Underdog Bowling Green scores 38 unanswered points to overwhelm Georgia Tech, 38-27

Updated Sep. 30, 2023 10:37 p.m. ET

Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — While Bowling Green players celebrated a memorable win for their program, Georgia Tech coach Brent Key was left to seek answers for a loss — or explain why the game wasn't even close.

Finn Hogan's 1-handed scoring catch late in the first half gave Bowling Green the lead, Deshawn Jones Jr. returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown and the Falcons upset Georgia Tech 38-27 on Saturday.

“We've got a long way to go,” Key said.

Georgia Tech, favored by 22 1/2 points, was overwhelmed after taking a 14-0 lead. Bowling Green (2-3) scored the next 38 points to claim its first win over an active member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Falcons held the ball more than 42 minutes, more than doubling the time of possession battle.

“As anybody who saw the game knows, it was an embarrassing display of football on our part,” Key said. “As epic of a failure as you can possibly have. All three phases, all aspects of the program didn’t succeed. ... It’s on me to make changes to get this thing fixed.”

Key acknowledged the game "was not even really close after the first two possessions.”

Georgia Tech (2-3) wore black uniforms as a nod to its “Black Watch” defenses of the 1980s. With former coach Bill Curry attending, the Yellow Jackets' effort didn't inspire comparisons to those stingy units.

Bowling Green's powerful running back Terion Stewart ran for 138 yards and a touchdown while Connor Bazelak passed for 263 yards and a score.

The 5-foot-9, 225-pound Stewart made the Mid-American Conference visitors look like the Power Five team as he consistently broke tackles.

Bowling Green scored 38 unanswered points for a 38-14 lead.

“When our mind is right, when our heart is right, when we’re doing things the right way, we’re all right,” said Bowling Green coach Scot Loeffler. “We’re pretty good.”

Haynes King's 15-yard scoring pass to Malik Rutherford with 25 seconds remaining in the third quarter produced the Yellow Jackets' first points since their second possession.

It was a jolting performance for the Yellow Jackets after last week’s 30-16 ACC win at Wake Forest.

“Inconsistency from week to week is not acceptable,” Key said.

THE TAKEAWAY

Bowling Green: The Falcons consistently found ways to convert third downs and extend drives. Bowling Green was successful on 7 of 11 third-down plays in the first half and 10 of 16 for the game. The Falcons held the ball for 42-minutes, 25-seconds, more than 25 minutes longer than the home team.

Georgia Tech: Through two possessions, King was 5 for 5 passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns. King completed a 53-yard scoring pass to Eric Singleton on the Yellow Jackets’ first play. King threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Christian Leary to cap Georgia Tech’s second drive. Following the dominant start for a 14-0 lead, Georgia Tech couldn’t maintain. King completed 23 of 37 passes for 348 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.

THE CATCH

Georgia Tech led 14-10 when Bazelak lofted a pass toward Hogan in the end zone. Georgia Tech safety LaMiles Brooks had his arm around Hogan but still the 6-foot-5 receiver reached with his right hand to pull the ball in and held on for the improbable catch while landing on his back.

“Obviously the catch is cool, but there’s a lot of parts that go into it,” Hogan said. ”... It’s backyard football at that point, so it just gives me an opportunity and that’s my job. I’ve got to go make a play and stuff like that, so I’m just super blessed that he trusted me enough to throw it up there for me.”

EJECTED

Bowling Green safety Darius Lorfils was ejected after he was called for targeting on a late hit on King in the fourth quarter.

MAC-HANDLED

Georgia Tech fell to 1-2 against the MAC with its second loss to a team from the conference in three years. The Yellow Jackets beat Bowling Green 63-17 in 2018 before losing to Northern Illinois 22-21 in their 2021 opener.

UP NEXT

Bowling Green: The Falcons will look for their first MAC win of the season when they play at Miami (Ohio) next Saturday. Bowling Green lost to Ohio in its MAC opener.

Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets, who split their first two ACC games, resume their conference schedule when they play at No. 18 Miami next Saturday.

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