BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — In an exciting showdown on Tuesday night, quarterback Connor Bazelak played a pivotal role in leading Bowling Green to a 31-13 victory over Western Michigan, contributing to the team’s surge to a half-game lead in the Mid-American Conference standings.

Bazelak’s notable performance included three touchdowns, starting with a 25-yard pass to Harold Fannin Jr. with just over five minutes remaining in the first half, which shifted the momentum and put the Falcons ahead 10-7—a lead they maintained for the rest of the match.

Following a key interception by Jacorey Benjamin, who picked off Hayden Wolff right after the Broncos’ drive began, Bazelak quickly capitalized by scoring a touchdown himself shortly after a 23-yard run by Terrion Stewart brought the ball to the one-yard line.

The Falcons continued their offensive onslaught after halftime, marching down the field for a 65-yard drive that culminated in Stewart running it in from 17 yards, extending their lead to 24-7. Bazelak later connected with Fannin again for a final 10-yard touchdown reception.

Terrion Stewart was a significant force in the ground game, finishing with a total of 150 rushing yards on just 15 carries and scoring once. Meanwhile, Fannin had a standout performance with 137 yards on 10 catches, including two touchdown receptions.

Western Michigan initially took the lead in the game when Jalen Buckley scored from six yards out, pushing the score to 7-3 with about ten minutes left in the first half. Buckley ended the game with 73 rushing yards on 17 carries, also scoring twice for the Broncos.

Both teams entered the contest tied for first place in the MAC, with Bowling Green holding a record of 6-4 and 5-1 in conference play, while Western Michigan fell to 5-5 and 4-2 respectively. The outcome of this game places Bowling Green in a favorable position as they look ahead to their next challenges, competing against Miami (Ohio) and Ohio, who play their own matches on Wednesday.

Historically, Bowling Green had faced a tough stretch against Western Michigan, losing six of their last nine encounters dating back to 2005, making this victory even more significant for the Falcons.