Bowling Green State Football

December 30, 2009 | 4:30 PM EST, Boise, ID, on  ESPN

Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl

Bowling Green Falcons  (7-5) vs Idaho Vandals  (7-5)

Opening Line:  Bowling Green -1

Game Preview: My apologies but this is yet another reminder that there may be too many bowl games out there. I am sure Vandal and Falcon fans are psyched but if you are not among them there is little to get excited about. Yes, the Falcons have a solid aerial attack featuring play-making WR Freddie Barnes, but I saw them on TV earlier in the year and their brown uniforms are a great metaphor for their play—a little bit ugly.  The Vandals are a better story as they have not had much success on the gridiron.  Going .500 in the WAC shouldn’t get you nationally televised game…should it?

Bowling Green Preview: The Falcons have one of the best pitch and catch combos in the country in Tyler Sheehan and Freddie Barnes. This is the only aspect of its performance to be lauded in a season that started with promise by beating Sun Belt champion Troy only to be followed by four straight losses. They were competitive most of the season with their only double digit losses to MAC champ CMU and Boise State.  Idaho is ranked 114th against the pass so do not expect much of a deviation from the Falcons strategy of passing the majority of the time. Barnes could have a big game although some balance might be a good idea. He caught 99 more balls than the second leading receiver.

Idaho Preview: How did the Vandals do it? This year they discovered offensive football and managed to sling it around pretty good, ranking 11th in the nation in passing offense. They scored more than 20 points in every game this year. But they also gave up more than 30 points in seven games, winning only two of them. They were 112th in points allowed per game and among the worst teams against the pass in the country.  This game should be a shootout and given the way they have performed this year Idaho has a fighting chance. QB Nathan Enderle is underrated and exciting. He missed a couple of games which was the only thing keeping him below the 3000 yard mark.

Game Prediction: The Vandals enter the game with an advantage playing so close to home. They are familiar with the Blue Turf even if they are usually on the losing end.  This game will break the trend. Look for up and down action with the Vandals having a decided advantage running the football making the difference. Their balance will lead to some big plays and the victory.

Score Prediction:

Idaho —40

Bowling Green —33

Pick:  Anyone who thinks they have a real handle on this game is faking it. How many have even seen the Vandals play this year? The gut says if you can get two evenly matched teams then the home team (or close to it) has it. Grab Idaho in what is essentially a pick' em.

Bowling Green Falcons Football Betting Trends:

Idaho Vandals Football Betting Trends:

• Idaho is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
• Vandals are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 non-conference games.
• Idaho is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
• The total has gone OVER in 4 of Idaho’s last 5 games

Tyler Sheehan enjoyed the victory over Akron by writing his name in the record books.

He became the career completion leader for the Falcons with 914, overcoming the great Brian McClure who had 900. He added 338 yards and two touchdowns going 23-32 through the air in another lopsided win for the Falcons.

It wasn’t all about Sheehan, however, as Freddie Barnes once again had two touchdowns and 198 yards receiving, and Chris Bullock had 90 yards on the ground. The Falcons' offense is functioning on all cylinders and is looking forward to their annual showdown with rival Toledo (5-6) next week.

Akron led at half 10-9, but the Falcon offense was too much to overcome in the second half. The bright spot for the Zips was the play of Patrick Nicely, who threw for 259 yards and the only two Zip touchdowns. Jahmal Brown’s tackle of Akron’s Broderick Alexander in the end zone for a safety in the second quarter was just a sign of what was coming in the second half.

Bowling Green (6-5) now has that magical sixth win they need to become bowl eligible. A win over Toledo next week will strengthen their resume, but still keep them out of the MAC Championship Game. The MAC currently has five bowl eligible teams, and will need some help by other conferences to get their teams all in bowls. The Big Ten has eight spots available, but only seven teams, so that could be a possibility for one of the MAC teams.

The Falcons have had a solid season this year with only two bad losses, those being at Marshall and Ohio at home. They lost a heart breaker to Missouri earlier in the season, and were blown out at home against a Boise State team that came in as a 25-point favorite. They were not supposed to win either of these games.

For the majority of the season it’s been the Sheehan and Barnes show, with those two accounting for almost every touchdown this year. Sheehan now has 3,528 yards and 21 touchdowns, of that Freddie Barnes has caught 14 touchdowns and tallied 1,482 yards. These two seniors will be sorely missed next season.

It was the Freddie Barnes show as the Bowling Green Falcons (5-5) took on the Miami Redhawks (1-10) on Thursday night. Barnes accounted for three touchdowns and 151 total yards as the Falcons rolled late to a 35-14 victory.

This season Barnes has made a living catching Tyler Sheehan’s passes, and it didn’t stop against Miami as he added 10 receptions for 109 yards and two touchdowns. He also had several runs, returns, and he even threw a pass while carrying the Falcons in the first half.

Miami held strong in the first half, matching each Bowling Green scoring effort and went into the half tied at 14. Bowling Green stormed out in the second half scoring 21 unanswered points.

Tyler Sheehan was 21-34 for 199 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Chris Bullock added 11 carries for 82 yards and a score himself. These two, along with Willie Geter’s 20-yard touchdown run assisted Freddie Barnes and the Falcons to even their season record to 5-5.

Zac Dysert of the Redhawks was 28-49 with three interceptions, but did however have the only Miami points on his two goal line touchdown runs. Miami plays host to Buffalo (3-7) next Wednesday in their season finale.

Bowling Green (5-5) now has renewed hopes of bowl illegibility and a favorable schedule to match. The Falcons will host Akron (2-7) next Friday in hopes of securing that magical sixth win needed for postseason play.

With a win against the Zips it would give them a four game winning streak and all the momentum they need heading into their looming rivalry game when they host the hated Toledo Rockets (4-6).

Bowling Green 27 BUFFALO (-3.5) 26

Bowling Green's defense was good early in the season before their best defensive player, safety P.J. Mahone, was suspended. Mahone was Bowling Green's top tackler last season and led the team this season with 21 tackles in just 2 games. Mahone's has been reinstated and will play tonight. How much he plays is a question, but he's been practicing with the team the last two weeks and should be ready to take on close to his normal work load.

If that's the case then I like Bowling Green here in a mini upset, especially if Buffalo RB Ike Nduka is held out or limited with his injured ankle. Nduka leads the team in rushing and has averaged an impressive 6.5 ypr on his 88 carries this season while the other two Bulls' backs, who are also both questionable with ankle injuries, combine to average just 3.7 ypr on their 131 rushes.

My math model would favor Buffalo by 3 points if Nduka gets the 20 carries that he's averaged as a starter in recent weeks (when healthy) and if he plays at his normal level. Neither of those things is likely and I'd favor Bowling Green to win if Nduka doesn't play at all. The line value is on the side of Bowling Green in this one and I'll lean with the Falcons plus the points.

Read more on my website www.drbobsports.com

I have 6 NCAA Best Bets and 9 NCAA Strong Opinions this week, and 3 NFL Best Bets and 2 NFL Strong Opinion!

Read an article about me in the Wall Street Journal

Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for updates on Best Bet releases

As college football fans, it's easy to lock on to the big stories, our favorite teams, and the latest conspiracy theories in our favorite sport.

These are three really big reasons why I love the game.

With that said, as fans of the sport, we do ourselves a great disservice by not widening our veiwership to soak up some these great performances that are just slightly off the radar.

This week we get a two for one deal as these guys have teamed up for some gaudy stats!

Rather than gush about their toughness and competitiveness I'll give you this one straight by the numbers.

                         att.       comp.     yds      td   int

Tyler Sheehan      392        255       2677      15     5

That's right Mr. Sheehan is ranked second in the country in passing yardage, and once again, put him in a gold helmet and you've got a Heisman!

And now for even more gaudiness, and a Biletnikoff Award lock.

                                  rec.        yds.        td

Freddie Barnes              99         1054             9

Wow.

Throw in the 22 catch, 278 yd performance against Kent State, and you're looking at Playstation numbers! Throw some wings on his helmet and get him to pose a couple of times and you might just have a Heisman trophy.

Add to all this the fact that Bowling Green gets a standalone ESPN 2 matchup November 3rd, and there's no reason to miss the show.

So broaden your scope football fans and prepare to be dazzled!

In a little over three weeks from tonight the second part of the one and one between the Oregon Ducks and this time around home team Boise State Broncos will be taking place.

Both football teams will be battling with all they have—for Oregon it's about pride and humiliation, as the Oregon quarterback Masoli made it known that he was embarrassed losing the first time around (last season) to the Broncos at their home field in Eugene.

Their quarterback is not the only one whining, their running back Blount has been doing his share of talking as well, that is when he wasn’t being sent to the corner for not attending team meetings and putting on a few extra pounds.

But for the Broncos, winning against the Ducks is important too, but not more so than defeating Fresno State, Tulsa, La Tech, or Nevada Reno.

The goal of any Bronco player this year is to improve his quality of play and help the team in any way they can. Bronco players are not all about Oregon. The Ducks are just one team. The Broncos have beaten better teams and they have lost to inferior teams (but not recently).

It will be interesting watching the Broncos this season as they travel to diverse parts of the country: California, Ohio, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Hawaii to name a few.

But in so doing, Boise State will be placing one of the most talented teams they have ever had on the field.

"One would think the Oregon Ducks and their fans would admire the Broncos for their accomplishments and see them as an equal instead of losing to Boise State in humiliation."

My god, the Broncos hold the best win loss percentage of any junior college football program prior to their climb to the Big Sky winning national titles at both levels along the way.

It was because of Bronco success in junior college and in the Big Sky that they were accepted to join Division 1-A WAC and since that day the Broncos have dominated the conference every season they were eligible but one.

The Broncos always play hard-fought football. Albeit, the two teams that the Broncos play this season that bring concern to this writer are Bowling Green and Tulsa. Too much has been said about Oregon, Fresno, and Nevada.

Last season Bowling Green played the Broncos close and on the Blue and they still have the same quarterback, but a different coach (maybe that’s a plus for them)?

Then there is Tulsa, a team that is used to putting up big numbers; the Broncos are familiar with teams like that, Boise State will be closing out the season against a team just like Tulsa, in Nevada. The Broncos will be ready.

This will be another interesting year for Bronco fans and there are a lot of important games ahead. Bronco players will defend each and every game this season with the same importance as they afford their first opponent, and their second Miami of Ohio.

Well fans that’s another story—Go Broncos

Originally posted by Lace Banachek on August 8, 2009 at: http://broncobluereview.blogspot.com

After kicking off the 2009 season in St. Louis, the Missouri Tigers begin their home schedule on September 12 against the Bowling Green Falcons. Surprisingly, Bowling Green leads the all-time series three games to one, including two wins against Tigers’ coach Gary Pinkel. It’s interesting to note that Pinkel used to coach at Toledo, the Falcons’ biggest rival.

The 2001 match-up was unique, as it was not only Gary Pinkel’s first game as the Mizzou coach, but also Urban Meyer’s first game as the head coach of Bowling Green. The Falcons won that game 20-13 in Columbia and followed that up with a 51-28 win over Missouri in Bowling Green, Ohio in 2002.

As is often the case in early season games against non-conference opponents, it will be imperative for Mizzou to strike early and often. Upsets are made early in games when underdog teams hang around, gain confidence, and slowly begin to believe they can actually win the game.

If Mizzou can build a 20 point lead, Bowling Green will likely not be able to come back, although the Falcons are better than the average mid-major team.

In 2008, the Bowling Green Falcons had a record of 6-6 while going 4-4 in the MAC. Looking at the teams they played, it becomes apparent that they were not beaten by any creampuff teams. Half of their losses came at the hands of Minnesota, Boise State, and eventual MAC champs Buffalo. Included in their six wins are victories against Pittsburgh and rival Toledo.    

When watching the Bowling Green offense, Mizzou fans may recognize it. When Mizzou switched to the spread in 2005, parts were molded from the Bowling Green set. Having this game on the schedule creates a logical step in the process of improving the pass defense, as they can get game experience against offenses similar to the ones they will see in Big 12 play.

Quarterback Tyler Sheehan threw for over 2610 yards last season, so the Mizzou secondary can expect to be tested early and often. Sheehan is not a huge threat to run the ball, but he can be elusive at times, as he ran for a season-high 52 yards against Toledo.

Defensively, the Falcons will be replacing their entire defensive line, shifting more of the responsibility up front to the linebackers, which are small to begin with. The strength of the defense lies in the secondary. P.J. Mahone led the group last year with three interceptions, to go along with 95 tackles.

The match-up sets up in a way that Derrick Washington, Devion Moore, and the rest of the runningback core may be able to have a field day against a new and smaller front seven. This could help Gabbert continue to settle in, especially if the Falcon secondary is game enough to slow down Missouri receivers.

As Faurot Field hosts yet another season of Mizzou Football, the Tigers hope to improve and prepare for conference play. Bowling Green should provide stiff competition, but Missouri will win if the team shows up.

2009 Bowling Green Falcons Predictions
2008 Record: (6-6, 4-4)
Coach: Dave Clawson, 1st year, (58-49 overall)
Off. Coordinator: Warren Ruggiero (1st year)
Def. Coordinator: Shannon Morrison (1st year) and Mike Elko (1st year)
Returning Starters: 11 (7 offense, 3 defense, kicker)
Ret. Starting Quarterback: Yes (Tyler Sheehan)

Need winning college football predictions each week? Visit ATS Consultants and sign-up for the free sports picks newsletter for college football betting information and free college football picks

Offense: Senior quarterback Tyler Sheehan (6-3, 225) returns to one of the top offenses in the MAC. Sheehan threw for 2,610 yards, 20 TDs and nine picks last season. The big question is how he fits in with new coach’s Dave Clawson’s system. Clawson, a former Richmond head coach, who spent last season as Tennessee’s offensive coordinator, requires more balance. That means that senior RB Chris Bullock (5-11, 220) will have to be more effective (384 yards). The top target this season should be senior Freddie Barnes (6-0, 212), who has 142 career catches and is also an effective runner. The offensive line returns three of five starters, including two on the left side.

Defense: The defense returns just three starters from a unit that allowed a respectable 23.2ppg and 343.4 yards per game (52nd in the nation). They have to replace all but one player in their front seven. Three starters on the D-line were lost to graduation, while one (Mike Ream) was dismissed for violating team rules. Sophomore DT Andrew Johnson (6-3, 257) has the most experience, recording three sacks last year. Another impact player could be senior LB James Schneider (6-0, 221), a juco standout before transferring in last season. The secondary loses both corners, but they return both safeties including senior SS P.J. Malone (5-11, 201), who had 95 tackles to lead the team and also three picks. Senior FS Jahmal Brown (5-10, 192) was third on the team last year with 83 tackles.

Outlook: The Falcons open with Troy at home and then take on Missouri on the road. They also host Boise State and face Buffalo on the road. They do have the talent to win the championship, but a new coach and system may hold them back.

This MAC conference prediction is courtesy of the ATS Sports Blog. If you are looking for winning college football betting picks be sure to choose ATS Consultants this year, A featured sports handicapping service on Touthouse.com

Just a few years ago, Bowling Green was part of the upper echelon of mid-major programs.

To put it in 2009 perspective, Bowling Green would have been been mentioned with the Utahs and the Boise States of the time.

Then, the program lost all momentum and has since come to screeching halt.

They no longer produce multiple NFL Draft picks, or run the spread offense as well as anyone in the country.

They had no direction. 

Two years ago, Dave Clawson was a highly thought of head football coach at the University of Richmond.

He was rising up the coaching charts quickly and seemed destined to land a job eventually as the head of one of the better programs in America.

He got the chance to move into the best conference in America, at a position of high importance. Phil Fulmer wanted Clawson to be his offense coordinator at Tennessee.

This was it. His big chance. A year or two running the Vols offense, and he could parlay that into a high-major head coaching position. Maybe even be named the successor to Phil Fulmer.

He came in with his system and implemented it. Unfortunately, the most important position on the field (quarterback) was a square peg, and Clawson had to fit him into a round hole.

Let's just say it didn't work. The offense was terrible from the start, with Jonathan Crompton taking more than a couple steps back in his development. Arian Foster went off the deep in and became ineffective.

Everything that could go wrong was going wrong and there was nothing the Vols could do.

Then came the announcement that Fulmer would not return to Tennessee in 2009.

With that announcement, Clawson's chance at big time college football halted for the moment. His chance had expired and he was going to be returning to the lower levels.

That's where Bowling Green came in.

It's a perfect fit. Clawson runs the spread system that Bowling Green became successful under and has proven that he can teach it as a head coach and run a program, unlike former head coach Gregg Brandon, who was hired straight from the offensive coordinator spot.

Bowling Green is a program filled with potential. The chance is there for them to return to the elite of the mid majors.

Sure, Clawson would probably much rather be settling in in Knoxville right now in his 2nd season as offensie coordinator, but this job could set up nicely for Clawson.

Once Clawson gets his players and implements his system, there's no doubt in my mind that Bowling Green will return to mid-major prominence.

Only then will Clawson be able to take a step up the college football ladder.

The momentum will be behind his career again, and that one year as offensive coordinator at Tennessee will no longer be a negative. It'll be a positive because it'll be thought of as good experience.

For now, Clawson must point Bowling Green in a direction. Up.

It could not possibly happen. Buffalo won 12 games between 1999-2006. The last two seasons Buffalo has won 12 games. The Bulls were the laughing stock of Division 1A and the MAC. Now they are MAC East Champions. The Bulls had to work for it but when the dust settled Buffalo had won another OT game, this time a 40-34 victory over Bowling Green.

Bowling Green started red hot scoring 21 points in the first 32 minutes of the game. The Falcons ran for all three touchdowns, two by Tyler Sheehan and one by Anthony Turner. The Bulls responded with a Drew Willy one yard sneak to cut the lead to 21-7. Bowling Green then answered with another Turner run but the Falcons to miss the extra point and they led by 20 with about 11 minutes left in the game. Yet, the Bulls are not nicknamed the Cardiac Kids for nothing. The Bulls responded two minutes later with a James Starks 12 yard run but A.J. Principe missed the extra point and Bowling Green still led 27-13. After Buffalo forced Bowling Green to punt, Buffalo turned the ball over on downs. The Falcons then did something quite odd, they faked a field goal. When Buffalo stopped the fake attempt they then marched down the field and scored a touchdown on a Willy 4 yard pass. Buffalo then recovered an onside kick and scored a touchdown with 37 seconds left in regulation.

In overtime Buffalo scored a touchdown on their second play and led 34-27. Buffalo's defense then held the Falcons to two yards on two plays before Sheehan found Corey Partridge to tie the game. In the second overtime Bowling Green got inside the 10 on their first play but Davonte Shannon broke up a screen pass on fourth and goal from the two to give the Bulls a chance to win. Once Buffalo got the ball in the overtime it took one play to clinch the Bulls first trip to Detroit. Starks ran for a 25 yard touchdown and the Bulls were heading to the MAC Championship Game in Detroit.

When the plays counted the most Buffalo dominated the game. Buffalo score five of the last six touchdowns in the game including OT. Willy went 29/41 for 297 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Starks got the ball 14 times rushing but only accumulated 62 yards. Naaman Roosevelt caught 10 balls for 118 yards and a touchdown. For the Falcons Sheehan went 24/32 for 240 yards with a touchdown and interception. Turner got eight carries for 22 yards and two touchdowns.

The Bulls with the victory clinch the MAC East title. They are 7-4 (5-2 MAC) with the only remaining regular season game being at home on Nov. 28 against Kent State. The Falcons are 5-6 (3-4 MAC) with their last regular season game at Toledo on Nov. 28.