UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Bowling Green State University football team put up a valiant effort in Happy Valley against No. 8 Penn State but fell short 34-27. The Falcons took a 24-20 lead into the half after an electric first half. However, the second half saw Penn State reclaim the advantage for the 34-27 final. BGSU moves to 1-1 on the young season with a bye next weekend. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Penn State won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. BGSU received to start the game with the opening kick sailing out of the back of the end zone for a touchback.
• The first play from scrimmage saw Connor Bazelak drop back and find Harold Fannin Jr. for a gain of 30, moving into PSU territory
• Later in the drive, Bazelak located Malcolm Johnson Jr. down the BGSU sideline with a back shoulder throw, gaining 29 and putting BGSU in the red zone.
• On the very next play, Bazelak located Fannin once again, breaking into the end zone on a six-yard touchdown for a 7-0 Bowling Green lead.
• Penn State answered on the ensuing drive to knot the game up at 7-7.
• The Bazelak-Fannin connection carried into the second Bowling Green drive, connecting for a 16-yard gain on the second play of the drive.
• The drive carried down to the Penn State 15, resulting in a 33-yard field goal off the foot of Jackson Kleather for a 10-7 lead.
• The Falcon defense stood strong on the next drive, forcing a three-and-out punt from the Nittany Lions, carrying the 10-7 lead into the end of the first quarter.
• Bazelak and Fannin picked up the second quarter with a 32-yard gain on the first play of the quarter, taking BGSU down to the Penn State 11.
• On third down, Bazelak found Johnson going towards the back left pylon of the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown. Kleather converted the extra point for a 17-7 BGSU lead.
• The Penn State answer came on the next drive to bring the score to 17-14. The Nittany Lions later added a 43-yard field goal to tie the game at 17-17.
• The Falcons were quick to respond. A 13-yard rush by Jaison Patterson was followed by an 18-yard reception for Fannin. From there, Jamal Johnson carried it into the end zone from 41-yards out to put BGSU back on top 24-17, marking his first rushing touchdown of his career.
• Penn State drove down the field, but an Avi McGary tackle for loss halted the drive on third down, forcing a PSU field goal for the 24-20 halftime tally.
• On the opening drive of the second half, a review overturned a Penn State catch to be incomplete on second down. On third, Charles Rosser broke into the backfield for a sack and a loss of 23 yards, forcing the punt.
• The first score of the second half came on a 14-yard pass to swing the lead to Penn State, 27-24.
• On the final play of the third quarter, Jacorey Benjamin hauled in an interception in the end zone for the Falcons, maintaining the 27-24 score going into the fourth.
• Penn State added a score with just over four minutes remaining to push their lead to 34-24.
• The Falcons authored a nine-play drive on the ensuing possession, capped off by a Jackson Kleather 42-yard field goal with 47 seconds left to make it a one score game. BG tried for an onside kick but was unsuccessful.

— BGSU Football (@BG_Football) September 7, 2024

GAME NOTES
• There were 103,861 fans at today's game. That is back-to-back years BGSU has played a game in front of 100k+ fans. In 2023 BGSU played in front 109,955 at Michigan.
• The seven-point loss to Penn State (34-27) is the fewest points the Falcons have lost to a Top-10 Associated Press opponent. The previous low was 16 points to then-No. 2 Oklahoma in 2004 (40-24).
• Bowling Green scored a touchdown on its opening drive of the game, which snapped Penn State's streak of 28 games not allowing an opponent to score a first-drive touchdown. It was the longest active streak in the nation entering the game. BGSU went 75 yards on six plays, capped by a six-yard touchdown reception thrown by Connor Bazelak to Harold Fannin Jr.
 • With 25 completions, QB Connor Bazelak surpassed 900 for his career. He now has 922.
• With two passing touchdowns, Bazelak surpassed 50 for his career. He currently has 50 career passing touchdowns.
• Bazelak finished with 254 passing yards. It is the 29th time in his career that he has thrown for 200+ yards in a game. 
• With 11 receptions, TE Harold Fannin Jr. has a reception in 20-straight game.
• The 11 receptions push Fannin past Gerry Bayless (75) and Quintin Morris (75) for No. 5 all-time at BGSU in career receptions by a tight end.
• With 137 receiving yards, Fannin became the 43rd Falcon to reach 1,000-career receiving yards.
• Fannin also surpassed Christian Sims for No. 4 all-time at BGSU for career receiving yards by a tight end.
• Both the 137 receiving yards and 11 receptions are a career high for Fannin.
• The 137 receiving yards marks the second time in Fannin's career.
• With one receiving touchdown, Fannin moves into a tie for third all-time at BGSU in career receiving touchdowns by a tight end with eight. He shares the mark with Jimmy Scheidler (2007-09). 
• With eight receptions, WR Malcolm Johnson broke his career high for the second game in a row. 
• With 81 receiving yards, Johnson set a career high for receiving yards.
• PK Jackson Kleather connected on a 33-yard field goal in the first quarter. It was his first career field goal attempt and make. He later made a kick from 42 yards.
• RB Jamal Johnson scored on a 41-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter. It is the first career rushing touchdown of Johnson's career. 
• CB Jacorey Benjamin collected his first interception of his BGSU career to end the third quarter. It was his first FBS career interception. He notched six previous ones at the FCS level at Texas Southern. 

STAT LEADERS

• Connor Bazelak: 25-for-39 passing, 254 yards, 2 touchdowns
• Harold Fannin Jr.: 11 receptions, 137 receiving yards, 1 touchdown
• Malcolm Johnson Jr.: 8 receptions, 81 receiving yards, 1 touchdown
• Joseph Sipp Jr.: 8 tackles, 0.5 TFL.
• Charles Rosser: 7 tackles, 1.0 sack 
• CJ Brown: 6 tackles, 1 pass breakup.

FROM THE LOCKER ROOM
"I thought our kids played hard. Offensively in the first half we had an excellent game plan handling the man coverage. We ran the ball fairly well against an unbelievable defense in my opinion. I think they are the best defense in the country. Defensively, I think we made some great adjustments at halftime. We slowed the stretch play down. At the end of the game, those last couple drives we just ran out of bullets. We gave ourselves a shot in the end. The thought process was find a way to score, on-side kick – take a shot and see if you can shock the world."  - Scot Loeffler, BGSU head coach

 
UP NEXT

• The Falcons will be off next weekend before returning to the road to face Texas A&M at Kyle Field on Sept. 21. The game against the Aggies is set for a 7:30 p.m. kick on SEC Network+. BGSU will be back at the Doyt on Sept. 28 to host Old Dominion in a 5 p.m. Homecoming kickoff.