Ohio and Bowling Green will meet for the 76th time, but this is the first time they’ll face off since the MAC did away with divisions.
The Falcons are coming off of a 40-17 loss to Louisville in a game where a slow offensive start did not do any favors for them. Ohio, meanwhile, finished off non-conference play with a 52-35 win over FCS Gardner-Webb. After falling behind 14-3 after one quarter, the Bobcats outscored the Runnin’ Bulldogs 49-21 through the final three quarters.
Last time out, Ohio traveled to Bowling Green’s homecoming and spoiled the party. Highlighted by two fumble recovery touchdowns, Kurtis Rourke would pace the Bobcats offense with three passing touchdowns en route to the dominating win. The Falcons were held to 211 yards of offense, and their only score came in the fourth quarter.
#MACtion has arrived, bringing up hopes for a spot in Detroit.
Game Notes
About the Bowling Green Falcons
The Falcons are 2-2 to start a season for the first time since 2021, winning against Lafayette and Liberty. Including losses at Cincinnati and Louisville, the Falcons are still trying to figure things out.
The offense has struggled to put a complete game together so far, having only scored seven touchdowns in four games. Drew Pyne, the star transfer piece in head coach Eddie George’s first recruiting class, has been quiet to start the year. His only game of 250+ yards was in the loss against Cincinnati. Jyrin Johnson, RJ Garcia II and Finn Hogan all have over 100 receiving yards, which is a positive. Jacob Harris has two touchdowns and is quietly becoming another big target for the Falcons.
The Falcons are coming off a 190-yard performance, with a good chunk of yards were by quarterback Lucian Anderson III. They still average 150.8 rushing yards per game, with Kaderris Roberts’ 172 yards through four weeks leading the team. The running backs are averaging 131 rushing yards per game, creating a functional, if non-explosive, ground attack.
Defensively, we learned that breakout linebacker Dorian Pringle tore his ACL in the game against Liberty. It was a massive blow to the Falcons, but they didn’t seem to have too much trouble last week outside of the second quarter. They still rank third in the MAC for points allowed (23.5 points per game) and sacks (10), and fifth for yards allowed (346.8 yards per game).
The Falcons will have to be disciplined as well. They average almost seven penalties per game, averaging 53 penalty yards. They’ll have their hands full against an Ohio offensive unit which is one of the most talent-laden in the conference.
About the Ohio Bobcats
Ohio is off to a very respectable 2-2 start for the second consecutive season. They’ve collected wins against West Virginia and Gardner-Webb, while also losing competitively to two Big Ten programs on the road in Rutgers and Ohio State.
Parker Navarro is off to a great start this season. He’s averaging 217.5 passing yards and just under 64 rushing yards per game. With seven total touchdowns and three interceptions, Navarro is a dual threat that the Falcons defense will have to watch out for. He does have a favorite receiver in Chase Hendricks, who has 456 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
Sieh Bangura averages just under 75 yards on the ground with four touchdowns, catching five receptions. Bangura hopes to return to 2022 levels of success when he ran for 1,078 yards and 13 touchdowns, but in the meantime, has split carries with Duncan Brune (39.5 yards per game).
If there’s one weakness to exploit, Ohio ranks seventh in the MAC in yards allowed (425.3). Ohio has been especially suspect in the passing game, ranking 115th in the NCAA with 266.5 yards allowed through the air and seven touchdowns in four games. This could be a good chance for the Bobcats to take advantage of Bowling Green’s inconsistency on offense; Michael Mack II leads the team with two interceptions, and Anas Luqman leads with two sacks.
What Each Team Needs
Bowling Green, once again, needs a good passing game. Drew Pyne has been held to under 150 yards on average in three of his four starts for the Falcons. While the Bobcats rank in the bottom third of the conference for passing defense, it won’t mean anything if Drew Pyne struggles. It’s just one part of an inconsistent offense the Falcons have to get right.
Look for Ohio to play free on defense this week. It could be a chance for the Bobcats to play a few different lineups and confuse the Falcons.