Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
Murray State (Family Weekend & Band Day)
Murray State's High-Octane Offense Races Into BG Saturday
September 16, 2013 | Football
Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013; 3:30 p.m.
Doyt L. Perry Stadium (24,000) / Bowling Green, Ohio
ESPN3 (Dave Weekley/John Gregory)
Falcon Radio Network (Todd Walker/John Gibson)
LIVE STATS
LIVE AUDIO / FALCON RADIO NETWORK
LIVE VIDEO / WATCH ESPN
COMPLETE GAME NOTES (.PDF)
| 2013 MAC STANDINGS | ||
| EAST DIVISION | MAC | OVERALL |
| Bowling Green | 1-0 | 2-1 |
| Ohio | 0-0 | 2-1 |
| Akron | 0-0 | 1-2 |
| Buffalo | 0-0 | 1-2 |
| Miami | 0-0 | 0-2 |
| UMass | 0-0 | 0-3 |
| Kent State | 0-1 | 1-2 |
| WEST DIVISION | MAC | OVERALL |
| Northern Illinois | 0-0 | 2-0 |
| Ball State | 0-0 | 2-1 |
| Central Michigan | 0-0 | 1-2 |
| Eastern Michigan | 0-0 | 1-2 |
| Toledo | 0-0 | 1-2 |
| Western Michigan | 0-0 | 0-3 |
|
Saturday, Sept. 14 Indiana 42, Bowling Green 10 Michigan 28, Akron 24 Rutgers 28, Eastern Michigan 10 Buffalo 26, Stony Brook 23 5OT North Texas 34, Ball State 27 Northern Illinois 45, Idaho 35 LSU 45, Kent State 13 Kansas State 37, UMass 7 Toledo 33, Eastern Washington 21 Ohio 34, Marshall 31 Northwestern 38, Western Michigan 17 UNLV 31, Central Michigan 21 Saturday, Sept. 21 Vanderbilt at UMass, 12 pm Toledo at Central Michigan, 12 pm Western Michigan at Iowa, 12 pm Ball State at Eastern Michigan, 1 pm Austin Peay at Ohio, 2 pm Murray State at Bowling Green, 3:30 pm Kent State at Penn State, 3:30 pm Cincinnati at Miami (Ohio), 4 pm Louisiana Lafayette at Akron, 6 pm Eastern Illinois at Northern Illinois, 7 pm |
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TELEVISION
* Saturday's game is an ESPN3 exclusive broadcast with Dave Weekley (play-by-play) and John Gregory (analyst) on the call.
RADIO
* Falcon Radio Network with Todd Walker (play-by-play) and John Gibson (analyst). Radio coverage can be heard on the flagship station for BGSU Football WFRO 99.1 FM in Fremont, Ohio as well as WWSR 93.1 FM (Lima, Ohio), WCIT 940 AM (Lima, Ohio), WXKR 100.7 FM (Toledo, Ohio), WONW 1280 AM (Defiance, Ohio), WHKW 1220 AM (Cleveland, Ohio), WFXN 102.3 FM (Mansfield, Ohio), WXXF 107.7 FM (Ashland, Ohio) and WHKW 1420 AM (Cleveland, Ohio).
* The Bowling Green Radio Sports Organization (BGRSO) broadcasts home games and select road games on 88.1 FM in Bowling Green.
TICKETS
* Tickets are available through the BGSU Ticket Office by calling 877-BGSU TICKET or going to the BGSU Ticket Office, located inside the Stroh Center. Fans can also visit the BGSU tickets page and order online at BGSUFalcons.com/tickets.
WEBSITES / SOCIAL MEDIA
* BGSUFalcons.com (Bowling Green), GoRacers.com (Murray State)
* Follow BGSU Football on Twitter through the official account of BGSU Athletics
@BGAthletics or the official account of BGSU Football @BGFalconFootbal
* On Facebook search for BGSU Athletics
POLLS
* With the loss to Indiana, BGSU is no longer receiving votes in either the Associated Press or USA Today Coaches polls.
* Murray State is not receiving votes in the FCS Coaches poll but did pick up two votes in the Sports Network Top 25 poll.
LIVE STATS / LIVE AUDIO / LIVE VIDEO
* Live stats are available online at BGSUFalcons.com.
* Live audio is available (via Falcon Radio Network) online at BGSUFalcons.com.
* Live video is available on ESPN3 online.
SERIES INFO
* Bowling Green and Murray State are meeting for the first time in program history.
* Murray State plays in the Ohio Valley Conference and the Falcons are 4-3 all-time against current OVC schools, including 2-0 against Tennessee Tech, 1-3 against Eastern Kentucky, and 1-0 against Southeast Missouri.
THE SERIES
• Bowling Green and Murray State are playing each other for the first time in program history.
• BGSU is 4-3 all-time against current members of the Ohio Valley Conference and has a record of 2-0 against schools from the Football Championship Series (FCS) under head coach Dave Clawson.
AGAINST THE FCS
• This is the third straight year in which Bowling Green is playing host to a current Football Championship Series (FCS) school, winning each of the past two meetings.
• The Falcons have outscored the two FCS opponents 106-21 under head coach Dave Clawson.
• Bowling Green has won eight consecutive contests against current FCS opponents overall, dating back to a 20-17 loss to Youngstown State in 1987.
• The Falcons have won those eight games by a combined score of 381-85, an average score of 47.6-10.6.
THE COACHING STAFF
• Head coach Dave Clawson is in his fifth season at the helm of the football team with a career record of 82-78, which includes a 24-29 mark at BGSU.
• For the fifth consecutive year the Falcons will have all three coordinators returning. Warren Ruggiero, Mike Elko and Adam Scheier will coach offense, defense and special teams.
• BGSU is the only program in the MAC that can boast having the same head coach and coordinators for five years running.
THE REBUILD IS COMPLETE
• Following a trip to the Humanitarian Bowl in 2009, BGSU Head Coach Dave Clawson knew he had an arduous rebuilding job ahead of him. The Falcons slumped to 2-10 in 2010 but have rebounded by winning three more games than the previous season in each of the past two years. The Falcons are one of just four BCS teams to have made a three-win increase or better in each of the past two seasons and one of only two of those four teams to have two wins in 2013.
THE CAPTAINS
• BGSU Head Coach Dave Clawson has named eight captains for the 2013 season -- Alex Bayer, Jairus Campbell, Dominic Flewellyn, BooBoo Gates, Ronnie Goble, Chief Kekuewa, Gabe Martin and Paul Swan.
• The group represents three players on the offensive side of the ball (Bayer, Flewellyn and Kekuewa) and five on defense (Campbell, Gates, Goble, Martin and Swan).
• Three of this year's captains were also captains a year ago -- Flewellyn, Goble and Swan.
DIVING INTO 2-1
• In jumping out to a 2-1 start, Bowling Green defeated a pair of teams that each won 11 games a year ago.
• The Falcons handed Kent State its first regular season MAC loss since Nov. 25, 2011 at Temple.
• Bowling Green is 2-1 to start the season for the second time under head coach Dave Clawson. The 2011 team started 3-1 before ending the year with a 5-7 record.
BREAKING THE #MACTION MOLD
• When most fans hear the phrase #MACtion, they primarily think of the offensive fireworks by Mid-American Conference schools featured in weeknight games on national television. But Bowling Green has broken that mold with a stifling defense.
• The Falcons return nine starters in 2013 from a defense that ranked sixth in the country in total defense in 2012, allowing just 296 yards per game.
• Through the first three weeks of the 2013 season, BGSU ranks first in the MAC in total defense, scoring defense, first downs allowed and red zone defense. In fact, the Falcons rank second in the country in red zone defense, allowing opponents to put points on the board just 50 percent of the time they reach the BGSU 20 yard line.
REVISITING 2012
• BGSU posted its first eight-win season since 2007.
• Bowling Green went 6-2 in Mid-American Conference play, the program's best league record since going 6-2 in 2009.
• The Falcons played in their 10th bowl game in program history, including the fifth in the past 10 years.
• The BGSU defense ranked No. 6 in the country in yards allowed per game.
AN EXPERIENCED CREW
• Bowling Green returns nine starters on defense and eight more on offense from the 2012 team. In fact, it is the second year in a row in which the Falcons return 17 starters between the two units.
• Entering 2013, BGSU's returners accounted for 182 career starts on offense and 214 on defense for a grand total of 396 career starts.
• Four Falcons entered 2013 with at least 30 career starts (Matt Schilz, Dominic Flewellyn, Alex Bayer and Cameron Truss) and three more had at least 20 (Ryland Ward, BooBoo Gates and Paul Swan).
SENN-MASTER
• Paul Senn made an impact on Saturday's game at Indiana, blocking a punt and returning it for a touchdown. It was the first punt block for a touchdown by a BGSU football player since 2002.
• Senn also recovered a fumble on a kick-off and had three tackles for loss.
• His punt block earned the No. 1 ranking on ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10 and he was also named MAC East Division Special Teams Player of the Week.
FIRST TIME TO PAYDIRT
• In the first three games of the season, Bowling Green has scored 10 touchdowns and nine of them have come from players who had not scored prior to the start of 2013.
• Ryan Burbrink's 67-yard punt return against Tulsa was the first touchdown of his career. He added a 92-yard touchdown reception against Kent State.
• Walk-on William Houston scored three times from just one yard out against Tulsa in his first collegiate game. He added another one-yard plunge against Kent State.
• Travis Greene's one-yard rush in the first quarter against Kent State was his first career score.
• Jared Cohen caught a seven-yard pass late in the second quarter against Kent State for his first career touchdown.
• Paul Senn's punt block and dash to the end zone against Indiana was his first career score.
MAC LEADERS
• BGSU leads the Mid-American Conference in eight different team statistical categories.
• Defensively, the Falcons lead the league in scoring defense, total defense, opponent's first downs, red zone defense and opponent's fourth-down conversion percentage.
• Along with leading the conference in first-downs allowed, the Falcons also lead the MAC in first downs offensively.
• BGSU ranks first in the MAC and second in the country in time of possession.
THE SIGNAL CALLER
• Redshirt sophomore Matt Johnson was inserted into the season-opener against Tulsa at quarterback to start the Falcons' third possession of the game and guided the Falcons to the 34-7 victory.
• Johnson then got the first start of his career against Kent State, going 19-for-25 for 357 yards and two touchdown passes.
• Johnson earned MAC East Offensive Player of the Week honors and were also named one of eight Manning Award Stars of the Week for the effort in his first start.
• Johnson spurred the team to 576 yards of total offense against Kent State, the most for a BGSU team since 2004.
• In the third quarter against Kent State, Johnson found Ryan Burbrink for a 92-yard touchdown, the third-longest pass completion in BGSU history.
• Against Indiana, Johnson set new career-highs in completions and pass attempts by going 25-of-44.
THE SCHILZ FACTOR
• BGSU has one of the most experienced back-up quarterbacks in the country in Matt Schilz.
• Schilz has 36 career starts and ranks third in program history in completions and passing yards. He is also fifth with 50 career passing touchdowns.
HOUSTON, THEY'VE GOT A PROBLEM
• Walk-on William Houston made a splash in his first collegiate game, scoring three times from just a yard out.
• The team's short-yardage back, Houston (who weighs 262 pounds) carried the ball 10 times against Tulsa, gaining positive yardage on nine of those carries.
• For his efforts, Houston was named MAC Offensive Player of the Week.
• Houston added another one-yard touchdown run against Kent State and he is tied for first in the MAC in touchdowns scored.
AKRON GAME TIME ANNOUNCED
• ESPN has announced that BGSU's home game on Sept. 28 against Akron will air on ESPN3 with a kick-off of 2:30 p.m.
WE WANT MOORE
• True freshman Ronnie Moore made a quick impact on the offense with 42 yards rushing and an 18-yard pass reception against Tulsa.
• Moore had two of the team's four "explosive" plays (plays of 20+ yards) against Tulsa with a 37-yard run on the Falcons' first touchdown-scoring drive and a 29-yard kick return.
• He added a third explosive play with a 29-yard kick return against Kent State.
• Moore got his first career start at Indiana, catching one pass for five yards and rushing twice for 15 yards.
TATE IS GREAT
• With kicks of 30 and 41 yards at Kent State, Tyler Tate made two field goals in a game for the third consecutive contest.
• Tate had made six consecutive field goal attempts before missing from 47 yards out against Indiana. He did, however, make a career-long 45-yarder later in the game.
• Tate has been perfect on extra points this year, making all 10 attempts.
THE RED ZONE
• BGSU was perfect on red zone attempts offensively through the first two games, scoring on all 11 trips. However, the Falcons stumbled against Indiana, going 0-for-3 in the red zone.
• Defensively, Bowling Green ranks second in the country, allowing just six scores in 12 red zone trips. BGSU held Indiana to only four scores in seven red zone possessions.
SPECIAL TEAMS DOMINANCE
• BGSU's special teams have provided key sparks in the early going this year.
• BGSU kicker Tyler Tate is 5-for-7 on field goal attempts and 10-of-10 on extra points.
• Ryan Burbrink had a 67-yard punt return for a touchdown against Tulsa.
• Cameron Truss stuffed a fake punt on fourth-and-1 against Tulsa.
• BGSU recovered a muffed punt in the fourth quarter against Tulsa.
• Brian Schmiedebusch has landed five of his 12 punts inside the 20-yard line.
• Paul Senn blocked a punt against Indiana and returned the ball for a 56-yard touchdown, earning the No. 1 play on SportsCenter's Top 10 for Saturday, Sept. 14.
FIRST TIME STARTERS
• Three Falcons earned their first career starts against Tulsa -- all on the offensive side of the ball.
• Offensive tackles Logan Dietz and Jacob Bennett, along with running back Travis Greene, had their names in the starting lineup for the first time.
• Quarterback Matt Johnson picked up his first career start in the win over Kent State.
• Ronnie Moore and Brian Sutton picked up their first career starts at Indiana, while Jude Adjei-Barimah, Tyler Beck and Zach Colvin got their first starts of 2013 in the same game.
GETTING THEIR CAREERS STARTED
• In the season opener, 16 Falcons stepped on the field for the first time in their collegiate careers.
• Four true freshmen saw action including Fred Coppet, Isaiah Gourdine, William Houston and Ronnie Moore.
• Nine of the first timers were redshirt freshmen in JJ Beggan, Jacob Bennett, Terrance Bush, Scott Davis, Logan Dietz, Greg Hohenstein, James Knapke, Izaah Lunsford and Ben Steward.
• Others who saw action for the first time were redshirt junior Jared Cohen (junior college transfer), redshirt sophomore Diontre Delk and junior Paul Senn (junior college transfer).
ALL-MAC RETURNERS
• BGSU returns seven players who were named All-MAC a year ago. Gabe Martin and BooBoo Gates were first team all-league honorees, while punter Brian Schmiedebusch made the second team. Alex Bayer, Dominic Flewellyn, Ted Ouellet and Cameron Truss were named to the third team.
• In all, the Falcons had 10 All-MAC players a year ago, the most for the team since 2004.
THE CHIEF OF THE O-LINE
• David "Chief" Kekuewa spent two years at Arizona Western Junior College before coming to Bowling Green just prior to the 2012 season. Kekuewa has started every game over the past two seasons at center.
• Chief's last name comes from Keli'ikuewa (which is also his middle name) and means the wandering chief. In old Hawaii, Kekuewa's family were chiefs of Honaunau, the city of refuge, on the island of Hawaii. Once foreigners went to the islands and especially after the Great Mahele chiefs in the Hawaiian Kingdom lost land and power, his family became wanderers, hence the wandering chiefs.
CLASSY
A year ago, 67 percent of Bowling Green's roster consisted of freshmen or sophomores. This year, that number has dropped slightly to 63 percent. The Falcons have 47 freshmen or redshirt freshmen on the roster this year, which is actually three more than a year ago.
RUNNING FOR THE WINS
Over the past two years, Bowling Green has been at its best when pulverizing the opposition in the running game, a fact that was in direct contrast to Dave Clawson's first three seasons at BGSU. From 2009-11, the Falcons rushed for 200 yards in a game just one time. But the Falcons have now reached that total six times in the past two years (including the first two games of 2013). Below are all the 200-yard rushing games (and a 197-yard effort) in the past two seasons, all BGSU wins.
STOPPING THE RUN
Prior to the week two win over Kent State, the Falcons had held their opponent under 100 yards rushing in every win over the past two seasons. Kent State, though, rushed for 138 yards, but even that comes with an asterisk. The Falcon defense buckled down in the second half, holding the Golden Flashes to only 22 yards rushing in the second half, shutting out Kent State in the process.
THE GREENE LIGHT
• Redshirt sophomore Travis Greene was named the starting running back for 2013, filling a hole left with the departure of former high school teammate Anthon Samuel.
• Greene converted from wide receiver to running back during the spring and continued to climb the depth chart until finally being moved to the top of the two-deep after the team's second fall scrimmage.
• Making his ascendence even more surprising is the fact that the Falcons have a talented and deep pool of backs that include senior Jordan Hopgood, junior Jamel Martin, sophomore Andre Givens and a pair of explosive freshmen in Fred Coppet and Marcus Levy.
• Greene carried the ball 22 times for 88 yards in the season opener and then followed that up with 24 carries for 145 yards against Kent State.
• Greene ranks third in the MAC and 32nd in the country with 92.0 yards rushing per game.
HOME SWEET HOME
As expected, Bowling Green football draws far more student-athletes from Ohio (44) than from any other state. But after the Buckeye State, the Falcons have pulled 15 players each from the states of Michigan and Florida. Seven players on the roster hail from Illinois, the same number that come from Indiana. Pennsylvania is the hometown of six Falcons and four players have traveled across the country from California. Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Ontario are each represented by one Falcon.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
• BGSU earned three Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week honors over the first two weeks of the season.
• Paul Senn earned MAC East Special Teams Player of the Week after blocking a punt and returning it for a touchdown against Indiana. He also recovered a fumble on a kick-off after the Falcons took a 10-7 lead in the second quarter.
• Matt Johnson was named MAC East Offensive Player of the Week after going 19-of-25 for 357 yards and two touchdowns in the 41-22 win over Kent State. He was also named one of eight Manning Award "Stars of the Week".
• William Houston was named MAC East Offensive Player of the Week after scoring three touchdowns in his first collegiate game against Tulsa.
• Ryan Burbrink was named MAC East Special Teams Player of the Week after a 67-yard punt return for a touchdown against Tulsa.
• Burbrink was also named College Football Performance Awards National Punt Returner of the Week.
ALL ALONE
Senior BooBoo Gates has two kick returns for touchdowns, one punt return for a score and has two interception returns for TD in his career, becoming the first Falcon in school history to own touchdown returns via kick, punt and interception returns.
VERY SPECIAL TEAMS
Since head coach Dave Clawson arrived at Bowling Green, he and assistant coach Adam Scheier have found a way to get the most out of the BGSU special teams. In just over four years, Scheier's special teams have:
• three kick returns for touchdowns.
• four punt returns for scores.
• blocked 15 kicks.
• returned a blocked punt for a touchdown.
• converted on two fake punts.
• produced two All-MAC returners (BooBoo Gates and Eugene Cooper).
• produced two All-MAC punters (Brian Wright and Brian Schmiedebusch twice).
