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Penn State was losing to Bowling Green 24-20 at halftime. The Falcons’ offense was on fire early in the game.
The Nittany Lions will need a big comeback in the second half to avoid losing at home.
Head coach James Franklin demanded more effort from his team. Both offense and defense needed to step up in the final two quarters.
“They’re doing a great job offensively. Their offense on first down is staying on schedule. We haven’t been good enough on third down, had a penalty, had a drop ball, we’ll get those things cleaned up,” Franklin said heading out of the tunnel after halftime.
“You’ve got to give Bowling Green a ton of credit, very similar to some other games they’ve had. … We’ve got to play better out first down to get them off schedule, and we’ll be fine.”
Former Missouri and Indiana quarterback Connor Bazelak was impressive. He completed 16 of 20 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns.
Bowling Green also gained 90 rushing yards thanks to Jamal Johnson and Jaison Patterson.
On the first play, Bazelak connected with Harold Fannin Jr. for 30 yards. This helped the Falcons lead Penn State 17-7 at one point.
The Nittany Lions fought back, scoring 13 points before halftime but still trailed by four points.
Penn State took the lead for the first time midway through the third quarter. Quarterback Drew Allar found Nick Singleton for a 14-yard touchdown pass, making it 27-24.
The Nittany Lions seemed in control late in the third quarter. However, an interception by Allar in the end zone gave Bowling Green another chance.
After several stalled drives from both teams, Singleton broke free for a 41-yard touchdown with four minutes left. This sealed the game for Penn State.
Penn State now stands at 2-0 this season. They will face Kent State in Week 3, hoping for an easier game than against Bowling Green.
