Bulls trip over own feet in loss

You can slow down the giant, but you still have to score.

Bowling Green quarterback and Heisman trophy candidate Omar Jacobs was intercepted twice for the first time in his career on Saturday at UB Stadium, but Jacobs and the Falcons still managed to defeat the Bulls 27-7.

The UB defense was a formidable force that kept Jacobs in check all game, even though some sportswriters predicted Bowling Green would pin as many as 60 points on the Bulls (0-6 overall, 0-3 Mid-American Conference).

Sophomore safety Jesse Imes made a great break on the ball and came away with an interception on Bowling Green's second drive of the game. Cornerback Gemara Williams pitched in with a second quarter interception, marking a season high team tally of two picks.

Jacobs finished the day 18-of-34 for 187 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.

The Bulls defense had its shining points, but several special teams glitches proved to be devastating. UB forced a three-and-out in the first quarter but the Falcons got the ball back after red-shirt freshman linebacker Chris Callahan was flagged for roughing the kicker, giving the Falcons 15 yards and an automatic first down.

Four rushes later, including a 32-yard strike by senior halfback B.J. Lane, and Bowling Green (4-2, 3-0 MAC) was ahead 7-0. UB was again flagged on a punt in the third quarter after a roughing-the-kicker violation by junior linebacker James Vann, setting up Lane's second score of the game. The 201-pound back ended the day with a career-high 141 yards on 25 carries and three touchdowns.

After the game, head coach Jim Hofher said his team "did a very credible job" in competing with Bowling Green, one of the best teams in the conference the past five years,

"Nobody wants to miss, nobody tries to miss," Hofher said. "These guys work very hard at it, and you can't have it both ways. You can't try to block a punt and then say 'Pull off, pull off, pull off.' These guys got to get to the ball and have the correct angle so that if he can't get to the ball, he doesn't roll into the punter."

Although it only translated into seven points, UB's running game was impressive for the first time this season, amassing 198 yards on the ground.

UB's real standout was true freshman fullback Philip Warren. The 270-pound back steamrolled for 92 yards on 17 carries. Warren also scored the Bulls' only touchdown from six yards out early in the second quarter.

"He's a bruiser, man. He was every bit of 270 pounds," said Bowling Green senior defensive tackle Mike Thaler. "I mean he's big, he's strong, he runs hard and he keeps his feet going and we had trouble bringing him down today. The way he was running, if it was fourth-and-ten, I would have given it to him."

UB didn't, however, put the ball in Warren's hands on a crucial fourth-and-one play at the Bowling Green goal line in the second half, a decision that put the coaching staff under scrutiny.

Down 14-7 to start the third quarter, junior running back Jared Patterson took the first carry 30 yards followed by an 18-yard scramble by freshman quarterback Drew Willy. Driving the ball 72 yards into the Falcon's red zone, Warren was stopped a yard shy on third-and-three.

On the ensuing fourth down, the call went to Patterson, who never had a chance to convert as three defenders burst through the line of scrimmage, tackling him for a two-yard loss.

"(Warren) is not first team on that unit. He's learning what we're teaching him, and he's taking it one step at a time," Hofher said.

UB's coaches felt it would have been too obvious to give the ball to Warren if he had been on the field for the one-yard attempt.

"What you have to understand: there are things we do that doesn't predict where the ball goes, doesn't predict if it goes to one side or the other," Hofher said. "It's a check play. When he's the only guy in the backfield everybody knows that if it's a run, he'll carry it."

The Bulls struggled to regain momentum and surrendered two more touchdowns on the ground in the fourth quarter, sealing the victory for the Falcons.

The passing game never got going in the second half. Quarterback Drew Willy faced intense pressure from all angles, going 4-for-12 for 30 yards and two picks after halftime. Willy ended the day 10-of-22, passing for 113 yards.

UB continues its MAC schedule on the road at Toledo this Saturday at 7 p.m.