Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Travel to Miami For MAC East Showdown
November 08, 2005 | Football
Nov. 8, 2005
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Bowling Green (5-4, 4-2) at Miami (6-3, 4-2) Tuesday, November 15 • 7 p.m. Yager Stadium (24,286) BGSU Radio Network (Todd Walker, John Gibson and Jason Aldrich) ESPN2 (Dave Barnett, Craig James, Rob Stone) SERIES: Miami leads 38-18-5 LAST MEETING: Miami 49, at BGSU 27 (12/4/03)
The Falcons and Redhawks will battle for the 62nd time with the winner gaining the upper hand in the race for the MAC East title. The Falcons will earn a berth in the MAC Championship game with wins against Miami and Toledo or with a win against Miami and a loss by Akron. BGSU is 3-0 on the road this season in the MAC.
BGSU will be looking to snap a six-game losing streak to Miami with the last BGSU win coming in a 28-21 triumph in Oxford in 1997. In 2003, Miami defeated BGSU 33-10 at home and won the MAC Championship game against the Falcons, 49-27, in Bowling Green.
BGSU's 42-16 record since 2001 is the best among all MAC schools over that time span. Since 2002, BGSU is 34-13, while Miami is 34-14. In 2003, BGSU won the MAC West title and the Motor City Bowl (Northwestern) and last year defeated Memphis to win the GMAC Bowl.
Junior All-American quarterback Omar Jacobs, who is the NCAA active leader in total offense (299.6), passing yards per game (280.2) and passing efficiency (165.5), missed the majority of the last three games after suffering an injury to his non-throwing shoulder. He will be evaluated each day, undergo rehabilitation and will start if healthy. He leads the MAC in total offense (307.9), passing (299.6) and is second in TD passes (20).
When Jacobs was healthy, the Falcons were averaging 39.5 points, 333.3 passing yards and 468.3 yards of total offense per game. Since his injury, the Falcons have averaged 17.3 points, 208.7 passing yards, and 364.7 yards of total offense per game.
Redshirt freshman Anthony Turner made his first career start at quarterback against Akron and also started at Kent State. This season, he has completed 52 of 85 passes for 492 yards and 2 TDs. He also has rushed for 170 yards and three TDs. He led Dayton's Chaminade-Julienne to the Ohio Division II State Championship in 2002.
Senior wide receiver Charles Sharon needs one reception to become BGSU's all-time career leader in catches with 216, surpassing former teammate Cole Magner who finished with 215 from 2001-2004. A Biletnikoff Award candidate, Sharon is fifth in the MAC in receptions (6.33) and sixth in receiving yards (94.6). With 149 more receiving yards this year, he will become the first player in BGSU history to post back-to-back 1,000+yard receiving seasons. He is second among active MAC leaders in career receiving yards with 3,273 and has caught a pass in an NCAA leading 46 straight games.
Turnovers have decided the last two games for the Falcons. Against Kent State, a forced fumble by senior Jelani Jordan and an interception by redshirt freshman John Haneline resulted in 14 BGSU points as the Falcons won 24-14. Conversely, an interception in the redzone by Akron and a Falcon fumble on the goal line going in was critical in BGSU's 24-14 loss to the Zips a week earlier.
In conference games, the BGSU defense is second in the league allowing 22.5 points per game. Last week, the Falcons held Kent State to 25 yards rushing and tied their season-best with five sacks.
Senior running back P.J. Pope is healthy after suffering an ankle injury in the season opener at Wisconsin. He has averaged 112 all-purpose yards (72 rushing, 40 receiving) in the last two games. He has rushed for 2,942 yards and 33 TDs in his career.
