that led to a Bowling Green touchdown. Morgan lost a fumble after an 18-yard run. A roughing the kicker penalty on a Bowling Green punt in the fourth quarter gave the Falcons new life. Those types of mistakes can’t happen in a game where Minnesota was favored by more than 30 points.

UP NEXT

Bowling Green: The Falcons take on Kent State on the road on Oct. 2.

Minnesota: The Gophers head on the road to face Purdue on Oct. 2.