BOWLING GREEN — In a season that has already been filled with challenging tests to its run defense, Bowling Green State University’s football team might be facing its toughest one yet on Saturday.
The Falcons (2-3, 1-0 Mid-American Conference), who have struggled against the run all season, will be squaring off with one of the best rushing offenses in the country when they face Northern Illinois (3-2, 0-1) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Doyt Perry Stadium. The Huskies rank first in the MAC and 10th in the FBS in rushing at 230.8 yards per game.
“This is a big challenge. This game could be over in two hours and 15 minutes. It’s one of those types of games,” BGSU coach Scot Loeffler said. “... We’ve got to be so emotionally invested in this next game, along with the next seven, but this one in particular.
“This is going to be a hard-nosed, bully ball, there’s nowhere to hide in this one. It’s going to be a great challenge for both teams, in my opinion.”
BGSU and Northern Illinois will be squaring off for the first time since 2021 and just the third time since the two squads battled in the MAC championship three straight years (2013 to 2015). The Huskies have won eight of the 11 matchups this century, including the 2014 MAC title game.
After the two teams were picked to finish tied for third in the MAC preseason coaches’ poll, both have had noteworthy nonconference moments this year. Northern Illinois beat then-No. 5 Notre Dame 16-14 on Sept. 7 for the MAC’s first win over a top-five opponent, while BGSU nearly pulled off upsets at then-No. 8 Penn State (34-27 loss on Sept. 7) and then-No. 25 Texas A&M (26-20 loss on Sept. 21).
“I think this is an excellent Northern Illinois team,” Loeffler said. “Watching the tape, when you watch those upsets in the MAC, you sometimes feel like it was a fluke. This was no fluke.
“They physically played better than Notre Dame inside and out on all three phases, in my opinion. So we’re going to have our work cut out for us.”
When Northern Illinois has the ball
Northern Illinois’ dynamic offense features multiple running backs that have been key to its success. Senior Antario Brown, who is 76 yards short of reaching 3,000 for his career, has rumbled for 401 yards and two touchdowns on 87 carries this season. Gavin Williams (60 carries, 307 yards, one touchdown) and Jaylen Poe (22, 140, three) have also been effective as seven different players have recorded a rushing score.
Quarterback Ethan Hampton has thrown for 913 yards, eight touchdowns, and four interceptions, while Brown is also a threat in the pass game with 204 yards on eight receptions, including an 83-yard score against Notre Dame.
The Huskies’ 426.8 yards per game ranks second in the MAC, while their 28.2 points per game rank fifth, right behind BGSU (28.4). The Falcons’ 191 rushing yards allowed per game are ninth in the MAC and 113th in the country, and their 25.4 points and 380.2 total yards allowed per game are in the middle of the league.
When BGSU has the ball
The Falcons have struggled to run the ball recently in averaging 101 yards in their last three games. The passing game, however, has made up for it.
Quarterback Connor Bazelak leads the league in passing yards (1,243) while completing 68.1 percent of his passes (tied for second in MAC). Tight end Harold Fannin, Jr., who has earned MAC offensive player of the week honors each of the past three weeks, is tied for third in the FBS in receptions (46) and fourth in receiving yards (676). He could break two BGSU tight end receiving records on Saturday; Fannin is four yards away from topping Mark Dowdell’s single-season mark and 27 from surpassing Alex Bayer’s career mark.
BGSU’s Jaison Patterson was solid with a pair of rushing touchdowns in the Falcons’ 27-20 win at Akron on Saturday, but the Falcons could get an added boost if Terion Stewart returns. Loeffler said Stewart “should play in this game” and that he was “disappointed” he didn’t play against Akron.
Special teams
BGSU will have to avoid a costly mistake like it had last week when Justin Pegues couldn’t corral a punt, leading to an Akron touchdown to end the first quarter. Other than that, the Falcons have been solid in special teams. John Henderson ranks second in the MAC in punting (44.1 yards per kick), and Jackson Kleather (6 of 8 field goals) made a career-long 45 yard field goal vs. the Zips.
A big special teams play could be on the horizon for BGSU, though, as Northern Illinois has allowed three blocked kicks this season. BGSU, which blocked a punt against Texas A&M, has 14 blocked kicks since the start of the 2021 season, ranking among the most in the FBS.
Northern Illinois will win if…
As long as Northern Illinois runs the ball like it has all season and avoids any big miscues or turnovers offensively, the Huskies should be able to pull out the win.
BGSU will win if…
The Falcons will likely need their best effort of the season on both sides of the ball, especially since the Huskies also have one of the best scoring (35th at 19.2 points per game) and total (10th at 263.4 yards) defenses in the country. If the Falcons can at least hold the Huskies to field goals and capitalize with some big plays offensively, they should be able to keep it close in what could be their fifth game decided by single digits this season.
First Published October 9, 2024, 6:56 p.m.
