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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Picked Third in MAC's West Division
August 03, 2004 | Football
Aug. 3, 2004
DETROIT, Mich. - The members of the Mid-American Conference News Media Association have had their say, and the Bowling Green State University football team has been picked to finish third in the MAC's West Division in 2004. The announcement was made Tuesday morning (August 3) at the league's annual media day at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Detroit.
The Falcons received three first-place votes and a total of 223 points in the poll, just two points behind Northern Illinois. The Huskies also garnered three first-place votes. Toledo, with 34 first-place votes and 278 total points, was picked to win the West.
"I really don't pay much attention to the polls," said Gregg Brandon, who enters his second season as BGSU's head coach. "When I was at Northwestern in 1995, we went to the Rose Bowl after being picked to finish 11th in the Big Ten."
Brandon and senior defensive back Keon Newson represented the Falcons at the league's media gathering. BGSU was picked to finish third in the West last season as well by the MAC NMA, but the Brown and Orange finished 11-3 in 2003, winning the MAC's West Division with a 7-1 league mark. BG lost the MAC Championship contest to Miami, but rebounded for a win over Northwestern in the Motor City Bowl. Brandon, Newson and company hope to again extend the season deep into December.
"Our slogan this year is `The Next Step,'" said Newson. "The guys have been focused ever since we fell short (in the MAC Championship). We have been focusing on finding ways to get better and take that next step."
The Falcons' 11 wins made Brandon the winningest first-year coach in the nation last fall. The coach returns a bevy of experienced players looking to make another run at the league crown.
"The question I get constantly is, `how are we going to survive without Josh Harris?' We'll be just fine. Omar Jacobs has two years of experience in our program. He will have a learning curve, but we have a veteran offense back, and Omar can do a lot of the things that Josh did.
"Defensively, we have a lot of experience and depth returning as well. Our program's goal is to be playing in December."
The Falcons open the 2004 season with a Sept. 4 contest at Oklahoma. The home opener is a week later, Sept. 11, vs. Southeast Missouri. BGSU opens the MAC season with a Friday night contest (Sept. 24) at Northern Illinois, and closes the schedule with another weeknight game, at Toledo (Nov. 23). Both the NIU and UT contests are slated for ESPN/ESPN2 broadcasts.
The complete MAC News Media Association poll follows...
2004 MAC NMA Preseason Football Poll
West Division School (FPV) Points 1. Toledo (34) 278 2. Northern Illinois (3) 225 3. Bowling Green (3) 223 4. Western Michigan (1) 154 5. Ball State 118 6. Central Michigan 84 7. Eastern Michigan 66East Division School (FPV) Points 1. Marshall (21) 258 2. Miami (18) 257 3. Akron (1) 188 4. UCF 176 5. Kent State (1) 119 6. Ohio 82 7. Buffalo 67
Votes to win MAC Championship game: Toledo 22 Marshall 9 Bowling Green 3 Miami 3 Northern Ill. 3 Akron 1
