Bowling Green State University Athletics
Friday, December 5
Detroit, Mich.
7:00 PM
Bowling Green State University
vs
Northern Illinois
Falcons Ready For MAC Championship Game Friday
December 01, 2014 | Football
BGSU and NIU will play for MAC Championship Game on ESPN2 Friday night
*MAC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME*
BGSU Falcons (7-5, 5-3 MAC)
vs.
Northern Illinois Huskies (10-2, 7-1 MAC)
ESPN2 (Dave Flemming, Danny Kanell, Allison Williams)
Falcon Radio Network (Todd Walker, John Gibson)
Complete Game Notes (.pdf)
Live Stats | Live Audio
BGSU Falcons (7-5, 5-3 MAC)
vs.
Northern Illinois Huskies (10-2, 7-1 MAC)
ESPN2 (Dave Flemming, Danny Kanell, Allison Williams)
Falcon Radio Network (Todd Walker, John Gibson)
Complete Game Notes (.pdf)
Live Stats | Live Audio
Television                    Â
• The Mid-American Conference Championship Game will be shown nationally on ESPN2, ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app.
• Dave Flemming (play-by-play), Danny Kanell (color analyst) and Allison Williams (sideline) will provide commentary throughout.
Radio                       Â
• Falcon Radio Network with Todd Walker (PxP) 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 WCIT 940 AM/WWSR 93.1 FM (Lima, Ohio), WLQR 106.5 FM/1470 AM (Toledo, Ohio), WONW 1280 AM (Defiance, Ohio), and WHKW 1220 AM (Cleveland, Ohio).
• IMG radio will broadcast the game nationally, with David Shumate (PxP) and Jon Jansen (analyst) handling the call
Websites                    Â
• BGSUFalcons.com is the internet home of Bowling Green State University athletics
• Coverage of Northern Illinois University athletics is available at NIUHuskies.com
Social Media                    Â
• Falcon fans can follow Falcon football all season long through several social media outlets which will provide in-game updates throughout the year.
• On Twitter, fans can follow @BGAthletics or @BG_Football (in-game updates), while on Instagram Falcon Athletics can be found at bgfalcons.
Online Coverage              Â
• Live stats can be found at BGSUFalcons.com under the football schedule page
• Live audio can be heard via the Falcon Radio Network on BGSUFalcons.com
• Live video can be accessed online via WatchESPN.com
The Teams                    Â
• Bowling Green enters the Mid-American Conference Championship Game at 7-5 overall. The Falcons finished MAC play at 5-3. BGSU has lost two consecutive games, after winning five of six prior to that. Bowling Green seeks their 12th MAC title in school history.
• Northern Illinois comes into the MAC Championship Game with revenge on their minds. The Huskies, who are 10-2 overall and 7-1 in MAC play, will be looking to get back at BGSU for spoiling their perfect season a year ago. NIU won the MAC West by virtue of their win over Toledo, which gave them the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Series Info                    Â
• Bowling Green leads the all-time series with Northern Illinois, boasting a record of 11-7 in the series between the two schools. In the last matchup, the Falcons defeated the Huskies 47-27 to claim the 2013 MAC Championship.
• The Mid-American Conference Championship Game will be shown nationally on ESPN2, ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app.
• Dave Flemming (play-by-play), Danny Kanell (color analyst) and Allison Williams (sideline) will provide commentary throughout.
Radio                       Â
• Falcon Radio Network with Todd Walker (PxP) 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 WCIT 940 AM/WWSR 93.1 FM (Lima, Ohio), WLQR 106.5 FM/1470 AM (Toledo, Ohio), WONW 1280 AM (Defiance, Ohio), and WHKW 1220 AM (Cleveland, Ohio).
• IMG radio will broadcast the game nationally, with David Shumate (PxP) and Jon Jansen (analyst) handling the call
Websites                    Â
• BGSUFalcons.com is the internet home of Bowling Green State University athletics
• Coverage of Northern Illinois University athletics is available at NIUHuskies.com
Social Media                    Â
• Falcon fans can follow Falcon football all season long through several social media outlets which will provide in-game updates throughout the year.
• On Twitter, fans can follow @BGAthletics or @BG_Football (in-game updates), while on Instagram Falcon Athletics can be found at bgfalcons.
Online Coverage              Â
• Live stats can be found at BGSUFalcons.com under the football schedule page
• Live audio can be heard via the Falcon Radio Network on BGSUFalcons.com
• Live video can be accessed online via WatchESPN.com
The Teams                    Â
• Bowling Green enters the Mid-American Conference Championship Game at 7-5 overall. The Falcons finished MAC play at 5-3. BGSU has lost two consecutive games, after winning five of six prior to that. Bowling Green seeks their 12th MAC title in school history.
• Northern Illinois comes into the MAC Championship Game with revenge on their minds. The Huskies, who are 10-2 overall and 7-1 in MAC play, will be looking to get back at BGSU for spoiling their perfect season a year ago. NIU won the MAC West by virtue of their win over Toledo, which gave them the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Series Info                    Â
• Bowling Green leads the all-time series with Northern Illinois, boasting a record of 11-7 in the series between the two schools. In the last matchup, the Falcons defeated the Huskies 47-27 to claim the 2013 MAC Championship.
Falcons Ready For MAC Championship Game
• Bowling Green State University (7-5, 5-3 MAC) heads to Detroit this week for the Mid-American Conference Championship Game. The Falcons will take on MAC West Division winner Northern Illinois, who finished the regular season 10-2 (7-1 MAC).
• The Falcons enter the game coming off two consecutive losses to MAC West foes. BGSU went 5-0 this season against MAC East foes, which propelled them to the MAC East crown.
• NIU's lone MAC loss came at the hands of Central Michigan. The Huskies only other loss this season came at Arkansas.
• Friday's game will serve as a rematch of the 2013 MAC Championship Game, which saw Bowling Green come out victorious, 47-27.
A Win Against Northern Illinois Would...
• Give Bowling Green their 12th Mid-American Conference championship in school history.
• Make the Falcons MAC champions for the second consecutive season, a feat which hasn't been done at BGSU since 1991-92.
• Mark the Falcons first victory against an opponent from the MAC West this season.
• Improve Bowling Green's overall record to 8-5 on the season.
Head Coach Dino Babers
• Dino Babers is in his first season at Bowling Green in 2014, and his third as a head coach overall.
• He has a 7-5 record at Bowling Green, but holds a career record of 26-12. Babers has won a conference title in each of his first two seasons as a head coach.
• Babers has also been named conference coach of the year in both seasons as a head coach, after taking a last-place team and winning two Ohio Valley Conference crowns.
• Babers has an impressive pedigree of mentoring NFL-caliber players. His quarterback at EIU, Jimmy Garoppolo, was drafted in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. In total, Babers has coached more than 30 NFL players.
• On top of individual player success, Babers knows how to get the most out of his teams. This season will mark the ninth time in the last 11 years that a Dino Babers coached team has advanced to postseason play.
Falcons Have Won The East By Beating The East
• Since the beginning of the 2012 season, Bowling Green has been dominant against competition from the East Division. It is no coincidence, that for the third straight season, the Falcons were once again in position to win the East Division in November.
• Bowling Green has gone 16-1 against East Division competition since the start of the 2012 campaign. The Falcons' lone loss proved costly, as a 2012 loss vs. Kent State decided the MAC East division.
• Last season, the Falcons went 6-0 against teams from the East to win the division, and this year the Falcons finished 5-0 against teams from their division.
• The Orange and Brown have now won 12 consecutive games against teams from the MAC East.
BGSU Has A History At Ford Field
• Friday's MAC Championship Game will mark the fourth time that Bowling Green has played a game at Ford Field in its history. The Falcons have a current record of 2-1 inside the venue, which is home to the Detroit Lions of the National Football League.
• In 2003, the Falcons defeated Northwestern in the Motor City Bowl. In front of a large contingent of Orange and Brown, BGSU downed their Big Ten counterpart, 28-24.
• Last season, the Falcons played two consecutive games inside the venue to finish the season. The Orange and Brown ruined Northern Illinois' perfect season with a 47-27 win in the MAC Championship Game.
• The Falcons returned to Ford Field for the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl to end last season, falling to Pittsburgh, 30-27.
Top True Freshman In The Nation
• Just 10 freshman have three-or-more interceptions in FBS football, and two of them don the Orange and Brown of Bowling Green.
• Nick Johnson (5) and Clint Stephens (3) are two of just seven true freshman in the entire country to have three-or-more interceptions in 2014.
• True freshmen in FBS football with three-or-more interceptions in 2014:
   Player   School   INT
1. Nick Johnson   Bowling Green   5
T2. Clint Stephens   Bowling Green   3
T2. Ramon Richards   Oklahoma State   3
T2. Howard Wilson   Houston   3
T2. Quin Blanding   Virginia   3
T2. Todd Kelly Jr.   Tennessee   3
T2. Tegray Scales   Indiana   3
Three-Way Backfield Attack
• Bowling Green enters the MAC Championship Game with three talented running backs. Each back has started at least one game this season and has had at least two 100-yard games on the ground.
• Greene is the Falcons' leading rusher this season. He has 803 yards and nine touchdowns.
• Coppet has rushed for 653 yards and six touchdowns in 2014, while Givens has 474 yards and eight scores.
• If Givens surpasses 500 total yards (needs 26 more) rushing, it will mark the first time in school history (dating back to 1959) that Bowling Green has had at least three players rush for 500 yards in the same season.
The Michigan Connection
• Bowling Green's roster has 12 players on it from the state of Michigan, which makes it the third-most represented state on the Falcons' roster.
• Only Ohio and Florida have more players on the Falcons' roster than Michigan does.
Leaving Ohio
• Friday's game in Detroit will mark BGSU's first game outside the state of Ohio since a road contest at UMass on Sept. 27.
• The Falcons are 1-2 in games outside of the state this season, but are 1-0 in games against MAC teams outside the state in 2014.
Pick Johnson
• True freshman Nick Johnson (Canton, Ohio) has five interceptions this season and became just the second true freshman in school history to have five interceptions during his inaugural campaign.
• He is the first Falcon since P.J. Mahone in 2007 to have at least five interceptions. In that 2007 season, Mahone had seven picks.
• The only other Falcon freshman to ever record five interceptions in a season was Martin Bayless in 1980.
• With one more interception, Johnson will set the all-time record for interceptions by a freshman at Bowling Green.
• Most interceptions by true freshmen in BGSU program history:
Making Things Happen
• The Bowling Green defense has turned up the pressure during the last third of the season, forcing 13 turnovers in November games.
• With 27 total turnovers created this season, that means Bowling Green forced just 14 turnovers during the first eight weeks of the season.
• In each of their two wins against Kent State and Akron, the Falcons forced five turnovers.
• Bowling Green has taken care of the ball in the last two games, not commiting a turnover against either Toledo or Ball State.
• The Falcons are now first in the MAC and 12th nationally with 27 turnovers gained.
Lewis Chasing 1,000
• Bowling Green true freshman wideout Roger Lewis is looking to become the first freshman in school history to surpass 1,000 yards receiving in a season.
• Just six players have had seasons of 1,000 yards receiving in program history.
• The Pickerington, Ohio native currently has 934 yards on the year. He leads the team with 66 receptions and is tied for the team lead with five receiving touchdowns in 2014.
Rare Company Through The Air
• Bowling Green is one of just a select few teams in FBS football to have a receiving core which has put up such gaudy numbers in the regular season.
• The Falcons have had six players with more than 24 receptions on the season.
• Breaking it down further, though, BGSU has four players with more than 30 catches, three with more than 40, two with 50-plus receptions and one with over 65.
• Lewis leads the receivers with 66 catches on the season. He is followed by Ryan Burbrink (55), Ronnie Moore (49), Heath Jackson (31), Gehrig Dieter (26) and Travis Greene (24).
An Experienced Group
• Heading into the MAC Championship Game on Friday, Bowling Green certainly has an experienced group on the field on both sides of the ball.
• 10 players have started every game this season for the Orange and Brown, including every offensive linemen. Roger Lewis, Charlie Walker, Gabe Martin, Brian Sutton, and Jude Adjei-Barimah are the others.
• Four other players have started at least 10 consecutive games for the Falcons. That list includes James Knapke, Ryan Burbrink, Bryan Thomas and Gus Schwieterman.
• 11 players for the Falcons have started at least 20 games in their career, led by Ryland Ward's 46. Ward is joined in the 20-start club by Alex Huettel (39), Bryan Thomas (35), Charlie Walker (33), Gabe Martin (31), Logan Dietz (26), Jacob Bennett (26), Darrell Hunter (24), Travis Greene (23), D.J. Lynch (23), and Ryan Burbrink (23).
Tate Ties All-Time Record
• With his field goal in the third quarter against Ball State, Tyler Tate tied Shaun Suisham's (2001-04) mark for most field goals made in a career with 45.
• Tate has converted 20 field goals this season after making 18 in 2013.
• On top of tying the career mark, Tate is just one make shy of tying the all-time mark of 21 field goals made in a season, set in 1994 by Brian Leaver.
• Tate has been named MAC East Special Teams Player of the Week three times this season, and has accumulated 100 points on the season.
Greene Returns To Field In Style
• After missing most of three games due to injury, Travis Greene returned to the field against Ball State. On the first play from scrimmage, Greene took a handoff and went nearly untouched up the middle for a 75-yard touchdown run.
• Greene now has 803 yards and nine touchdowns rushing this season.
• After setting the school record with 1,594 yards in 2013, Greene is looking to become the first player since P.J. Pope in 2003-04 to have back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
Two Go Over Century Mark
• For the second time this season, Bowling Green had two running backs surpass 100 yards rushing in a game, when Travis Greene (159) and Fred Coppet (140) did so against Ball State.
• Earlier this season, Coppet and Andre Givens did so against Akron (Nov. 4).
• Prior to the Akron contest, two running backs had not gone over 100 yards in the same game since Nov. 6, 2004 when P.J. Pope and B.J. Lane did so.
Scoring At A Frenetic Pace
• Bowling Green's offense is the fastest in the country, based on the amount of time between each offensive snap.
• The Falcons have had 26 touchdown drives which have been two minutes or less this season, including both of their touchdown-scoring drives in their last game against Ball State.
• Of their 41 touchdown drives this season, 26 of them (63-percent) have taken less than 120 seconds.
• BGSU has nine touchdown drives of less than a minute this year.
BGSU Against Bowl Eligible Teams
• Bowling Green faced five teams which gained bowl eligibility during the 2014 regular season, including three of them in MAC play.
• Four of the five games came on the road (Western Kentucky, Wisconsin, Ohio, Toledo) while BGSU hosted Western Michigan who is bowl eligible.
Davidson Booms 78-Yard Punt
• In Friday's game against Ball State, redshirt freshman Joe Davidson banged a 78-yard punt, which marked the sixth-longest in school history.
Stephens A Weapon Returning Kicks
• Clint Stephens has become a dangerous kick returner for the Orange and Brown as of late, returning 15 kicks for an average of 22.9 yards per return.
• In the game against Ball State last Friday, Stephens returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown. It was the longest kickoff return in school history.
• The kick return for a touchdown was Bowling Green's first since BooBoo Gates returned a kickoff for a touchdown in last season's Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.
• Stephens was named MAC East Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts.
Moore Speed Means Moore Problems
• Ronnie Moore, a sophomore from Sanford, Fla., is known as one of the most explosive players in the Mid-American Conference.
• Of Bowling Green's 88 plays that have gone more than 20 yards this season, Moore has been involved in 22 of them, which leads the team.
• Four of Moore's touchdowns have come on plays of 20 yards or more.
• Half of Moore's explosive plays have come in the passing game, while he has had nine kick returns of 20-plus yards and two more rushes.
Falcons Have Explosive Players All Over The Field
• Moore isn't the only explosive player that the Falcons have on the field, as five players have recorded at least 10 plays of more than 20 yards.
• Moore (22) is joined by Roger Lewis (11), Travis Greene (10), Ryan Burbrink (10) and Fred Coppet (10).
• Of Bowling Green's 88 explosive plays, 19 of them have gone for touchdowns. The Falcons have 39 passes, 23 rushes, 20 kick returns, four interception returns and two punt returns that have gone for more than 20 yards this season.
Martin Making Most Of Senior Season
• Redshirt senior Gabe Martin has made the most of his senior season, leading the Falcons in tackles with 100. He is 10th in the Mid-American Conference in tackles.
• Martin has recorded 5.5 tackles for loss the past two weeks, and leads the MAC with 15.0 tackles for loss this season.
• After earning MAC East Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 24 following a 12-tackle, 2.5-TFL performance at Toledo, Martin followed it up with nine tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss against Ball State.
• Martin is 31st nationally with his 15.0 tackles for loss.
Thomas Forcing Turnovers
• Bryan Thomas, a native of Washington, Pa., has been a force this season on the Falcons' defensive line, leading the team with 6.0 sacks. He is second on the team with 13.0 tackles for loss this season.
• The redshirt senior is tied for fourth in the MAC with his 6.0 sacks and fifth in the MAC in tackles for loss.
• Thomas is also first in the MAC and sixth in the nation with his five forced fumbles thus far.
Falcons In The NFL
• The Falcons currently have four former players on NFL rosters.
• Shaun Suisham signed a long-term contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers during the offseason. He will remain their placekicker through the 2018 season.
• Kory Lichtensteiger, a member of the Washington Redskins, made the move to center for the 2014 season. He has started every game over the past three seasons.
• Chris Jones is in his second season in the NFL as a member of the New England Patriots. Jones was named the Patriots Defensive MVP following last season. So far this season, Jones has recorded 15 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
• Alex Bayer, an undrafted free agent, made the St. Louis Rams' 53-man roster. He led the Rams during preseason play with 10 catches. In the Rams' 27-24 loss to San Diego, Bayer recovered a fumble on special teams.
Falcons In The Spotlight
• Falcon fans all around the country will have the chance to watch every BGSU Football game in 2014. All 12 regular season games appeared via national broadcast this season, as will this week's MAC Championship Game and the bowl game.
• This week's MAC Championship Game will air on ESPN2, and all five MAC bowl games are scheduled to air on ESPN.
• The games against Western Kentucky (CBS Sports Network), Indiana (ESPNU), Wisconsin (ESPN2), Buffalo (ESPN GamePlan), Western Michigan (ESPN GamePlan), Akron (ESPN2), Kent State (ESPN2) and Toledo (ESPN2) all appeared on National TV.
• ESPN3 has broadcast games versus VMI, UMass, and Ohio thus far, and will broadcast this week's game at home against Ball State.
• Bowling Green State University (7-5, 5-3 MAC) heads to Detroit this week for the Mid-American Conference Championship Game. The Falcons will take on MAC West Division winner Northern Illinois, who finished the regular season 10-2 (7-1 MAC).
• The Falcons enter the game coming off two consecutive losses to MAC West foes. BGSU went 5-0 this season against MAC East foes, which propelled them to the MAC East crown.
• NIU's lone MAC loss came at the hands of Central Michigan. The Huskies only other loss this season came at Arkansas.
• Friday's game will serve as a rematch of the 2013 MAC Championship Game, which saw Bowling Green come out victorious, 47-27.
A Win Against Northern Illinois Would...
• Give Bowling Green their 12th Mid-American Conference championship in school history.
• Make the Falcons MAC champions for the second consecutive season, a feat which hasn't been done at BGSU since 1991-92.
• Mark the Falcons first victory against an opponent from the MAC West this season.
• Improve Bowling Green's overall record to 8-5 on the season.
Head Coach Dino Babers
• Dino Babers is in his first season at Bowling Green in 2014, and his third as a head coach overall.
• He has a 7-5 record at Bowling Green, but holds a career record of 26-12. Babers has won a conference title in each of his first two seasons as a head coach.
• Babers has also been named conference coach of the year in both seasons as a head coach, after taking a last-place team and winning two Ohio Valley Conference crowns.
• Babers has an impressive pedigree of mentoring NFL-caliber players. His quarterback at EIU, Jimmy Garoppolo, was drafted in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. In total, Babers has coached more than 30 NFL players.
• On top of individual player success, Babers knows how to get the most out of his teams. This season will mark the ninth time in the last 11 years that a Dino Babers coached team has advanced to postseason play.
Falcons Have Won The East By Beating The East
• Since the beginning of the 2012 season, Bowling Green has been dominant against competition from the East Division. It is no coincidence, that for the third straight season, the Falcons were once again in position to win the East Division in November.
• Bowling Green has gone 16-1 against East Division competition since the start of the 2012 campaign. The Falcons' lone loss proved costly, as a 2012 loss vs. Kent State decided the MAC East division.
• Last season, the Falcons went 6-0 against teams from the East to win the division, and this year the Falcons finished 5-0 against teams from their division.
• The Orange and Brown have now won 12 consecutive games against teams from the MAC East.
BGSU Has A History At Ford Field
• Friday's MAC Championship Game will mark the fourth time that Bowling Green has played a game at Ford Field in its history. The Falcons have a current record of 2-1 inside the venue, which is home to the Detroit Lions of the National Football League.
• In 2003, the Falcons defeated Northwestern in the Motor City Bowl. In front of a large contingent of Orange and Brown, BGSU downed their Big Ten counterpart, 28-24.
• Last season, the Falcons played two consecutive games inside the venue to finish the season. The Orange and Brown ruined Northern Illinois' perfect season with a 47-27 win in the MAC Championship Game.
• The Falcons returned to Ford Field for the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl to end last season, falling to Pittsburgh, 30-27.
Top True Freshman In The Nation
• Just 10 freshman have three-or-more interceptions in FBS football, and two of them don the Orange and Brown of Bowling Green.
• Nick Johnson (5) and Clint Stephens (3) are two of just seven true freshman in the entire country to have three-or-more interceptions in 2014.
• True freshmen in FBS football with three-or-more interceptions in 2014:
   Player   School   INT
1. Nick Johnson   Bowling Green   5
T2. Clint Stephens   Bowling Green   3
T2. Ramon Richards   Oklahoma State   3
T2. Howard Wilson   Houston   3
T2. Quin Blanding   Virginia   3
T2. Todd Kelly Jr.   Tennessee   3
T2. Tegray Scales   Indiana   3
Three-Way Backfield Attack
• Bowling Green enters the MAC Championship Game with three talented running backs. Each back has started at least one game this season and has had at least two 100-yard games on the ground.
• Greene is the Falcons' leading rusher this season. He has 803 yards and nine touchdowns.
• Coppet has rushed for 653 yards and six touchdowns in 2014, while Givens has 474 yards and eight scores.
• If Givens surpasses 500 total yards (needs 26 more) rushing, it will mark the first time in school history (dating back to 1959) that Bowling Green has had at least three players rush for 500 yards in the same season.
The Michigan Connection
• Bowling Green's roster has 12 players on it from the state of Michigan, which makes it the third-most represented state on the Falcons' roster.
• Only Ohio and Florida have more players on the Falcons' roster than Michigan does.
Leaving Ohio
• Friday's game in Detroit will mark BGSU's first game outside the state of Ohio since a road contest at UMass on Sept. 27.
• The Falcons are 1-2 in games outside of the state this season, but are 1-0 in games against MAC teams outside the state in 2014.
Pick Johnson
• True freshman Nick Johnson (Canton, Ohio) has five interceptions this season and became just the second true freshman in school history to have five interceptions during his inaugural campaign.
• He is the first Falcon since P.J. Mahone in 2007 to have at least five interceptions. In that 2007 season, Mahone had seven picks.
• The only other Falcon freshman to ever record five interceptions in a season was Martin Bayless in 1980.
• With one more interception, Johnson will set the all-time record for interceptions by a freshman at Bowling Green.
• Most interceptions by true freshmen in BGSU program history:
Making Things Happen
• The Bowling Green defense has turned up the pressure during the last third of the season, forcing 13 turnovers in November games.
• With 27 total turnovers created this season, that means Bowling Green forced just 14 turnovers during the first eight weeks of the season.
• In each of their two wins against Kent State and Akron, the Falcons forced five turnovers.
• Bowling Green has taken care of the ball in the last two games, not commiting a turnover against either Toledo or Ball State.
• The Falcons are now first in the MAC and 12th nationally with 27 turnovers gained.
Lewis Chasing 1,000
• Bowling Green true freshman wideout Roger Lewis is looking to become the first freshman in school history to surpass 1,000 yards receiving in a season.
• Just six players have had seasons of 1,000 yards receiving in program history.
• The Pickerington, Ohio native currently has 934 yards on the year. He leads the team with 66 receptions and is tied for the team lead with five receiving touchdowns in 2014.
Rare Company Through The Air
• Bowling Green is one of just a select few teams in FBS football to have a receiving core which has put up such gaudy numbers in the regular season.
• The Falcons have had six players with more than 24 receptions on the season.
• Breaking it down further, though, BGSU has four players with more than 30 catches, three with more than 40, two with 50-plus receptions and one with over 65.
• Lewis leads the receivers with 66 catches on the season. He is followed by Ryan Burbrink (55), Ronnie Moore (49), Heath Jackson (31), Gehrig Dieter (26) and Travis Greene (24).
An Experienced Group
• Heading into the MAC Championship Game on Friday, Bowling Green certainly has an experienced group on the field on both sides of the ball.
• 10 players have started every game this season for the Orange and Brown, including every offensive linemen. Roger Lewis, Charlie Walker, Gabe Martin, Brian Sutton, and Jude Adjei-Barimah are the others.
• Four other players have started at least 10 consecutive games for the Falcons. That list includes James Knapke, Ryan Burbrink, Bryan Thomas and Gus Schwieterman.
• 11 players for the Falcons have started at least 20 games in their career, led by Ryland Ward's 46. Ward is joined in the 20-start club by Alex Huettel (39), Bryan Thomas (35), Charlie Walker (33), Gabe Martin (31), Logan Dietz (26), Jacob Bennett (26), Darrell Hunter (24), Travis Greene (23), D.J. Lynch (23), and Ryan Burbrink (23).
Tate Ties All-Time Record
• With his field goal in the third quarter against Ball State, Tyler Tate tied Shaun Suisham's (2001-04) mark for most field goals made in a career with 45.
• Tate has converted 20 field goals this season after making 18 in 2013.
• On top of tying the career mark, Tate is just one make shy of tying the all-time mark of 21 field goals made in a season, set in 1994 by Brian Leaver.
• Tate has been named MAC East Special Teams Player of the Week three times this season, and has accumulated 100 points on the season.
Greene Returns To Field In Style
• After missing most of three games due to injury, Travis Greene returned to the field against Ball State. On the first play from scrimmage, Greene took a handoff and went nearly untouched up the middle for a 75-yard touchdown run.
• Greene now has 803 yards and nine touchdowns rushing this season.
• After setting the school record with 1,594 yards in 2013, Greene is looking to become the first player since P.J. Pope in 2003-04 to have back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
Two Go Over Century Mark
• For the second time this season, Bowling Green had two running backs surpass 100 yards rushing in a game, when Travis Greene (159) and Fred Coppet (140) did so against Ball State.
• Earlier this season, Coppet and Andre Givens did so against Akron (Nov. 4).
• Prior to the Akron contest, two running backs had not gone over 100 yards in the same game since Nov. 6, 2004 when P.J. Pope and B.J. Lane did so.
Scoring At A Frenetic Pace
• Bowling Green's offense is the fastest in the country, based on the amount of time between each offensive snap.
• The Falcons have had 26 touchdown drives which have been two minutes or less this season, including both of their touchdown-scoring drives in their last game against Ball State.
• Of their 41 touchdown drives this season, 26 of them (63-percent) have taken less than 120 seconds.
• BGSU has nine touchdown drives of less than a minute this year.
BGSU Against Bowl Eligible Teams
• Bowling Green faced five teams which gained bowl eligibility during the 2014 regular season, including three of them in MAC play.
• Four of the five games came on the road (Western Kentucky, Wisconsin, Ohio, Toledo) while BGSU hosted Western Michigan who is bowl eligible.
Davidson Booms 78-Yard Punt
• In Friday's game against Ball State, redshirt freshman Joe Davidson banged a 78-yard punt, which marked the sixth-longest in school history.
Stephens A Weapon Returning Kicks
• Clint Stephens has become a dangerous kick returner for the Orange and Brown as of late, returning 15 kicks for an average of 22.9 yards per return.
• In the game against Ball State last Friday, Stephens returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown. It was the longest kickoff return in school history.
• The kick return for a touchdown was Bowling Green's first since BooBoo Gates returned a kickoff for a touchdown in last season's Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.
• Stephens was named MAC East Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts.
Moore Speed Means Moore Problems
• Ronnie Moore, a sophomore from Sanford, Fla., is known as one of the most explosive players in the Mid-American Conference.
• Of Bowling Green's 88 plays that have gone more than 20 yards this season, Moore has been involved in 22 of them, which leads the team.
• Four of Moore's touchdowns have come on plays of 20 yards or more.
• Half of Moore's explosive plays have come in the passing game, while he has had nine kick returns of 20-plus yards and two more rushes.
Falcons Have Explosive Players All Over The Field
• Moore isn't the only explosive player that the Falcons have on the field, as five players have recorded at least 10 plays of more than 20 yards.
• Moore (22) is joined by Roger Lewis (11), Travis Greene (10), Ryan Burbrink (10) and Fred Coppet (10).
• Of Bowling Green's 88 explosive plays, 19 of them have gone for touchdowns. The Falcons have 39 passes, 23 rushes, 20 kick returns, four interception returns and two punt returns that have gone for more than 20 yards this season.
Martin Making Most Of Senior Season
• Redshirt senior Gabe Martin has made the most of his senior season, leading the Falcons in tackles with 100. He is 10th in the Mid-American Conference in tackles.
• Martin has recorded 5.5 tackles for loss the past two weeks, and leads the MAC with 15.0 tackles for loss this season.
• After earning MAC East Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 24 following a 12-tackle, 2.5-TFL performance at Toledo, Martin followed it up with nine tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss against Ball State.
• Martin is 31st nationally with his 15.0 tackles for loss.
Thomas Forcing Turnovers
• Bryan Thomas, a native of Washington, Pa., has been a force this season on the Falcons' defensive line, leading the team with 6.0 sacks. He is second on the team with 13.0 tackles for loss this season.
• The redshirt senior is tied for fourth in the MAC with his 6.0 sacks and fifth in the MAC in tackles for loss.
• Thomas is also first in the MAC and sixth in the nation with his five forced fumbles thus far.
Falcons In The NFL
• The Falcons currently have four former players on NFL rosters.
• Shaun Suisham signed a long-term contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers during the offseason. He will remain their placekicker through the 2018 season.
• Kory Lichtensteiger, a member of the Washington Redskins, made the move to center for the 2014 season. He has started every game over the past three seasons.
• Chris Jones is in his second season in the NFL as a member of the New England Patriots. Jones was named the Patriots Defensive MVP following last season. So far this season, Jones has recorded 15 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
• Alex Bayer, an undrafted free agent, made the St. Louis Rams' 53-man roster. He led the Rams during preseason play with 10 catches. In the Rams' 27-24 loss to San Diego, Bayer recovered a fumble on special teams.
Falcons In The Spotlight
• Falcon fans all around the country will have the chance to watch every BGSU Football game in 2014. All 12 regular season games appeared via national broadcast this season, as will this week's MAC Championship Game and the bowl game.
• This week's MAC Championship Game will air on ESPN2, and all five MAC bowl games are scheduled to air on ESPN.
• The games against Western Kentucky (CBS Sports Network), Indiana (ESPNU), Wisconsin (ESPN2), Buffalo (ESPN GamePlan), Western Michigan (ESPN GamePlan), Akron (ESPN2), Kent State (ESPN2) and Toledo (ESPN2) all appeared on National TV.
• ESPN3 has broadcast games versus VMI, UMass, and Ohio thus far, and will broadcast this week's game at home against Ball State.
Players Mentioned
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/ FootballBG Football Postgame 9.27 at Ohio
Saturday, September 27
FB: Louisville Game Cinematic Highlight
Tuesday, September 23
BG Football Press Conference 9.22
Monday, September 22
BG Football Postgame 9.20
Saturday, September 20