Way Too Early Schedule Preview 2024

Way Too Early Schedule Preview 2024



    BGSU released the schedule in a pretty cool ChatGPT slideshow. I am always the first fan to prepare everyone for the REALISTIC expectations for BG football. However, seeing the official schedule actually has me thinking a shot at the MAC title SHOULD be on every fan's mind going into 2024...

    The Falcons have the non-conference games before any of the 8 MAC games which I really love. Last year we had our toughest MAC games schedule around and in between Michigan and Georgia Tech which did us zero favors. The Falcons start with a bad FCS school in Fordham, Penn State, then Texas AM. 99.999999% of the time the Falcons are going to be 1-2 to start the year. Old Dominion is interesting, they are a solid Sun Belt team and I think that is a real 50/50 game for the Falcons but given the current returning players and continuity I see the Falcons winning to start 2-2. 

    The first four MAC games are Akron, who BG has dominated for most of my lifetime and always find ways to stink and the same goes for Kent State. Unless there is a slip up those games should be wins. Now the other two teams are our new pod rivals in Toledo and NIU. This is the MAC folks, outside of it happening once every 5-6 years teams rarely go 8-0 so I do think BG losses one of those and I am actually leaning towards it being NIU. I truly think BG is going to get revenge on Toledo in the Glass Bowl given Toledo's best returning players transferring out in Penny Boone and DeQuan Finn. So I am going with BG at 5-3 going into the back half of MAC play. 

    I have long ago sold my stock in Ball State so I think that should be a win. The directional Michigans in Western and Central should present a challenge. I think both will be better this year and one could very likely make a run at the MAC Championship especially given how much respect for Coach McElwain I have. Miami is defending the title and should be good as well. However I think this could be the year for BG and they will only lose one game in this stretch. For now I will lean towards it being Miami but I could be swayed to CMU. Give me a 8-4 BG football team. That should be enough to get to Ford Field, going 6-2 in MAC play. 

    We still have a LONG way towards football actually starting but with the O line almost all returning, the defense always being good the last few years and having a strong returning class as well Bowling Green should be a force in the MAC. Bazelak and Orth are back at QB as well which is HUGE in the portal era and even though BG losses a bunch of receivers, that really is not as big of a deal given how little BG throws to the perimeter. Not to mention we have some P5 wide receivers coming in if we did want to open things up and Fannin/Gazarek are back at TE as well.  

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