Bowling Green Falcons Preview 2024
FINALLY.
Bowling Green was a MAC powerhouse in the mid-2010s winning 56 games with two MAC titles and another championship appearance from 2012 to 2015. Before that were some rocky years, but this was once the the program of Urban Meyer, kicking off a good run in the early 2000s.
But the Falcons went from 2016 until 2022 without a winning season, and then in Year Five of the Scot Loeffler era, they finally came up with a year going over .500.
What went right? Better defense, stronger offense in MAC play, and a run of five wins in the last six games to pull off the good campaign.
It might be tough to do a whole lot more than that in a transfer portal era. Bowling Green has a decent starting 22, and there are good veterans in nice spots, but some very, very important parts are gone.
Even so, Loeffler proved it’s possible to win again here. The schedule isn’t too bad, the offensive backfield is strong, and by the time the MAC season kicks in full force - with a few big breaks - things should be in place to do even more.
Bowling Green Preview 2024: Offense
- For too many years, scoring points was like pulling teeth for the Bowling Green offense. The 340 scored last season were the most since the explosive MAC Championship season of 2015, and the momentum might continue because the backfield is in place.
RB Ta’ron Keith left for Western Kentucky, but leading back Terion Stewart returns after averaging over six yards per carry on 762 yards. QB Connor Bazelak doesn’t run, but Camden Orth does - the two will occasionally rotate. In his sixth season, Bazelak should do even more for the passing game, but …
- Here’s the problem. Harold Fannin might be the best tight end in the MAC, but the wide receivers who did much of anything last year are gone. More on this in the Key Player section, but the transfer portal new guys have to be great around the complimentary part holdovers.
- The offensive line could be better. It wasn’t consistent for the ground game and the pass protection was just okay, but the starting five should be okay.
There’s bulk - 6-6, 330-pound Alex Padgett is a massive center - and 6-7 Alex Wollschlaeger is a decent tackle - and now the production has to rise up around them.
Bowling Green Preview 2024: Defense
- By a mile, the 2023 defense had one of the best seasons since 2013. Taking out the shortened 2020 campaign, the 305 points allowed last season were way, way low - even when Bowling Green was rocking at a MAC title level it was the O that got the job done. However, the hits here in the transfer portal were big.
- The pass rush was decent, not amazing, but what was there and produced is gone, starting with new Texas A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell. There’s starting experience around the front three, and there’s depth, but the pass rush and playmakers have to come from the linebackers.
The transfer portal will help, and there’s upperclassmen experience, but losing a tackler like Darren Anders and a factor like Howell hurts.
- The secondary rarely got roasted, but it wasn’t a brick wall. The 17 interceptions helped, and there was only one 300-yard game allowed. Now the starting DBs are being built back up.
Darius Lorfilis is a veteran safety and Jordan Oladokun is an all-star corner who’ll be avoided. The transfer portal fills in the rest of the gaps - Florida Atlantic’s Darius McClendon will be all over the field at one safety spot.
Bowling Green Key To The Season
Don’t be afraid to keep on feeding the ground game.
Even when it wasn’t working all that well last season, the production mattered. Bowling Green can and will throw, but with so many new parts in the receiving corps it’ll be up to the ground game to carry things that much more.
The team was 7-1 last season - including the stunner over Georgia Tech - when it ran for over 102 yards, and 0-5 when it didn’t. Get to 125 yards, average four yards per carry, and look out.
Bowling Green Key Player
WR RJ Garcia, Jr.
Go ahead and throw in Auburn transfer Malcolm Johnson, too. With so many losses in the receiving corps the offense will rely even more on TE Harold Fannin, but the deep threat has to be there.
Garcia comes in from Kansas State where he caught 14 passes for 184 yards and a score last season. In his fourth season, he’ll get the first look on the outside to try stretching the field.
Bowling Green Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss
Top Transfer In: S Darius McClendon
An important get, the junior should be one of the team’s leading tacklers thrown into one of the safety jobs. He came up with 61 tackles with three broken up passes, two forced fumbles, and five tackles for loss last year for Florida Atlantic. Get him out there and let him make plays.
Top Transfer Out: EDGE Cashius Howell
Howell might not have made a ton of tackles over the last two seasons - just 50 - but he turned into the team’s best pass rusher with 9.5 sacks last year. Now he’s a part of the Texas A&M rotation where he should be a true specialist.
Bowling Green Key Game
at Toledo, Oct 26
The schedule isn’t all that bad. Most of the top MAC games are at home, there are plenty of winnable conference road games, and there’s a chance to come up with a strong season that could lead to a spot in the MAC Championship IF there’s a win at Toledo. The Falcons lost a 32-31 heartbreaker last season to drop three of the last four meetings.
Bowling Green 10 Best Players
1. Jordan Oladokun, CB Sr.
2. Alex Wollschlaeger, OT Sr.
3. Connor Bazelak, QB Sr.
4. Harold Fannin, TE Jr.
5. Terion Stewart, RB Jr.
6. Joseph Sipp, LB Jr.
7. Darius McClendon, S Sr.
8. Darius Lorfils, S Jr.
9. Anthony Hawkins, NT Sr.
10. Camden Orth, QB Sr.
Bowling Green 2023 Fun Stats
- 2nd Quarter Scoring: Bowling Green 124, Opponents 63
- Penalties: Bowling Green 85 for 761 yards, Opponents 65 for 501 yards
- Total Offense: Opponents 3,958 yards, Bowling Green 3,934 yards
Bowling Green 2024 Season Prediction, Win Total, What Will Happen
Expect it to be a whole lot like last year. The first part of the campaign will be a problem, and then everything will start working out fine in the second half when the MAC season kicks in.
But the early pain will go away faster.
Unlike last year, though, when the Falcons lost to Liberty, they’ll win the opener against Fordham.
At Penn State and at Texas A&M will be losses, but after that there isn’t a lot to worry about other than the road game against Toledo.
There aren’t any breaks in who the Falcons miss - Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, and a depleted Ohio - but the Miami University game is at home as is the date with an improved Northern Illinois.
Expectation-wise, the regular season finale against MU should be a spot in the MAC Championship. At worst, Bowling Green should already have a bowl game locked up by then.
Set The Bowling Green Win Total At … 6.5
Likely Wins: at Akron, Fordham, Kent State
50/50 Games: at Ball State, at Central Michigan, Miami University, Old Dominion, Northern Illinois, at Toledo, Western Michigan
Likely Losses: at Penn State, at Texas A&M
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