Bowling Green State University Athletics
Former Falcons Find Football Success
December 23, 2002 | Football
Dec. 23, 2002
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - On Friday night (Dec. 20), Western Kentucky University defeated McNeese State, 34-14, to win the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship.
The next afternoon (Dec. 21), Mount Union College won the NCAA Division III title for the third consecutive year, with a 48-7 victory over Trinity (Texas) University.
In each case, a former Falcon was at the helm, guiding his team to a title.
Both WKU head coach Jack Harbaugh and MUC mentor Larry Kehres have BGSU ties. Harbaugh earned a pair of degrees at BGSU, while Kehres earned his master's degree in Bowling Green.
Harbaugh, who led WKU to the school's first national title, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education from Bowling Green in 1961. He earned his Master's of Education degree from the University in 1964, in health and physical education. Harbaugh spent the 1968-70 seasons as a Falcon assistant coach under Don Nehlen.
Kehres, who has built a small-college dynasty at Mount Union, attended graduate school at BGSU. He served as a graduate-assistant coach under Nehlen in 1971-92, earning his Master's in health and physical education.
Kehres, who earned his undergraduate degree at Mount, has led the Purple Raiders to six of the last seven Division III championships and seven titles in the last 10 years. He has a record of 192-17-3 (.912) in his 17 seasons at MUC, having won 13 Ohio Athletic Conference Championships and posting 11 undefeated regular seasons in that time. The Purple Raiders have won the OAC title each year since 1992, and have not lost a regular-season game since the 1994 season.
