Bowling Green Football Talk

BGSU Homecoming Was a Massive Letdown     State of the Program 9/24/23  The Falcons actually got a massive crowd to come to the Doyt. Seriously, watching on TV it looked like the biggest crowd since 2014 Indiana. Boy was it wasted. This output is more of the norm than an outlier for this BGSU program the last 8 years. No one has carried more water for Coach Loffler than me and he has deserved respect for rebuilding this team over the last few years. However, the MAC losses by a million are wearing my patience thin. Under Coach Loeffler, outside of a couple games in 2021, Coach Loffler's Orange and Brown squad get the doors blown off of them.       The Ohio game was freakin embarrassing. Connor Bazelak looks scared in the pocket. This guy played in the SEC??? He looks like he would get flustered in a sorority charity flag football game. That first pick looked so awful coming out of his hand it just slipped away. The offensive line got their tails kicked...

BG Keeps It Interesting (photo via BG Athletics) The game was pretty entertaining. BG kept it close, picked off Heisman hopefully JJ McCarthy 3 times but ultimately the better team won. The real concern about the game was being on our 3rd string QB, multiple injuries, most scary of which was Demetrius Hardamon going to the hospital. The only update we have so far is that he is at least able to walk around so the injury is not as horrific as it could have been. I will keep the recap short as this game was fun bgut at the end of the day I do not gleam much from the paycheck games unless they are wins (waddup Minnesota).  Recap  Offense The offense was pretty decent considering the caliber of defense. Michigan is an elite tean, no two ways about it. When Cam Orth was in the game, the chains were moving somewhat. There was a 12 play, 62 yard drive that ended in a field goal. Then the kickoff team got the ball back and the offense got another field goal. Orth was 8/11 for 91 yards ...

Bowling Green Takes Care of Business in Home Opener      The passing game was indeed fixed this week as the main storyline is Connor Bazelak rebounding from a horrific performance to throw for 319 yards and 3 scores. The defense was a little shaky on long situations but ultimately held EIU to just 15 points, only 3 in the 2nd half. This was an important rebound for a Bowling Green squad that lost the FCS game last year and are facing a TOUGH 3 game stretch here.  QB Connor Bazelak (photo via BGSU Athletics) Stats:  https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401532400 Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4EK3PJwpz4&ab_channel=BowlingGreenFootballTalk Recap  1st Quarter  The game started out as good as it can, the offense moved down the field with Bazelak going 6/6 passing with a 10 yard touchdown to OJ Hilaire. The run game started off not getting much going but the pass protection was much improved from the Liberty game. Bazelak lo...

5 Interceptions Leads BGSU to a Loss A new season of BGSU football kicked off on Saturday and it could not have started too much worse. On one hand, the Falcons threw 5 interceptions and only lost by 10. On the other hand, how do we look that unprepared and out of sync in week 1? I am the firmest believer in the school of thought that with every team you have to throw out their best and worst game and that the other games better represent a team. This team needs to make some big strides and I am confident that they will. Coach Loeffler rebounded from an FCS loss last year when idiots like me thought the season was over, no doubt he can do it again.  (photo via Toledo Blade) Takeaways I am actually feeling much better a couple days removed than I was during the game. I am obviously frustrated at how BG looked in terms of sloppy pass game, penalties, and an overall feeling of being somewhat raw. On the other side of the coin it is week 1, only foolish people make conclusions after on...

2023 QB Position Preview QBs battling (photo via Toledo Blade) Looking back at 2022 Matt McDonald is a BG legend. He came here to help rebuild a dead program and he succeeded. Took some bad losses in 2020, upset Minnesota in 2021, and beat Toledo and made a bowl game in 2022. Matty was a freaking gamer, making plays happen when there was pressure and seeming no open window. It is going to be HARD to replace Matty Ice but someone has got to do it and do it well. QB is the most position for a reason. Matt threw for over 2500 yards, over 20 touchdowns and had big throws in big wins.  Departures The portal is the most volatile for QBs. Only one can play so everyone tries to find a team to start on and 2nd string is not the same in the QB room as any other position. Matt McDonald graduates, Owen Bainbridge transfers to D2 Notre Dame College, and Daelen Menard transferred in from BC just to head to New Hampshire FCS after spring.  Incoming Coach Loeffler brings in Connor Bazelak fro...

2023 RB/WR/TE Position Preview  WR OJ Hilaire (photo via BG Athletics) Looking back at 2022 The pass game was the real bright spot in 2022. OJ had a breakout year while Taron Keith displayed a lot out of the backfield. Jaison Patterson was the workhorse back but we could not run in the redzone as he had just ONE touchdown despite almost 600 yards. That has to be the biggest ratio in CFB this past year. Harold Fannin had 4 rush TDs while the running backs had just TWO. The pass game will hopefully stay strong while the run game improves.  Departures We see Tyrone Broden go to Arkansas, CJ Lewis and Cavon Croom graduate, while Christian Sims is trying to make the NFL. A few guys like Jalen Holly, Braxton Todd, Jaylen Jennings, and Jaedyn McKinsrty hit the portal with only McKinstry staying FBS and none of these guys seeing much of the field the last season.  Incoming Say it with me folks, Scot Loeffler crushed the portal again! Finn Hogan comes in from another MAC school (C...

Bowling Green Football Schedule Preview 2023 HC Scot Loeffler (photo via BG Athletics) Last year was a really fun 6-7 season. After the FCS loss, this team upset Marshall in an OT thriller on homecoming and then had a solid 5-3 MAC record to go bowling. Hopefully 2023 sees similar or better results. I think predicting MAC teams is near IMPOSSIBLE because of the constant parity year to year and now the transfer portal basically makes the group of 5 teams brand new from year to year. With that being said, here is my schedule prediction.  Win Range Prediction: 5-7 wins Liberty: Win Eastern Illinois: Win Michigan: Loss Ohio: Loss GTech: Loss Miami OH: Win Buffalo: Loss Akron: Win Ball State: Win Kent State: Win Toledo: Loss Western Michigan: Win Non Con 2-2 The non-con is ROUGH this year. Liberty pays there head coach 8 times more than we do at 4.5 million they spend like a P5 team. However it is there first game as a staff, so give me the Falcons in an upset! I think BG will then beat...