Brett Gabbert threw for 255 yards and three touchdowns for Miami, which will face archrival Ohio in the MAC Championship game on Dec. 7 at Ford Field in Detroit. Miami beat Ohio 30-20 during the regular season.
“We’re gonna keep it simple and just do our job on every play. Nothing special,” Gabbert said. “I’m very lucky. I have phenomenal playmakers at every single position, phenomenal tight ends, phenomenal line so it makes my job way easier when I have those guys on my side.”
Gabbert threw a 30-yard touchdown to Cade McDonald on the first play of Miami’s second drive of the game. The RedHawks inherited a short field after Bowling Green’s John Henderson shanked a punt that traveled just 13 yards.
Henderson made up for the short punt with a 45-yarder that was downed at the 1. Two plays later, the Falcons’ defense recorded a safety tackling Dylan Downing in the end zone for Bowling Green’s first points at 7-2.
The Falcons followed that with a 41-yard field goal from Zach Long to reduce their deficit to 7-5. Miami countered on the following drive going eight plays in 82 yards that ended with Gabbert throwing a 20-yard touchdown to Reggie Virgil.
Bowling Green scored its first touchdown when Jaison Patterson crashed in from the 2 at the end of an 11-play, 92-yard drive to get within 14-12. But on the second play of the ensuing drive, Gabbert threw a 72-yard touchdown to Javon Tracy for a 21-12 lead with 10:35 left in the game.
Keyon Mozee sealed it with a 27-yard touchdown run with 1:52 left.
Alter grad Connor Bazelak threw for 200 yards for Bowling Green (7-5, 6-2).
Bowling Green was trying to win its seventh MAC game for the first time since going 7-1 during the 2015 season. A win would’ve given the Falcons their first appearance in the MAC championship since going to three straight from 2013-15.
Miami head coach Chuck Martin is excited to see the Bobcats (9-3, 7-1) again.
“Now we’ve got a shot against a really good, really good Ohio team and a double Battle of the Bricks,” Martin said. “That’s Christmas twice in one year for both schools. Everybody loves those games on both sides.”
(The Associated Press contributed)
MAC Championship Game
Saturday, Dec. 7
Miami vs. Ohio, Noon, ESPN, 980, 1450
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