Flashes fall in final seconds

KENT, Ohio - Bowling Green quarterback Tyler Sheehan scored on a 9-yard quarterback draw with just five seconds left in the game to lead the Falcons to a 36-35 come-from-behind victory over Kent State in front of 15,211 at Dix Stadium, spoiling the Golden Flashes' Homecoming.

Sheehan completed 44-of-63 passes for 505 yards, all new school records, and four touchdowns in the game. But, it was wide receiver Freddie Barnes that really hurt the Golden Flashes. Barnes set school and Dix Stadium records with 22 receptions for 278 yards and he added three touchdowns; two in the fourth quarter.

"Last week I let us down, so this week I felt like I had to step it up and that's really what it was all about," said Barnes who dropped a touchdown pass in the Falcon's 44-37 loss to Ohio last week.

Kent State (2-4 overall, 1-1 in the Mid-American Conference) scored on its first play from scrimmage when wide receiver Sam Kirkland ran a reverse 86 yards to put the Golden Flashes up 7-0.

Later in the first quarter, Kevin Hogan blocked a Jerry Phillips field goal attempt. Will Johnson recovered for the Flashes and pitched the ball to teammate Quinton Rainey, who ran 82 yards for another Kent State touchdown.

Bowling Green rallied in the second quarter to take a 17-14 lead at halftime.

Sheehan threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Adrian Hodges then hit Barnes on an 8-yarder.Matt Norsic added a 21-yard field goal.

Kent State started the second half with an 11-play, 53-yard scoring drive, capped by a 3-yard pass from freshman quarterback Spencer Keith to classmate Dri Archer. Keith completed 10-of-20 passes for 141 yards and one score in the game.

Sophomore Josh Pleasant then picked off a Sheehan pass and returned it to the Bowling Green 12. Jacquise Terry scored on the next play to increase Kent State's lead to 28-17 with 3:44 left in the third quarter.

Bowling Green came right back when Sheehan found Barnes for a 2-yard score. The Falcons failed to convert a two-point conversion, leaving the Golden Flashes' lead at 28-23.

Keith connected with Kendrick Pressley for a 58-yard gain on first down and Terry finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run to put Kent State up 35-23 with 12:08 left to play.

Terry, who rushed 18 times for 81 yards, recorded the first multiple touchdown game of his career.

The Falcons drove the ball to the Kent State 15, but failed to convert a fourth-and-10. Kent State moved the ball to the 33, where sophomore Matt Rinehart set up to punt. The snap bounced at his feet, but he managed to recover the loose ball and got off a 27-yard kick. Barnes fielded the punt and returned it to the Kent State 45.

"We got a bad snap on the punt, which resulted in a really short kick. But you can't give up a touchdown in one play right there," said Kent State head coach Doug Martin. "They made a great play and we didn't."

On the next play, Sheehan tossed a short pass to Barnes, who broke three tackles then stiff-armed Pleasant on his way into the end zone for a 45-yard touchdown that cut Kent State's lead to 35-30 with 4:29 left in the game.

Kent State tried to move the chains, throwing the ball on second and third down. But, both of Keith's passes fell incomplete and the Golden Flashes punted the ball back to the Falcons.

"I just rushed them and made bad passes," Keith said. "I'm just going to forget it and move on to next week."

Rinehart's punt bounced off the chest of Bowling Green return man Willie Geter and right into the arms of Barnes, who returned the ball to the Falcons' 26.

Sheehan then engineered the Falcons' game-winning drive. The 14-play drive covered 74 yards and left just five seconds on the clock.