Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Resume MAC Play at Central Michigan
October 04, 2004 | Football
Oct. 4, 2004
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Bowling Green (2-2, 0-1) at C. Michigan (2-2, 1-0) Saturday, October 9, 1 p.m. Kelly/Shorts Stadium (28,003) Series Record: BGSU leads 20-16 Last Meeting: at BGSU 23, CMU 3 (10/4/03)
The Falcons and the Chippewas will meet for the 37th time since 1924 with BGSU holding a 20-16 lead in the series.
BGSU has won the last four meetings including a 45-35 triumph in its last visit to Mt. Pleasant in 2002.
CMU Coach Brian Kelly will face the Falcons for the first time. BGSU is 7-0 against first-year head coaches since the 2000 season.
Last year, BGSU won the MAC West title and fell to Miami in the MAC Championship game. The Falcons defeated Northwestern, 28-24, in the Motor City Bowl and were ranked #23 in both major polls at the end of the season. BGSU lost its MAC opener at Northern Illinois, 34-17, and has not lost consecutive MAC games since the 2000 season.
BGSU is ending a stretch which has seen them open the season with four of five games on the road.
The Falcons have scored 16 non-offensive points in the first four games. Last year, BGSU did not score one point on defense or via returns.
Senior Keon Newson was named MAC West Defensive Player of the Week for the third time in his career after the Oklahoma game and junior Charles Sharon was honored as the division's Special Teams honoree after the SEMO game for the second time in his career.
Sophomore quarterback Omar Jacobs leads the MAC and is fourth in the country in total offense averaging 311.5 yards per game. His offensive line is one of the best in the MAC at pass protection allowing a league-low two sacks this season.
The Falcons are the top team in the MAC converting on 53.0% of its third down opportunities.
BGSU leads the MAC averaging 40 points per game and is third in the league in scoring defense allowing just 25 points per game.
While never the leader in rushing yards in the MAC during his tenure at BGSU, MAC coaches recognized that the most valuable performer in the Falcons' nationally prominent offense likely is junior RB P.J. Pope. A first-team All-MAC pick last year, Pope leads the MAC in yards per carry (6.6) and receiving yards by a running back (189). In the last two games, he has rushed for 199 yards on 24 carries (8.3 yards per carry) and has three TDs rushing and one receiving.
