Bowling Green beats Buffalo to claim MAC East

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Bowling Green will meet No. 18 Northern Illinois in the Mid-American Conference championship game after securing the MAC East division title Friday with a 24-7 win over Buffalo at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Travis Greene rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown, Matt Johnson threw for one touchdown and passed for another, and the Falcons' defense held Buffalo to season lows in points and yards (236). Bowling Green (9-3, 7-1 MAC) managed just seven first downs on its first seven possessions, but scored touchdowns on consecutive drives in the third quarter to take control of the game. Shaun Joplin caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to put Bowling Green in front 10-7 early in the third quarter, and Green's 14-yard touchdown run capped a 93-yard drive and extended the Falcons' lead to 17-7 with 2:05 left in the quarter.