Bowling Green State University Athletics
BGSU To Battle Ohio State Saturday
September 15, 2003 | Football
Sept. 15, 2003
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -
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Bowling Green (3-0)
at
Ohio State (3-0)
at
Ohio State (3-0)
Ohio Stadium (101,568)
Series Record: OSU leads 2-0
Last Meeting: Ohio State 44, BGSU 13 (9/13/97)
Television: ESPN Plus/Game Plan
BRANDON TAKES OVER FALCONS
Gregg Brandon, the 16th head coach in the history of the BGSU football program, joined Don Nehlen and Urban Meyer as the only BGSU football coaches to begin their career with a 3-0 record. With the Falcons' 27-26 win at #16 Purdue, Brandon joined Nehlen as the only BGSU coaches to ever defeat a nationally-ranked opponent. Nehlen's 1972 squad defeated #18 Purdue, 17-14. Brandon has more than 22 years of coaching experience at the Division I level, including the last two years at BGSU where he served as assistant head coach and directed the Falcons' record-setting offensive attack. Also returning from last year's coaching staff were assistant head coach-defense Tim Beckman and defensive staff members Mike Ward (defensive tackles) and John Bowers (defensive ends/special teams). Former Falcon Greg Studrawa was promoted to offensive coordinator and coaches the entire offensive line and former graduate assistant Zach Azzanni coaches the wide receivers. Joining the staff at BGSU this year are running backs coach Dennis Springer (Ball State), quarterbacks coach Mick McCall (Wyoming), tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator Troy Rothenbuhler (Arkansas State) and defensive backs coach Steven Wilks (East Tennessee State).
AGAINST THE BUCKEYES
1992 - Ohio State 17, BGSU 6 1997 - Ohio State 44, BGSU 13
BANGIN' WITH THE BCS
Since the 2001 season, the Falcons are 6-0 against BCS conference affiliated schools, including a 4-0 record on the road. Twenty-two current Falcons have been part of this success, including 11 who have started during the last two years.
2001 - BGSU 20, at Missouri 13 2001 - BGSU 42, Temple 23 2001 - BGSU 43, at Northwestern 42 2002 - BGSU 51, Missouri 28 2002 - BGSU 39, at Kansas 16 2003 - BGSU 27, at Purdue 26
LEADING THE NATION IN OFFENSE
BGSU, which finished eighth in the nation in total offense last season, leads the nation in total offense (575.3) and is second in scoring offense (50.7). The Falcons also have the sixth-best pass offense in NCAA I-A averaging 362.3 yards per game.
HARRIS FOR HEISMAN
Josh Harris was named CNNSI.com National Player of the Week and MAC West Offensive Player of the Week following the Purdue game. He is the first non-BCS quarterback to win five-straight games against BCS-affiliated schools. Harris has started for BGSU in wins over Temple, Northwestern, Missouri, Kansas, and Purdue. Harris had his third 300-plus yard passing effort and was 22-of-40 for 357 yards and three TDs at Purdue. Harris' career-best effort was a 402-yard performance at Northwestern. In two games against the Big Ten, Harris has completed 52-of-87 passes for 759 yards and six TDs.
DON'T OVERLOOK THE DEFENSE
For the fifth time in six games vs. BCS competition, BGSU, under assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Tim Beckman, held its opponent to under 100 yards rushing when Purdue rushed for 95 yards on 28 carries. (Missouri, 76 yds., 2001/Temple, 29 yds., 2001/Missouri, 55 yds., 2002/Kansas, 89 yds., 2002).
FALCONS RECEIVE VOTES
BGSU received 58 votes (30th) in the AP Poll this week and earned 35 votes (38th) in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.
HARRIS AND NEWSON EARN MAC HONOR
Senior quarterback Josh Harris and junior cornerback Keon Newson were named MAC West Players of the Week after defeating Purdue on Sept. 6. Harris led the Falcons to a 27-26 win over the #16 Boilermakers and improved his record as a starter vs. BCS league teams to 5-0. It marked BGSU's first win over a ranked team since a 1972, 17-14 win at then #18 Purdue. Harris completed 22-of-40 passes for 357 yards and three TDs and also rushed for 34 yards. He completed a game-winning 32-yard scoring pass to Charles Sharon with 2:08 to play on a fourth-and-14 situation. Twice on the Falcons' final 81-yard game-winning drive Harris converted fourth down situations. Newson had 12 tackles (10 solo, 2 assists) a tackle for a loss, a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble in the win. The BGSU defense held the Boilermakers to just 95 rushing yards.
HARRIS A CANDIDATE FOR UNITAS AWARD
Twenty-six outstanding senior quarterbacks, including BGSU's Josh Harris, have been selected as candidates for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, presented annually to the nation's top senior collegiate quarterback by the Frank Camp Chapter of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation. The winner is chosen from a list compiled by a select committee of football experts from across the United States. The committee will choose five finalists plus any ties announce the list on Oct. 22. The 2003 recipient will be announced Dec. 4, with the award presentation to be made in Louisville on Dec. 12.
MRUCZKOWSKI UP FOR LOMBARDI AWARD
Junior offensive lineman Scott Mruczkowski has been nominated for the 2003 Rotary Lombardi Award which is presented to the best lineman (offense or defense) in college football. Mruczkowski, a native of Garfield Heights, Ohio, moved to center this year after starting the previous two seasons at left guard. He was named pre-season All-MAC by College Football News.com. The Rotary Lombardi Award is hosted by the Rotary Club of Houston and benefits the American Cancer Society. The Award was initiated by the Rotary Club in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi to cancer. The Rotary Lombardi Award goes annually to the college football lineman -- offense or defense -- who, in addition to outstanding performance and ability, best exemplifies the discipline of Vince Lombardi, the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers.
BUCKEYE TIES
BGSU Athletic Director Paul Krebs was a member of the Ohio State athletic department family from 1985-99. Assistant coaches Greg Studrawa and Troy Rothenbuhler (OSU '95) both spent time as graduate assistants for the Buckeyes. Senior quarterback Josh Harris' wife, Tammy (Smith) Harris, was an All-American high jumper and Big Ten champion at OSU from 2000-03.
MORE BIG TEN
BGSU has played at Purdue (1972 and 2003), Michigan State (1981), Minnesota (1986), Ohio State (1992 and 1997), Wisconsin (1992), Penn State (1998), Michigan (2000) and Northwestern (2001). With a game at Ohio State Saturday, the Falcons will have two Big Ten opponents on its schedule for the first time since 1992.
AGAINST THE BIG TEN
The Falcons are 3-7 (all on the road) against the Big Ten but have won the last two such games, a 43-42 win at Northwestern in 2001 and this year's 27-26 win at Purdue.
FALCON TRADITION
The Falcons, who enter their 52nd season as a Mid-American Conference member, rank second in MAC history in both conference wins (212) and championships (10). The Falcons' .610 winning percentage ranks third all-time. BGSU has finished either first or second in the MAC standings in 22 of their previous 51 seasons in the league.
SUISHAM BREAKS SCHOOL RECORD
Junior kicker Shaun Suisham has made 20 of 21 on PAT attempts this season and broke the BGSU career mark of 115 set by All-American Brian Leaver from 1991-94. Suisham has made 121 of his 125 PAT kicks ... Brian Leaver (1991-94) held the old marks, with 115 kicks made in 118 attempts.
LIBERTY POST GAME NOTES
The Falcons begin the season with a record of 3-0 for the third-straight year ... BGSU had not turned that trick since Falcon teams started the year with three wins in nine consecutive seasons from 1956-64.
BGSU won for the ninth consecutive game at Perry Stadium, the longest current home-field win streak in the MAC.
In those nine home games, the Falcons have scored a total of 494 points, an average of 54.9 per game ... BGSU has scored over 60 points in four of those games, including in each of the last three home contests.
Omar Jacobs set a new career best with three touchdown passes in the game ... he threw for 180 yards, the highest total of his brief playing career ... Jacobs' 10 completions and 15 attempts also set career standards.
Cornelius McGrady set a new career high with 50 yards receiving in the game, and had a 39-yard catch, the longest of his career ... McGrady had all three of his catches, and all 50 yards, on the Falcons' opening drive of the game.
P.J. Pope carried the ball 14 times for 162 yards, setting a new career best ... Pope's 51-yard touchdown run in the win marked the longest rush of his career ... the game was the third 100-plus yard rushing effort of his career.
Jacobs hooked up with Raishaun Stover for a 65-yard TD pass, the longest for each player as a Falcon.
Stover had a career-high 94 yards rushing, and also set a career high with 65 yards receiving ... the 65-yard TD catch was the first reception of his career.
Cole Magner had two TD catches for the first time in his collegiate career ... Magner had two grabs in the game, a 39-yard score and a 20-yard TD catch.
With his two rushing touchdowns, Josh Harris now has 35 career TDs on the ground, ranking him second on that BGSU list ... he passed Bernard White, who scored 33 TDs rushing from 1984-85 ... Harris now trails only Dave Preston, who had 39 rushing touchdowns in his BGSU career (1973-76).
Harris rushed six times for 21 yards, and was 8-of-10 through the air for 128 yards and a TD ... he played barely over one quarter in the game.
The Falcons won their 10th-straight night game at home, and BGSU improved to 12-2 under the lights at home since 1989.
BGSU racked up 675 yards of total offense, just 31 yards off the school record (706 vs. Grand Valley State in 1978 ... the Liberty game marked the seventh time since 2001 that the Falcons have registered 500 yards or more of total offense in a game ... BGSU, not surprisingly, is 7-0 in such games.
Will Myles scored his first career TD on a 34-yard reception from Jacobs early in the fourth quarter.
OTHER STREAKS AND SUCH
The Falcons have won their last nine games in which they have had a player rush for more than 100 yards in a game.
The Falcons have won their last eight games when they held an opponent below 100 yards rushing. In addition BGSU has held its last three BCS opponents to under 100 yards rushing (Purdue-95, Kansas-89, Missouri -55).
The Falcons have seven games since 2001 where they have amassed 500 yards or more of total offense.
The Falcons lead the nation in total offense (575.3 yards per game) and finished eighth in the nation a year ago in that same category (448.9).
