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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Battle Rockets With Title On the Line
November 20, 2005 | Football
Nov. 20, 2005
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Toledo (7-3, 5-2) at Bowling Green (6-4, 5-2) Tuesday, November 22 • 7 p.m. Perry Stadium (23,724) BGSU Radio Network (Todd Walker, John Gibson and Jason Aldrich) ESPN2 (Dave Barnett, Craig James, Rob Stone) SERIES: BGSU leads 36-29-4 LAST MEETING: at Toledo 49, BGSU 41 (11/23/04)
First and Ten
The Falcons and Rockets will meet for "The Peace Pipe" as both teams hold aspirations of playing in the MAC Championship game on December 1 at Ford Field in Detroit. The Falcons will clinch the MAC East title with a win over the Rockets. If BGSU loses and finishes tied with Akron at 5-3, then Akron will advance. If BGSU loses and finishes tied with Miami and Akron, then the team that played the tougher MAC cross-divisional schedule earns the spot. Currently, BGSU's opponents (Ball State, Toledo and Western Michigan) are 14-8 while Akron's foes (Ball State, Central Michigan and Northern Illinois) are 14-9. Miami has been eliminated from contention in that scenario.
The Falcons hold a 36-29-4 lead in the series which has seen the home team win the last seven meetings. Last year, Toledo rallied from a 27-7 deficit to post a 49-41 victory. In 2003, BGSU won 31-23 to capture the MAC West Championship in Perry Stadium.
BGSU's 43-16 record since 2001 is the best among all MAC schools over that time span, while Toledo is right behind with a 43-18 mark in the last five years. In 2003, BGSU won the MAC West title and the Motor City Bowl (Northwestern) and last year defeated Memphis to win the GMAC Bowl. The Falcons also were nationally ranked in 2002, 2003, and 2004.
Tuesday night's game will mark the final home appearance for 19 seniors who have posted a MAC best 35-13 record (.729) in their four years. Those playing in their final home game include: linebacker Tim Arnold (Clinton, Md.), linebacker Aaron Burkart (Columbus), defensive back Mike Crumpler (Mitchellville, Md.), defensive lineman Monte Cooley (Cartersville, Georgia), offensive lineman Jon Culp (Mason), punter/kicker Nate Fry (Findlay), linebacker Jamien Johnson (Ft. Washington, Md.), defensive back Jelani Jordan (Atlanta), running back B.J. Lane (Ft. Washington, Md.), wide receiver Derrick Lett (Pensacola, Fla.), defensive back Terrill Mayberry (Farmington Hills, Mich.), defensive back John Nicholson (Bolingbrook, Ill.), linebacker Teddy Piepkow (Clark Lake, Mich.), running back P.J. Pope (Fairfield, Ohio), wide receiver Steve Sanders (Cleveland), wide receiver Charles Sharon (Palatka, Fla.), defensive lineman Mike Thaler (Cincinnati), senior kicker Joe Timchenko (Glendora, Calif.), and offensive lineman Rob Warren (Mentor).
Junior All-American quarterback Omar Jacobs, who is the NCAA active leader in total offense (294.5), passing yards per game (276.0) and passing efficiency (163.6), returned against Miami after he missed the majority of three games after suffering an injury to his non-throwing shoulder. He is second in the MAC in total offense (291.2) and second in passing (284.4) and TD passes (23). He is a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award.
When Jacobs is healthy, the Falcons have averaged 39.9 points, 311.9 passing yards and 445.0 yards of total offense per game. During his injury, the Falcons averaged 17.3 points, 208.7 passing yards, and 364.7 yards of total offense per game.
Senior wide receiver Charles Sharon has been named a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award. He is second among active MAC leaders in career receiving yards with 3,344 and has caught a pass in an NCAA leading 47 straight games.
The Falcons intercepted a season-high five passes against Miami, including two by national leader Jelani Jordan (six in 10 games). The five picks was the most by a Falcon defense since Nov. 5, 1983 when they had six against Ball State.
The Falcons tied an NCAA record with three safeties against Miami, and set a school record by allowing -64 yards rushing against the RedHawks. BGSU has the top ranked defense against the rush (107.4 yards per game) through seven MAC games.
In conference games, the BGSU defense is second in the league allowing 21.3 points per game.
