Bowling Green State University Athletics
Football Travels to Temple
October 23, 2006 | Football
Oct. 23, 2006
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BOWLING GREEN (4-4, 3-2) at TEMPLE (0-8) ™™Saturday, October 28 • 1 p.m. Lincoln Financial Field (68,532) RADIO: BGSU Radio Network (Todd Walker, Cal Bowers and Jason Aldrich) Live Internet Video: MAC-Sports.com SERIES RECORD: BGSU leads 6-2 LAST MEETING: at BGSU 70, Temple 7 (10/1/05)
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BGSU and Temple will meet for the third straight year and for the ninth time overall. The Falcons lead the overall series which began in 1953, 6-2, and have won the last three contests. Last year, BGSU won in Bowling Green, 70-7, while taking home a 70-16 triumph in 2004 at Lincoln Financial Field. The Owls last defeated the Falcons, 31-14, at Franklin Field in 2000.
This will be the fifth non-conference meeting between the two schools this decade, the most for the Falcons against any other non-MAC opponent. Since the 2000 season, the Falcons have played Ohio State and Missouri twice. At the behest of the MAC office, this game replaced a home game on the schedule when the Falcons were to take on Boise State on September 30.
The Falcons lead the MAC in third-down conversions with a 41.8% success rate and have accumulated the fewest penalty yards in the league (46.0). BGSU is third in the league in rushing offense (186.2) sacks (18) and fewest sacks allowed (14).
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 15 sacks this season. Parks is second in the league with seven and Briggs is fourth with 5.5.
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 five games, he has rushed for 475 yards after his 91-yard effort against Central Michigan. He is averaging 5.1 yards per carry during that time frame, and has gained more yards than any other freshman ball carrier in the league.
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 are looking to post their sixth consecutive non-losing season, a feat not accomplished at BGSU since Don Nehlen's teams posted six straight winning seasons from 1971-76.
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 .691 winning percentage since 2001 (47-21) is the best among all MAC schools during the last five-plus seasons.
BGSU will be the fifth of six MAC opponents that the Owls will take on this season. They will become a member of the MAC's East Division next year.™™
