Nov. 23, 2005

Recap |  Box Score |  Notes

Senior QB Bruce Gradkowski

(on winning TD) "That's been a great play for us all year. Our tight ends have been coming through for us all year. Hoppy (Hopkins) made a great play. He went up and got the ball. He made two great plays at the end of the game."

"We fought hard to the very end. That's how they played, too. You have to give credit to Bowling Green. They played tough all four quarters and the overtime. That was just a great game."

"That shows the character of our team. We didn't give up after what happened last week (35-17 loss to Northern Illinois). We focused on now. Coach Amstutz said there was something bigger for us out there and he's right."

"This a great way to end the regular season. The BG game, a rivalry game, to go out like this is great. This game tonight showed our leadership. Guys didn't hang their heads. Last week was tough but we came back. I can't tell you how proud I am of these guys."

Junior TE Chris Hopkins

(on scoring winning TD) "It was a great feeling. It was perfect. It felt great to come through for my team."

Senior RB Trinity Dawson

"We had to be prepared to score on the last play of the game. We knew eventually our defense would get the job done. They did and it gave us the chance to win the football game."

Senior LB Anthony Jordan

"I said earlier in the year, it's not how many yards a defense gives up, it's when you get down to a point where you have to make a play to win. Fortunately for us we were able to make a play and force them to kick a field goal."

Head Coach Tom Amstutz

"I was excited going into the overtime. I thought we matched up well with them in a short field. I was very optimistic going into it. I knew if e just got one stop I believed we were going to keep on scoring. I felt our team did not want to quit. They did not want to do anything but win that game."

"I tip my hat to Bowling Green. They really played a great game. It was one of those kind of games that had two special teams on the field tonight."

"After last week (loss to NIU) we had a team that was down and hurting. But as coaching staff, we burned the film; we didn't watch it. We went right to preparation for Bowling Green. We did extra things to help the players mentally and emotionally. And the senior leadership of thsi team really came out in practice all week and in the game tonight."

"Bruce (Gradkowski) has had a great career. He's one of the special guys you have in coaching. He is a better man than he is a football player. That's Bruce. He's a great player and a great leader. Everybody respects him. He makes everybody around him a better player and a better coach."

"I'd love to play in a bowl game. I think this team deserves it. It seems to me we are entertaining. I think we would put on a great show if we would get into a bowl game."