Bowling Green runs wild in 38-10 rout of Sacramento State

It took a while for Bowling Green (2-4, 2-0 MAC) to get their offense rolling against Sacramento State (1-5, 0-3 MAC), but once it did, they never looked back. After a first quarter where the Hornets led after converting an interception-fueled short field into a 33-yard field, the Falcons scored 17 straight points to end the first half, continuing a horrific trend for the Hornets.

Sac State owns a -97 point differential against FBS opponents, consistently finding themselves in a multiple-score hole to open games, and while they opened the scoring, the result was the same. 

The Hornets strung together some plays to open the second half, but a missed field goal turned into a chunk-play laden touchdown drive, putting them in a 24-3 hole. After Sac State’s field goal, the Falcons reeled off 38 unanswered points. Despite being the nation’s second-worst rushing team prior to this game, head coach Eddie George was able to move the ball on the ground with ease, employing a run-heavy attack to grind down the Hornets.

"It's football," head coach Alonzo Carter said. "We gotta tackle, man. We worked on it, we talked about it. We switched things up, thinking that would help, but bottom line, we have to tackle."

Austin Dendy led the charge, turning his 15 carries into 88 yards and a pair of scores, including a 30-yard rip where he shook off several defenders to find the end zone.

Prior to this game, Bowling Green was the second-worst running team in the nation. Second-worst! The Hornets are allowing big play after big play. More missed tackles on a huge touchdown run from Austin Dendy. https://t.co/dMZvq4uKCR

— Jack Dann (@JackBDann) October 10, 2026

Quarterback Jay Kastantin had a second-straight stellar performance, throwing for an efficient 116 and a touchdown after shaking off the interception. His real impact came on the ground, where he turned seven carries into 54 yards and a touchdown, giving the Hornets’ front seven fits with a creative blend of keepers and options.His counterpart, Sac State quarterback Jackson Sharman had another rough day at the office, taking three sacks and several hits throughout the game. He’d throw for 145 yards, most of which coming from a 55-yard touchdown to Matthew Coleman towards the end of the game.

One of his primary disruptors was conference sack leader Myles Bradley, who added one to his season total of 7.5, as well as registering three quarterback hits. Eriq George and Cashmire Lewis were irritants too, finding their way through a porous Hornet offensive line. 

The pressure contributed to another dismal offensive performance for the Hornets, who managed just 215 total yards and converted three of their 14 third-down attempts. Sac State’s offense was particularly ineffective in the second quarter, managing just 10 yards on 10 plays as Bowling Green took control of the game.

The Hornets found some success on the ground early, particularly through running back Daniel Swinney, who broke free for a 22-yard gain on their opening possession. But that success was short-lived, as Sac State finished with just 70 rushing yards. Isaiah Ene led the Hornets with 46 yards on 12 carries, while Swinney added 45 yards on eight attempts.

The offensive struggles weren’t the only thing holding Sac State back. Penalties continued to plague the Hornets, who committed seven for 85 yards, several of which extended Bowling Green possessions.

"It's discipline," Carter said. "We keep extending drives, allowing both their first two touchdowns. We didn't win the middle eight."

A roughing-the-kicker penalty in the second quarter gave the Falcons a fresh set of downs after a failed third-down conversion. Bowling Green capitalized with a 33-yard field goal. Later in the quarter, two pass interference penalties helped Bowling Green march 74 yards downfield in just 84 seconds, culminating in a 9-yard touchdown pass from Kastantin to Joseph Saffold.

With the loss, the Falcons earned their second-straight conference win, moving to 2-0 after their win over Miami in the prior week. They’ll take on Ball State, who lost to Northwestern this week. 

Sac State continues their dismal form, slipping to the bottom of the conference at 0-3. They’ll host Ohio for homecoming next week, hoping for a different result.

"If my team plays clean football, and we lose, that's one thing," Carter said. "But we're not playing clean football. It's not the talent – I hear all that, but we can't make all these mistakes and expect to win in the MAC."