Published: November 03, 2009 11:27 pm      

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Falcons rally past UB, 30-29

AMHERST — Just a few days into November, we can be pretty sure the Buffalo Bulls season won’t extend into the winter months.

Visiting Bowling Green, coached by Youngstown native Dave Clawson, came back from 13 points down in the fourth quarter Tuesday night to beat UB 30-29 in front of an announced crowd of 13,102 and a national television audience.

Tyler Sheehan found the nation’s leading receiver, Freddie Barnes, in the back corner of the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown that culminated an 11-play, 75-yard drive, and gave the Falcons their first lead of the game with 39 seconds left.

UB is now 3-6 on the season and would have to win all of its remaining games to become bowl eligible. But with so many Mid-American Conference teams, including Bowling Green (4-5, 3-2), possessing better records, it’s very unlikely the Bulls will be offered one of the three or four bowl game spots reserved for the MAC.

One bright spot for UB was the performance of true freshman tailback Jeffvon Gill, who rushed for 172 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Gill took over as the featured back in the second quarter after both Ike Nduka and Mario Henry aggravated ankle sprains.

Zach Maynard completed 13 of 27 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown. But he was just 4 of 13 for just 12 yards in the second half after a stellar start.

Naaman Roosevelt had his worst game of the season, gaining just 21 yards on two receptions. He came into the game needing 45 receiving yards to break Drew Haddad’s school record.

Sheehan was 22 of 40 for 313 yards, one interception, and the winning touchdown. Barnes caught eight passes, giving him a MAC single-season record 107 on the season, for 122 yards.

The Falcons had failed to convert a fourth-and-2 from the UB 4 with about eight minutes to go, but got the ball back with 2:59 to play after the Bulls’ drive stalled near midfield.

Bowling Green got within 29-23 at the 10:34 mark when Sheehan scored on a four-yard run. The Falcons’ drive started on the UB 17 after blocking a John Rachuna punt for the second time.

Alex Pierre recovered a muffed punt at the 5, Gill scored his first career touchdown on the very next play, and Maynard ran in the two-point conversion to put the Bulls ahead 29-16 with 9:07 left in the third quarter.

UB racked up 302 yards of offense in the first half to take a 21-13 lead at the break. Maynard passed for 137 yards and run for another 22 in the first half, while Gill gained 98 yards on just nine carries.

Nduka gave the Bulls a 7-0 lead less than five minutes into the game. His three-yard touchdown run up the middle capped an efficient 80-yard drive in which Maynard completed two passes down the seam for 49 yards and picked up another 11 yards on a keeper.

Willie Geter tied the game with a one-yard touchdown plunge at the 4:58 mark of the first quarter. The score came two plays after Rachuna bobbled a snap and had his punt blocked. The Falcons recovered at the 1.

Henry’s two-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter made it 14-7. The 14-play, 80-yard drive was extended by a roughing the kicker penalty following A.J. Principe’s made field goal from 37 yards out. The penalty gave UB a first and goal at the 9.

A missed extra point by Matt Norsic prevented the Falcons from tying the game with 7:03 left in the first half after Willie Geter’s second one-yard touchdown run.

The Bulls put together their third 80-plus yard drive of the first half to go up 21-13 shortly before the two-minute warning. Zach Maynard hit Jesse Rack on an 18-yard slant for the tight end’s sixth touchdown of the season. Gill ripped off a 24-yard run on the previous play.