Babers Era Begins With Battle Of Bowling Greens

Bowling Green State University Falcons
at
Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers
CBS Sports Network (Ben Holden, Kevin O'Connell, Courtney Fallon)
BGSU Radio Network (Todd Walker, John Gibson)
Complete Game Notes (.pdf)
Live Stats | Live Audio

Television
* Friday's game will be televised on CBS Sports Network
* Ben Holden (PxP), Kevin O'Connell (analyst), and Courtney Fallon (sideline) will have the call

Radio
* 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 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.

Websites
* BGSUFalcons.com is the internet home of Bowling Green State University athletics
* Coverage of Western Kentucky University athletics can be found at WKUSports.com

Social Media
* 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
* Live stats can be found at WKUSports.com
* Live audio can be heard via the Falcon Radio Network on BGSUFalcons.com
* Live video can be accessed online via CBS Sports Network's online stream

Polls
* Bowling Green is not ranked in the Preseason Top 25. The Falcons were picked to win the MAC in the Preseason Media Poll.
* WKU is not ranked in the Preseason Top 25. The Hilltoppers were picked fourth by the coaches in the Conference USA Preseason Poll.

The Teams
* Bowling Green is coming off a 10-4 season in 2013, which included their first Mid-American Conference Championship since 1992 and a berth in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.
* Western Kentucky went 8-4 in 2013, but was not selected for a Bowl game. The 2014 season will be their first in Conference USA.

Series Info
* The Falcons and Hilltoppers have met one time prior to tonight's contest, with Bowling Green defeating WKU 41-21 in 2007.

Diving Into The 2014 Season
• Bowling Green State University enters its 95th season of football in 2014 with an all-time record of 515-354-52 (.587).
• The Falcons are coming off a 10-4 season in 2013 which saw them claim their 11th Mid-American Conference Championship in school history. It was the first MAC Championship since 1992.
• BGSU will be led by first year head coach Dino Babers, who comes to Northwest Ohio after two successful seasons at Eastern Illinois University.
• BGSU will return a total of 16 starters, including eight on offense, six on defense, and two on special teams.
• Bowling Green returns five All-MAC players from the 2013 season. Travis Greene (second team running back), Alex Huettel (second team offensive line), D.J. Lynch (second team linebacker), Gabe Martin (second team linebacker), and Ryan Burbrink (second team punt returner) all lead the Falcons into the 2014 season.

What A Win Would Mean
• A Bowling Green win would mark the second consecutive season that the Falcons have opened the campaign with a win. Last season, BGSU defeated Tulsa 34-7 to open the season, also on August 29.
• A win would give head coach Dino Babers his first win at the helm of the Orange and Brown.
• The Falcons have not won back-to-back season openers since 2008 and 2009.
• The last time BGSU opened the season with a win on the road came in 2011, when the Falcons defeated Idaho 32-15.
• A road win would mark the second consecutive season, and the third time in the last four seasons that the Falcons have won their first road game of the season.

Meet Head Coach Dino Babers
• Dino Babers enters his first season at Bowling Green in 2014, and his third as a head coach overall.
• He has a career record of 19-7 as a head coach and has won a conference title in both seasons.
• 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 at EIU.
• Last season at Eastern Illinois, Babers' offense compiled over 5,200 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards.
• Babers also brings an impressive pedigree to BGSU 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. Babers' teams have been to the postseason eight times in the past 10 seasons.

Looking Back At 2013
• Bowling Green won its 11th MAC Championship in 2013, finishing the season 10-4 with an appearance in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.
• Three of the Falcons' four losses were by a combined seven points.
• The Falcons started the season at just 5-3 through the first eight games, but won their final four games of the regular season to claim the MAC East title.
• BGSU would win their fifth straight game to claim the MAC Championship, defeating No. 12 and undefeated Northern Illinois 47-27 in the title game.
• Matt Johnson was named Most Valuable Player of the Marathon MAC Championship Game, after passing for a career-high 393 yards and a Championship Game record five touchdowns.
• 10 Falcons were named All-MAC following the 2013 season.

BG Returns Five All-MAC Performers
• Travis Greene earned second team All-MAC last season at running back. The Carol City, Fla. native rushed for a school-record 1,594 yards in 2013. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry and had 11 rushing touchdowns.
• D.J. Lynch was named second team All-MAC a year ago at linebacker. A native of Pontiac, Mich., Lynch led the Falcons with 85 tackles. He also recorded 8.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks.
• Gabe Martin missed the final six games of the 2013 season after tearing his ACL, but still earned second team All-MAC accolades from his linebacker position. Martin recorded 36 tackles in seven games, registering 3.5 TFLs and 2.0 sacks.
• Alex Huettel was part of one of the strongest offensive line units in the MAC last season, earning second team All-MAC honors at right guard. Huettel blocked for an offense that racked up 3,700 passing yards and 2,700 yards rushing.
• Ryan Burbrink led a punt return unit that finished best in the MAC and fourth in the nation averaging 14.3 yards per return. Burbrink was named second team All-MAC at punt returner, returning one for a touchdown against Tulsa.

Dominating 2013
• Despite finishing 2013 one win shy of the school record, one could argue that Bowling Green had its most dominating season of football ever.
• Considering that BGSU's scoring differential of plus-265 (487-222) was the largest ever in the 94-season history of the program, and the 487 points were the third-most in school history, one could certainly make that argument.

Largest Point Differentials (Single Season)
1. 2013   +265 (487-222)
2. 2004   +250 (532-282)
3. 1994   +217 (391-174)
4. 1956   +212 (311-99)
5. 1959   +191 (274-83)

Most Points (Single Season)
1. 2004   532
2. 2002   490
3. 2013   487
4. 2003   470
5. 2007   392

Back-To-Back In The MAC
• Bowling Green will look to become the first team in the Mid-American Conference to repeat as champion since Miami University in 2003 and 2004.
• In fact, no team from the MAC East Division has even appeared in the Marathon MAC Championship Game in back-to-back seasons since Miami in '03 and '04.

Forgotten Defense
• While all the eyes have been on Bowling Green's offense during the offseason, the Falcons are pretty good on the other side of the ball as well. The Falcons have had the MAC's best defense during each of the last two seasons.
• Bowling Green finished the 2013 season with one of the nation's best defenses, and the best defense in the Mid-American Conference.
• BGSU's defense was tops in the MAC in total defense, scoring defense, rushing defense, red zone defense, and first down defense.
• Additionally, the Falcon defense finished inside the top 10 nationally for red zone defense (3rd - .647), scoring defense (5th - 15.9), passing defense (6th - 170.9), and total defense (10th - 321.1).

Greene Means Go
• Travis Greene (Carol City, Fla.) set a school record in 2013 with 1,594 rushing yards.
• The redshirt sophomore (in 2013) also set a school record with nine games of 100-plus rushing yards a season ago.
• A versatile back, Greene scored touchdowns in eight games, including three multi-rushing touchdown contests.
• Of the five games that Greene did not reach 100 yards, he recorded more than 88 yards in three of those games.
• Eight of Greene's performances over the century mark saw him rush for 125-plus yards.
• Greene also recorded 18 receptions and two touchdowns in 2014. He had a season-high four catches for 71 yards and a score against Akron.

Matty J For 5K
• Last season, Matt Johnson (Harrisburg, Pa.) passed for 3,467 yards on 64.2% passing. He threw for 25 touchdowns to just seven interceptions.
• It isn't a far reach to expect Johnson's numbers to increase in 2014 under first year head coach Dino Babers' offensive friendly tutelage.
• Last season, Babers' quarterback at Eastern Illinois, Jimmy Garoppolo, passed for 5,050 yards and 53 touchdowns. The season before Babers arrived, Garoppolo threw for just 2,644 yards and 20 touchdowns.
• Johnson has earned all of the preseason recognition he has received in 2014, after earning MAC Championship Game MVP honors with 393 yards and five touchdowns against Northern Illinois last season.
• The redshirt junior has been named to the watch lists for the Walter Camp Award, Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award, and Manning Award.
• Additionally, Johnson was named First Team Preseason All-MAC by Phil Steele, Sporting News, and Athlon.

The Ward-en
• Last season, Ryland Ward (Columbus, Ohio) finished second on the team with 81 tackles. He also tied for the team lead with two interceptions.
• Ward is the only starter returning in the defensive secondary from the 2013 team.
• One of the most prolific tacklers on the Falcons, Ward added five pass breakups a season ago.
• A proven ball hawk, Ward recovered two fumbles and forced another one, on top of his two interceptions.

Huettel Up
• Alex Huettel (Pickerington, Ohio) was named second team All-MAC in 2013 at right guard. He was one of three offensive linemen to be named All-MAC from the Falcons last season.
• Huettel became a part of one of the best interior offensive lines in the country, as they paved the way for the Falcons' offense to record over 6,400 yards.
• On the ground, BGSU rushed for 2,707 yards, including 30 touchdowns.
• Through the air, the Orange and Brown passed for 3,725 yards and 27 touchdowns.

The Lynchpin
• D.J. Lynch (Pontiac, Mich.) has proven to be one of the most important parts of the Bowling Green defense in recent years. That will be no different in 2014.
• Last season, Lynch led the Falcons in tackles with 85, earning second team All-MAC honors.
• An outside linebacker, Lynch was tied for the team lead with 8.0 tackles for loss in 2013.
• A menace in the opposing back field, Lynch had four QB hurries, two sacks, and a fumble recovery a season ago.

The Great Tate
• Tyler Tate (Carroll, Ohio) recorded the most prolific scoring season out of a kicker in BGSU history during the 2013 season.
• Tate scored 113 points on the season, most by a kicker in school history.
• On the season, the redshirt sophomore (in 2013) made 59-of-61 extra point attempts and 18-of-22 field goals.
• Tate's 59 PATs made, his 61 attempts, and his 18 field goals made were all second-most in school history for a single season.

Mr. All-MAC Is Back
• Gabe Martin (Grand Blanc, Mich.) returns to the field in 2014 after missing the final six games of the 2013 season.
• Martin has earned All-MAC honors each of the last two seasons.
• Following the 2012 season, the now redshirt senior was named first team All-MAC, recording a team-high 70 tackles.
• Last season, despite only playing in seven games, Martin earned second team All-MAC honors at linebacker. He recorded 36 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and 2.0 sacks last season.

BT In The Backfield
• Bryan Thomas (Washington, Pa.) wreaked havoc in the defensive backfield last season, turning into one of the MAC's best defensive ends.
• Thomas started all 14 games for the Falcons a season ago, recording 37 tackles.
• Thomas recorded six quarterback hurries to go with his 7.0 tackles for loss and one sack in 2013.

Pick Six - Six Secondary Related Notes
• Bowling Green returns one starter in the secondary from a season ago in safety Ryland Ward. Ward has made 37 career starts at safety, including 29 in a row.
• Although the Falcons lost three of their four starters from a season ago, they return plenty of experience. Between the four players projected to start, the Falcons will return 63 career starts in the secondary.
• Darrell Hunter returns to the field for the 2014 season after missing the 2013 season due to injury. Hunter, who started for much of 2012, made 16 career starts during the first two years of his career.
• Brian Sutton is expected to start at one of the safety positions opposite of Ward. Sutton played in all 14 games a season ago, primarily at the Falcons' rover position. Sutton made four starts, including in the MAC Championship and Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.
• Jude Adjei-Barimah is expected to fill in at cornerback for the Orange and Brown this season. In 2013, Adjei-Barimah played in 13 games, recording three pass breakups and three pass deflections.
• The Falcons will also return four other members of the secondary that all played in at least nine games last season. Will Watson made 18 tackles in 13 games, with three breakups and three pass deflections. Victor Osborne, Isaiah Gourdine, and Alfonso Mack combined to make 15 tackles in a combined 32 games played.

The Front Line Of #FalconFast
• While so much attention is given to the skill positions due to the speed of the offensive system that is employed by Dino Babers, the offensive line cannot be forgotten.
• Without an offensive line that is in shape and strong, the offense will simply fall apart. The offense, in theory, runs off of how fast the offensive linemen can get set and snap the ball each play.
• BGSU returns three starters from a season ago, including second team All-MAC right guard Alex Huettel. Both tackles - Logan Dietz (right tackle) and Jacob Bennett (left tackle) - return as well.

Plenty Of Yards To Go Around
• Although the offensive line dictates the pace of the offensive system, the skill players are truly what makes it tick. Without talent and depth at the skill positions, the offense will not run to full potential. Luckily for the Falcons, they return - and bring in - much talent and depth at the skill positions in 2014.
• Heath Jackson is the leading returning receiver from 2013. Last season, Jackson pulled in 32 receptions for 364 yards and three touchdowns.
• Ronnie Moore proved to be one of the most explosive offensive threats for BGSU last season. The true freshman (in 2013) had 28 catches for 547 yards and a team-high seven receiving touchdowns. Moore was involved in 19 plays of 20-plus yards.
• One of the most reliable receivers in the Mid-American Conference will be redshirt junior Ryan Burbrink. Last season, Burbrink caught 30 passes for 477 yards and two scores.
• The Orange and Brown will also lean on receivers such as Gehrig Dieter (SMU transfer), Roger Lewis (true freshman), Herve Coby (redshirt junior), and others to make big impacts in 2014.
• The wide receivers cannot tick in this offensive system without a true running threat. The Falcons return one of the nation's top running backs from 2013 in Travis Greene. Greene set the school record with 1,594 rushing yards a season ago.
• Fred "Box" Coppet and Andre Givens will also be used by the Falcons in 2014, on top of several other running backs.

Falcons In The Spotlight
• All but two BGSU football games will air on the ESPN family of networks in 2014, with the recently announced MAC television contract extension with ESPN.
• The WKU game will air on CBS Sports Network, while the Wisconsin game is still TBD.

How #FalconFast Was Born
• After the departure of Dave Clawson for Wake Forest following the 2013 season, Director of Athletics Chris Kingston announced the hiring of Dino Babers on Dec. 18, 2013.
• A protege of Art Briles at Baylor, Babers brings with him an up-tempo and exciting brand of football to Bowling Green and Doyt L. Perry Stadium.
• Inheriting a team that averaged 34.8 points per game last season, Babers and his staff will have the opportunity to use a talented and deep roster to elevate the Falcon offense to greater heights in 2014.
• What can fans expect to see out of Bowling Green this season? Well, last year at Eastern Illinois, Babers' team outscored opponents by an average of 48.2 to 22.8.
• Quarterback Matt Johnson, who started the final 13 games of the 2013 season, will have a veritable plethora of offensive weapons to choose from in 2014. Among those weapons will be running back Travis Greene, who set the school record with 1,594 rushing yards a season ago.

Meet The Coaching Staff
• Sterlin Gilbert (Co-Off. Coor./QB) comes with Dino Babers from EIU where he was named the FCS Coordinator of the Year in 2013. Gilbert mentored Walter Payton Award Winner (top FCS player) and second round draft pick Jimmy Garoppolo at EIU.
• Matt Mattox (Co-Off. Coor./OL) also comes to BGSU from EIU, where he was the offensive line coach last season. Mattox, who played at Houston under Art Briles, coached an offensive line which bullied defenses to the tune of over 8,000 yards last season.
• Kim McCloud (Def. Coor.) will be in his first season at BGSU, after serving as defensive coordinator at EIU the past two seasons. Prior to his stint at EIU, McCloud spent time in the MAC at Akron. He also coached with Babers at Baylor prior to that.
• Tom Kaufman (Spec. Teams Coor./LB) has plenty of Ohio ties. After graduating from John Carroll, Kaufman coached in the D3 ranks in Ohio for several years before joining up with Babers at EIU.
• Nick Monroe (Secondary) returns for his fifth season at Bowling Green. Last season, Monroe's secondary helped BGSU finish with the nation's sixth-best passing defense.
• Sean Lewis (Wide Receivers) mentored Erik Lora, the best receiver in FCS during 2013, at EIU. Lora and teammate Adam Drake both totaled over 1,300 receiving yards and combined for 32 touchdowns last season.
• Mike Lynch (Running Backs) comes to BGSU after spending the past nine seasons at Eastern Illinois. Last season, Lynch's running backs combined to rush for over 3,000 yards.
• Tom Freeman (Defensive Line) comes to BGSU with more than 30 years of collegiate coaching experience. He has coached with Babers at Pittsburgh, Purdue, EIU, and now Bowling Green.
• Mike Mickens (Cornerbacks) returns to his home state as an assistant coach under Babers in 2014. He was an All-American at Cincinnati in 2007 and 2008.
• Derek Shay (offense), Vincent Marshall (offense), Ben Olson (defense), and Kevin Anderson II (defense) will serve as graduate assistants in 2014.
• Roy Wittke (Director of Football Operations), Andrew Sowder (Director of Player Personnel/Recruiting), and Sean Edinger (Director of Strength & Conditioning) round out the football staff.

On Pace
• Travis Greene enters the season with 1,604 rushing yards in his career, just 869 shy of a tie for fifth all-time.
• Matt Johnson has passed for 3,586 yards during his career, 3,352 shy of a fifth place tie all-time.
• Tyler Tate has made 64 career extra points. If he repeats last season's 59 PATs made, he will be second all-time with 123 career makes. Tate has also made 25 career field goals. He is just 20 field goals shy of a tie for most all-time. Last season, he made 18.
• Gabe Martin (7.5 sacks) and D.J. Lynch (7.0 sacks) could join only 12 other Falcons all-time with at least 10.0 sacks in their careers.

BGSU Ranks High In The MAC And Nationally
• BGSU finished the 2013 season ranked first in the Mid-American Conference in 15 statistical categories. The Falcons also ranked inside the top 15 nationally in 12 categories.
• The Falcons ranked first in the MAC in the following categories: third down conversions (.455), first down defense (241), fumbles lost (4), kickoff returns (24.2), interceptions thrown (7), yards per completion (14.6), punt returns (14.3), red zone defense (.647), rushing defense (150.6), scoring defense (15.9), team passing efficiency (159.2), team passing efficiency defense (107.4), time of possession (34:03), total defense (321.4), and turnovers lost (11).
• Nationally, the Falcons ranked inside the top 15 in the following statistical categories: fumbles lost (T-1st), kickoff returns (14th), interceptions thrown (11th), yards per completion (11th), punt returns (4th), red zone defense (3rd), scoring defense (5th), team passing efficiency (9th), team passing efficiency defense (9th), time of possession (1st), total defense (10th), and turnovers lost (3rd).
• Bowling Green had the lowest fumble percentage in 2013 in the nation. The Falcons only had four fumbles in 579 attempts (0.69%).
• Individually, Matt Johnson finished first in the MAC with a .642 completion percentage. Johnson finished 27th in the country in that category.
• Johnson was first in the MAC in passing efficiency (161.7) and 11th in the country. He also finished first in the MAC (8th nationally) with an average of 14.6 yards per completion.
• Travis Greene was also one of the best running backs in the nation, finishing second in the MAC with 1,594 rushing yards. Greene had the most rushing yards among running backs in the MAC last season.

Garnering Attention
• Following a 2013 season which saw several Falcons earn postseason accolades and the team win a MAC Championship, it isn't surprising that several members of the Orange and Brown have been named to preseason watch lists.
• Matt Johnson has garnered the most preseason attention after earning MVP honors at the MAC Championship Game last season. Johnson has been named to the Walter Camp, Maxwell, Manning, and Davey O'Brien Preseason Watch Lists.
• Alex Huettel was named to the Rimington Award Watch List for the nation's best center.
• Tyler Tate was named to the Lou Groza Award Watch List for the country's best placekicker.
• Ryland Ward was recognized on the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List, which recognizes the nation's top defensive back.
• Johnson, Tate, Travis Greene, and Ryan Burbrink were also recognized by the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) as a top 40 player at their respective position.
• Several Falcons were named Preseason First Team All-MAC by at least one publication. Burbrink (punt returner), Greene (running back), Huettel (offensive line), Johnson (quarterback), D.J. Lynch (linebacker), Bryan Thomas (defensive line), and Ward (defensive back) all garnered first team attention.

The Falcons By Class
• While the Falcons return a lot of experience in 2014, they are still fairly young. 63% of the roster enters the year with at least three years of eligibility remaining.
• 43 players enter the season with four years of eligibility remaining. The Falcons have 21 true freshmen and 22 redshirt freshmen.
• 20 players enter the year as sophomores eligibility-wise. The Falcons have just five true sophomores and 15 redshirt sophomores.
• The junior class has just 21 players, with 14 of them having redshirted.
• The 2014 senior class will consist of 16 players, while only four of them have not redshirted during their careers.

The Falcons By State
• Bowling Green has done a great job of recruiting their backyard in recent years. 70% of the roster hails from Ohio or states that immediately border the state of Ohio.
• 45 players on the 2014 roster are from Ohio. Florida (15) and Michigan (14) have the most student-athletes on the roster besides Ohio.
• The Falcons also have players from Illinois (6), Indiana (6), Pennsylvania (5), Texas (2), California (2), Massachusetts (1), Wisconsin (1), New York (1), Maryland (1), and Canada (1).

BGSU In Season Openers
• The Falcons have an all-time record of 50-38-6 in season openers, good for a winning percentage of .564.
• Bowling Green has played 54 season openers on the road during their 94-year history, compiling a 20-29-5 record.

Falcons In The NFL
• The Falcons currently have five players on NFL rosters heading into the 2014 season, including two players from the 2013 roster.
• Shaun Suisham recently signed a long-term contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He will remain their placekicker through the 2018 season.
• Kory Lichtensteiger, a member of the Washington Redskins, makes the move to center for the 2014 season. Last year, Lichtensteiger started every game at guard.
• Chris Jones enters his second season in the NFL as a member of the New England Patriots. Jones was named the Patriots Defensive MVP following last season.
• Alex Bayer, an undrafted free agent, is currently on the St. Louis Rams' roster. He has had an outstanding training camp and preseason, making six catches in his first two games.
• Jairus Campbell was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs during training camp. He has played in the first two preseason games, making a tackle last week.

The Battle Of Bowling Green
• On Sunday, August 17, Bowling Green State University Director of Athletics Chris Kingston challenged WKU AD Todd Stewart. The losing Athletic Director will wear the opposing team's polo on the Tuesday following the game.

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