Bowling Green State University Athletics
MAC Play Begins At Northern Illinois
September 20, 2004 | Football
Sept. 20, 2004
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Bowling Green (1-1) AT N. Illinois (1-2) Friday, September 24 - 7 p.m. (Eastern) Huskie Stadium (28,000) - Series Record: BGSU leads 10-4 Last Meeting: #23 BGSU 34, #12 NIU 18 (10/25/03) TV: ESPN2 (Dave Pasch, Trevor Matich, Rob Stone)
Game Notes
The Falcons begin their 53rd season in the Mid-American Conference.
BGSU is second all-time in league titles with 10 and has finished first or second in the league 23 times in 52 years.
Last year, BGSU (7-1) 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 will open the season with four of five games on the road.
In 2002, NIU beat a previously unbeaten and 16th-ranked BGSU team, 26-17, in DeKalb, while the #23-ranked Falcons returned the favor to the #12 Huskies, 34-18 last season, in Bowling Green.
The Falcons have scored 16 non-offensive points in the first two games. Senior Keon Newson picked off a 28-yard pass for a TD against Oklahoma, junior Charles Sharon ran back a 79-yard punt for a score against Southeast Missouri, and junior Monty Cooley tackled a SEMO running back in the end zone for a safety. Last year, BGSU did not score one point on defense or via returns.
Newson was named MAC West Defensive Player of the Week for the third time in his career after the Oklahoma game and Sharon was honored as the division's Special Teams honoree after the SEMO game for the second time in his career.
In six career games, sophomore quarterback Omar Jacobs has thrown 10 TDs and just one INT. Former All-American Josh Harris did not throw his 10th TD pass until the first game of his junior season.
The BGSU offensive line has allowed just one sack in the first two games.
BGSU's 7-3 record against IA non-conference teams since 2001 is the best among the 14 MAC schools during that time frame.
