TOLEDO, Ohio – The Bowling Green football team left no doubt in the Battle of I-75 against rival Toledo, as they prevailed, 41-26, at the Glass Bowl. They have now won two of their last three matchups vs. the Rockets, and both have come on the road. The Falcons move to 4-4 (3-1 MAC) on the season and led the entire contest.

BGSU scored touchdowns on three of their first four possessions and outrushed Toledo, 215-102, while forcing two turnovers (both on Jordan Oladokun interceptions) in the game. In the second half, the Falcon defense held the Rockets to just 168 total yards, including 44 on the ground.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Falcon offense needed just five plays to score on their first drive of the game, as Terion Stewart bullied his way in from five yards out to make it 7-0.
• Toledo tied it up with a four-yard scoring pass on a nine-play, 75-yard drive.
• After both teams traded punts, the Falcons cashed in on a Harold Fannin Jr. nine-yard shovel pass up the middle from Connor Bazelak to break the knot.
• The Rockets tacked on a 54-yard field goal early in the second quarter, but BGSU answered in nine plays capped off by a Levi Gazarek two-yard touchdown pass in the left flat from Bazelak to make it 21-10. The score marked the first of Gazerek's career.
• Toledo worked the ball into the endzone on a 14-play, 75-yard drive that took just under six minutes on a 12-yard quarterback keeper.
• With just over a minute left in the half, Jordan Oladokun stepped in front of a throw in the right flat and raced 61 yards untouched for a touchdown, pushing their advantage to 28-17.
• A 27-yard field goal by Toledo with no time remaining in the first half made it a one-score game, 28-20.
• Toledo capitalized on their opening drive of the second half, scoring on a 64-yard pass in just five plays. The two-point conversion failed, and the score remained 28-26.
• Zach Long made a career-long 47-yard field goal on BG's ensuing drive. He also tacked on a 35-yarder early in the fourth quarter to make it 34-26.
• Rahkeem Smith sealed the deal for the Falcons, as he ran in from 19 yards out on a jet sweep to the left side.

— BGSU Football (@BG_Football) October 26, 2024

STAT LEADERS

• Connor Bazelak: 17-of-27, 171 yards, 2 TDs
• Terion Stewart: 21 carries, 99 yards, 1 TD
• Jamal Johnson: 5 carries, 54 yards
• Harold Fannin Jr.: 6 catches, 74 yards, 1 TD
• Malcolm Johnson Jr.: 4 catches, 45 yards
• Rahkeem Smith: 3 catches, 59 yards, 2 attempts, 33 yards, 1 TD, 145 AP yards
• Joseph Sipp Jr.: 11 tackles, 2.0 TFL
• Brock Horne: 10 tackles, 0.5 TFL
• Jordan Oladokun: 3 tackles, 2 INT
   

GAME NOTES

•  Bowling Green won at the Glass Bowl in consecutive trips (2022 and 2024) for the first time in 30 years (1992 and 1994).
• The Falcons have scored 83 points in the last two trips to the Glass Bowl. 
• Scot Loeffler is 3-3 all-time in the Battle of I-75, including winning two of the last three.
• With six receptions, TE Harold Fannin Jr. has at least one reception in 26-straight games.
• Fannin had one receiving touchdown to give him six on the season. He is tied with his own 2023 output for No. 2 on BGSU's single-season ledger for single-season receiving touchdowns by a tight end. 
• With 99 rushing yards RB Terion Stewart surpassed 2,000 career rushing yards. He is the 14th player in BGSU history to reach 2,000 career rushing yards. He is currently No. 13 all-time at BGSU with 2,026 rushing yards.
• CB Jordan Oladokun notched his first interception of the season when he returned it 61 yards for a touchdown. It was his second career "pick-6." He had one at Western Michigan in 2023.
• Oladokun added a second interception for a career high. 
• With 171 passing yards, QB Connor Bazelak surpassed 11,000 yards for his career. He is the 86th player in FBS history to pass for 11,000+ career passing yards.
• TE Levi Gazarek scored his first career touchdown on two-yard pass from Connor Bazelak in the second quarter. 
• PK Zach Long booted a career-long 47-yard field goal in the third quarter. He also connected on a 35-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
• WR Rahkeem Smith had BGSU career-high 145 all-purpose yards. He once had 243 all-purpose yards when he played at Delaware State. 
• WR Trey Johnson had his first career reception, and it went for seven yards.
   

FROM THE LOCKER ROOM
"I am happy for everyone associated with Bowling Green, all the way from the President all the way down to the faculty, the students and obviously our great fans. This is a great game [The rivalry with Toledo] and we are honored to be part of it. It is a classic. I think they say its a top-5 rivalry game in college football. I have a ton of respect for the Toledo players. They fought hard and came up a little bit short. I am super happy for our kids. I thought we played a football game similar to weeks one, two and three. I thought we played team football - great defense, really good offensive football today. We made our kicks - we closed the deal and finished the game, which was great." - Scot Loeffler, BGSU head football coach

 
UP NEXT
Bowling Green will take on Central Michigan in Mount Pleasant on Tuesday, November 5 at 7:30 or 8 p.m.