MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Bowling Green State University’s football team will play its first of two midweek MACtion games this season when the Falcons travel to Central Michigan.
BASICS
■ Who: BGSU (4-4, 3-1 MAC) at Central Michigan (3-5, 1-3)
■ Where: Kelly/Shorts Stadium
■ When: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
■ Spread: BGSU by 10½
■ TV: ESPN2
■ Radio: 100.7 FM
■ Follow: Michael Burwell
■ Threads: White helmets, white jerseys, brown pants.
𝙏𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙉𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙈𝘼𝘾𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 🧵
— BGSU Football (@BG_Football) November 3, 2024
⚪️⚪️🟤#ToTheMoon 🟠🟤 pic.twitter.com/5Qoj1bkiTZ
PLAYERS TO WATCH
■ BGSU: Rahkeem Smith. The speedy junior wide receiver and Delaware State transfer had his best game as a Falcon when he rushed for 33 yards and a touchdown on two carries, tallied 59 receiving yards on three catches, and returned two kickoffs for 53 yards in BGSU’s 41-26 victory at Toledo on Oct. 26. Smith has been a nice change-of-pace option in the run game to compliment Terion Stewart, Jaison Patterson, and Jamal Johnson.
■ Central Michigan: Marion Lukes. The 5-foot-9, 210-pound running back has been effective in numerous areas in his Central Michigan career. In 40 games, Lukes has rushed for 1,619 yards and 12 touchdowns, caught 55 passes for 568 yards and two scores, and has returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. He has surpassed 100 rushing yards in two of his last three games.
STATS TO KNOW
53: BGSU star tight end Harold Fannin, Jr., needs 53 receiving yards to reach 1,000 for the season. He would become the 12th player in program history to reach 1,000 yards in a season and the first since Scotty Miller had 1,148 in 2018. Fannin would also become the 16th tight end in FBS history to reach the milestone.
185: BGSU quarterback Connor Bazelak is also close to a milestone. The sixth-year quarterback needs 185 passing yards to reach 2,000 for the season. His four seasons of 2,000-plus passing yards would rank tied for third all time in the FBS behind Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel, who both had five.
100: Central Michigan has rushed for at least 100 yards in every game this season, while BGSU has allowed at least 100 yards in all eight contests. The Chippewas rank fourth in the MAC in rushing offense (184.4 yards per game), and the Falcons are seventh in rushing defense (169.1).
MATCHUP TO WATCH
BGSU’s front seven vs. Central Michigan’s run game: With the Chippewas expecting to go with redshirt freshman quarterback Tyler Jefferson for the third straight game after injuries to its top two signal callers, Central Michigan will likely try to rely on the run game. BGSU has done better the past four games in allowing 128.3 yards per outing compared to 210 the previous four. With rain and wind forecasted in Mount Pleasant throughout the day and during the game, the run game will be critical for both teams.
PREDICTION
It will be interesting to see how BGSU responds after an emotional win over Toledo in its biggest rivalry game of the season. Central Michigan isn’t the easiest place to play, but road games seem to bring out the best in BGSU. As long as the run game is effective offensively, and the defense does enough to slow down Central Michigan’s rushing attack, BGSU should be able to return home with its fourth victory in five games. BGSU 28-17.
First Published November 5, 2024, 2:00 p.m.
