Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Take On Chippewas Thursday Night on ESPNU
October 16, 2006 | Football
Oct. 16, 2006
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Bowling Green (4-3, 3-1) at Central Michigan (4-3, 4-0) Thursday, October 19 • 7:30 p.m. Kelly/Shorts Stadium (30,199) RADIO: BGSU Radio Network (Todd Walker, Cal Bowers and Jason Aldrich) TV: ESPNU (Mike Gleason and Chris Martin) SERIES RECORD: BGSU leads 21-16 LAST MEETING: BGSU 38, at CMU 14 (10/9/2004)
BGSU and Central Michigan will meet for the 38th time with the Falcons having won the last five meetings since the 1996 season. For the third time in the last four meetings, BGSU will travel to Mt. Pleasant where it defeated the Chippewas, 38-14 in 2004 and 45-35 in 2002. BGSU leads the series 21-16.
BGSU has won five straight MAC road games dating back to last season when it was 4-0 away from home in the league. Since the 2003 season, BGSU is 10-3 on the road in the MAC.
The Falcons lead the MAC in third-down conversions with a 42.9% success rate. BGSU is second in the MAC in rushing offense gaining 194.3 yards per game on the ground and has the second fewest penalty yards averaging just 45.4 yards per game. BGSU is third in the league in total defense (316.0), sacks (15) and fewest sacks allowed (13). The Falcons' rushing total is 15th nationally among Division IA programs.
The Falcons boast three of the top pass rushers in the MAC in senior defensive end Devon Parks, senior defensive tackle Brad Williams and sophomore defensive end Diyral Briggs. The trio has combined for 12 sacks this season. Parks is second in the league with five and Briggs is fourth with 4.5.
Redshirt freshman running back Chris Bullock became the third Falcon to rush for more than 100 yards in a game this season when he gained 114 yards on 21 carries against Ohio. In the last four games, he has rushed for 384 yards after gaining 99 against Eastern Michigan and Kent State and 72 against Ohio State. He is averaging 5.1 yards per carry during that time frame.
BGSU, Clemson, Michigan State and Navy are the only schools to have three different 100-yard rushers this season. Along with Bullock, redshirt freshman Freddie Barnes had 158 yards rushing against Wisconsin and sophomore quarterback Anthony Turner had 127 yards rushing against Buffalo.
Last year, the Falcons posted their fifth straight winning season with a 6-5 record. BGSU was nationally ranked in one or both major polls in 2002, 2003 and 2004. They finished 24th in the final BCS poll in 2003.
The Falcons boast one of the youngest teams in the country having played 27 true or redshirt freshmen. Twenty players have made their first career start this season.
BGSU's .701 winning percentage since 2001 (47-20) is the best among all MAC schools during the last five-plus seasons.
The Chippewas have won four of their last five games after defeating Ball State, 18-7 at home on Saturday. They lead the MAC West Division.
