BOWLING GREEN — A senior-laden and experienced group comprises Bowling Green State University’s football program.
Is 2024 the year the Falcons bring the Mid-American Conference title back to Bowling Green?
After posting a 7-6 record, securing its first winning season since 2015, and earning its second consecutive bowl berth during the 2023 campaign, BGSU will have high hopes and expectations in what could be a memorable year. Sixth-year coach Scot Loeffler (20-35 record) and his staff did an admirable job of bringing back a vast majority of its starters and key reserves from last season, and they added a solid number of talented players in the transfer portal that should step right in, as well.
A BGSU team that includes 32 seniors will be looking to win the program’s first MAC championship since 2015 when the Falcons went 10-4, topped Northern Illinois in the title game and had a pair of wins over Big Ten Conference teams.
Loeffler, senior quarterback Connor Bazelak, and senior cornerback Jordan Oladokun will represent the Falcons at MAC media day on Friday at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.
Here are three storylines with the BGSU regular season beginning in late August.
Getting/staying healthy
Injuries will always be part of the game, but considering how banged up the Falcons were throughout the 2023 season, staying healthy could be the difference between winning or losing the MAC title.
Numerous key players, including Bazelak, quarterback Camden Orth, running back Terion Stewart, and tight end Harold Fannin, Jr., missed time last year dealing with injuries. Bazelak and Orth sat out BGSU’s spring practice while recovering from injuries, while Stewart was limited.
BGSU had a half dozen of its best players leave during the Falcons’ matchup at Michigan early last season. With BGSU facing a pair of power conference programs in Penn State (Sept. 7) and Texas A&M (Sept. 21) in its first three games, getting through those contests healthy will be key before MAC play starts in early October.
Can the two (or three) QB system work?
Bazelak and Orth saw plenty of time on the field last year, and with redshirt freshman quarterback Lucian Anderson III taking every snap in a productive spring practice, Loeffler will have options under center.
Bazelak (6-foot-3, 225 pounds) appeared in 11 games and threw for 1,935 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions while completing 60.4 percent of his passes. The former Missouri and Indiana signal caller threw nine touchdowns and just two interceptions in his final eight games.
Meanwhile, Orth (6-3, 225) threw for 486 yards, five touchdowns, and five interceptions. He made his presence felt with his legs by bulldozing his way into the end zone on multiple occasions; he finished second on the team with five rushing touchdowns. Anderson brings a different element, as well, with his speed and versatility.
For Bazelak and Orth, getting up to speed and building chemistry with a new group of wide receivers, including Auburn transfer Malcolm Johnson, Jr., and Kansas State transfer R.J. Garcia II, will also be important.
What will Stewart have in store after efficient season?
On a team filled with offensive playmakers, Stewart certainly provides the most oohs and aahs because of his running style. The 5-foot-9, 220-pound junior running back has a remarkable ability to break tackles, and as long as he’s healthy, he should be a force again this season.
Stewart, who earned second-team all-MAC honors despite missing the final four games of the 2023 with a leg injury, finished tied for fourth in the FBS in missed tackles forced with 78, according to Pro Football Focus. The highest-rated offensive player in the country during the 2023 season with a 95.3 grade, according to PFF, Stewart rushed for 762 yards and eight touchdowns on 125 carries. His 6.3 yards per carry for his career is No. 1 in the BGSU record book.
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