Bowling Green tops CMU 17-14

MOUNT PLEASANT -- Jordan Hopgood scored from a yard out with 21 seconds remaining to give Bowling Green a 17-14 victory over Central Michigan at Kelly/Shorts Stadium on Saturday.

The Falcons (2-7, 1-4 MAC) picked up their first win in Mid-American Conference play, handing the Chippewas (2-7, 1-5 MAC) their sixth consecutive loss.

Ryan Radcliff finished 14-for-25 for 132 yards and a touchdown and Paris Cotton ran for 111 yards on 23 carries, but committed a costly turnover with a fumble on the Bowling Green 41-yard line with 2:26 remaining and Central Michigan holding a 14-10 lead.

CMU trailed 10-0 at the half after a 10-yard touchdown run by Calvin Wiley in the first quarter and a 34-yard field goal by Kyle Burkhardt in the second quarter, but battled back to take the lead on an 18-yard touchdown strike to Jerry Harris and a 63-yard interception return for a touchdown by Avery Cunningham with 14:38 remaining in regulation.

It was Cunningham's first career interception and seemed as though it would give the Chippewas their second league victory, but BGSU linebacker Dwayne Woods stripped Cotton of the ball and Eugene Fells recovered it for Bowling Green, setting up the go-ahead score.

In addition to his interception, Cunningham had a game-high 11 tackles. Vince Agnew had added nine stops, two for a loss, and an interception.