Western Michigan vs Bowling Green Recap and Takeaways 2024

 Bowling Green Claims 1st Place in the MAC!!!

(photo via: Jack Rintamaa)

    Western Michigan and BGSU both entered this Tuesday night matchup at Doyt Perry Stadium at 4-1 in MAC play with the winner claiming sole possession of 1st place in the MAC. With the stakes super high for both teams, this may be the first win under Scot Loeffler where with 1st place in the conference was on the line and BG got the win 31-13 to claim bowl eligibility as well. Coach Loeffler has gotten this team into the post season for a 3rd straight season, a truly wonderful accomplishment for a team that was very recently in the gutter and left for dead by college football analysts. 

Recap

1st Half

    The Orange and Brown defense looked dominant from the start. WMU was forced to punt after a 3 and out. BG's offense then took the field with the now seeming stable O line starters of Fatukasi, Burns, Padgett, Pabst and Wollschlaeger. BG's first drive showcased the offense's ability to roll the pocket and utilize Jaison Patterson to convert a key 3rd down. However the drive stalled due to a holding penalty and Zach Long was able to crush a 50 yard field goal. BG and WMU traded a couple of punts (one controversial one by BG which I fully support given how good the defense looked) before Western Michigan scored on a long drive with multiple 4th down conversions to go up 7-3. BG then muffed the pooch kick and WMU recovered to have seemingly all of the momentum. Bam Booker took a nasty hit on the play and was down for a while, eventually being taken off the field on a stretcher. A very scary moment, everyone watching the game must have felt the emotions. Getting back into action the BG defense and Brock Horne came up with a crucial sack to force a WMU punt. The offense responded in kind. Terion Stewart busted a long run, Harold Fannin came up with another unreal catch and Malcolm Johnson continues to be a steady on 3rd downs. The O line was awesome all night and allowed Connor Bazelak to hit Fannin for a deep 25 yard score. 10-7 good guys! Jacory Benjamin then made an incredible interception which Terion Stewart then ran for a touchdown. However after a review, he was called down at the 1 yard line so Bazelak sneaked it in for the score. Western then tried to get a field goal before the half expired but was well short and BG went into the locker room with ALL the momentum up 17-7. The boys were playing with extreme toughness, care, and brotherhood partly due to Bam's serious injury (Coach Loeffler told me he was okay and back in the locker room after the game). 

2nd Half

    I tweeted going into the half that if the BG offense started the 2nd half with a touchdown drive then the game was as good as won. The Falcons started off intense from the jump, with Bazelak scrambling and DIVING for a first down. JP was running hard, dragging tacklers on his back. Then Fannin came up with a highly contested catch, Coach Loeffler dialed up a crafty screen to Fannin as well and finally Terion Stewart broke 2 tackles en route to a 17 yard TD run! WMU would punt on their first drive of the 2nd half due to sacks from Anthony Hawkins, Dontrez Brown, and Charles Rosser. The O line would continue to open up holes as Terion Stewart ran one for 60 yards. The drive would end in another Bazelak to Fannin score. Western would then go on a long scoring drive to make the score 31-13 in favor of the Falcons. Neither team would score the rest of the way and Todd Bumphis would get a late INT for good measure. 

Takeaways

    This truly feels like the first game under Coach Loeffler where it was good on good, in primetime, LATE in the season, and the Falcons not only won but dominated WMU. This win showed culture, it showed our close this team is. It is an old team and the way they rallied after a serious injury does speak to the brotherhood of this team and how hard they play for the coaches and the staff. Coach Loeffler spoke about this team back in 2018 when he was hired. Eventually, BG would get old and experienced. Now none of us foresaw the portal and the way CFB is now but Coach Loeffler has still found a way to bring his old school toughness and mentality into 2024 that the Falcons clearly respond to and embody. 

    The defense is an old, veteran group. Brock Horne was all over the field making tackles, an OG Loeffler guy. As well as Dontrez Brown and Anthony Hawkins. Joe Sipp is continuing his string of high tackle performances. Then there are the transfer Coach brought in who have been great. CJ Brown, Tracy Revels, and Jordan Oladokun who for my money is our best defensive player and was a former FCS player who Coach brought in way back in 2022. This defense is just nasty, tough, and really has led the way during BGSU's FOUR game win streak. Collectively this group is rock solid and has let up less than 14 points in 3 of the 4 games during this win streak. 

    

    The offense gained over 400 yards tonight, 228 on the ground! Terion Stewart, Harold Fannin, and Connor Bazelak continue to lead this offense. Bazelak threw 2 scores and never turned the ball over. Stewart rushed for a score and 150 yards on just 15 carries. Fannin AGAIN had a big night, 10 catches over 130 yards and 2 scores. The O line is really gelled as a group and they are older as well. Fatukasi and Burns are transfers while Wollschlaeger, Padgett, and Pabst are recruited BG guys. This group has been mashing people throughout all of MACtion and if they continue to pass block like they did tonight, BG will be just fine despite Malcolm Johnson being the only steady WR alternative to Harold Fannin. 

    Now the focus is on Ball State. BG has won 4 straight, 5/6 games as well. The Falcons are officially going bowling again which I am so excited for as long as we do not get the Quick Lane Bowl again. However, at this point my expectation for this team is to be in Detroit for the MAC Championship game. 2 games left, win them both and you are in no matter what. Win just 1 and they make get in, win none and while the season will still be a major success as we beat Toledo and made a bowl there will be a sort of let down considering how dominate this team has looked in conference play.

    Ay Ziggy!!!