Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons To Play Badgers At Cleveland Browns Stadium
October 28, 2003 | Football
Oct. 28, 2003
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Bowling Green State University Director of Athletics Paul Krebs has announced that the Falcons have signed a contract with the University of Wisconsin to play football in Madison in 2005 with a return game in 2006 that BGSU will host in Cleveland Browns Stadium.
"We are very thankful for this opportunity and think this a great thing for our fans and alumni in northeast Ohio," said Krebs. "We would like to thank the Browns organization, the MAC, Wisconsin and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission for making this possible."
The two teams have met just once. In 1992, Wisconsin took home a 39-18 victory in Madison. BGSU has won two of its last three games against Big Ten opponents, winning at Northwestern (2001) and Purdue (2003), while falling at Ohio State (2003).
"We are very excited to be hosting a college football game between Bowling Green and Wisconsin in 2006," President and CEO Carmen Policy said. "We continually attempt to bring as many diverse events to Cleveland Browns Stadium as our schedule and climate permit, and this match up between well respected schools from the Mid-American Conference and the Big Ten Conference will be invigorating for the passionate football fans in Northeast Ohio."
"This is very exciting for Cleveland," said David Gilbert, President & CEO of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. "This game will bring a lot of people and visibility to our community as well as continue to build our reputation as a top host for major sporting events. Cleveland has a hunger for college football and Bowling Green vs. Wisconsin will be sure to satisfy."
SOUTH FLORIDA WILL NOT RETURN HOME GAME FOR FALCONS
The University of South Florida has informed BGSU that it will not honor a contract which called for the Bulls and Falcons to play in Bowling Green in 2004 and 2007, while the Falcons returned to Tampa in 2006. Last year, BGSU played in Tampa in what was to be the initial game in a four-game series and was hoping USF would at least honor the first return home game for the Falcons in the series next season.
