In recognition of the 100th anniversary of Bowling Green State University Football, the BGSU Department of Athletics is taking a look back at the history of the program throughout the summer. Bowling Green will officially celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first game in program history when the Falcons host rival Toledo Oct. 12. Today, we conclude the series by looking back at the last decade of Falcon Football.

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THE ZIGGYCAST
Two-part series of interviews highlighting the decade of the 2010s

TURN BACK THE CLOCK SERIES
1919-1929
1930-1939
1940-1949
1950-1959
1960-1969
1970-1979
1980-1989
1990-1999
2000-2009

The 2010s

Overall Record: 52-63 (.452)

Offensively, the BGSU football team has dominated this decade. Dave Clawson's rebuild started in 2010 when Kamar Jorden became the third receiver in school history to have a 1,000-yard season. In 2011, quarterback Matt Schilz threw 28 touchdowns, the second-highest total in program history. Clawson led the program back to its winning ways in 2012 when the Orange and Brown went 8-5 and made their second bowl appearance in four years. Anthon Samuel, a 2011 Phil Steele Freshman All-American, ran for 998 yards, including a 171-yard performance in a win against Miami. Defensive tackle Chris Jones was named first team FWAA All-American and MAC Defensive Player of the Year.

In 2013, the Falcons used an elite offense and stifling defense to win the program's first MAC title in over 20 years. Matt Johnson threw for 3,467 yards, Travis Greene set a school-record with 1,594 rushing yards, and Shaun Joplin, Alex Bayer, Ronnie Moore, and Ryan Burbrink combined for over 2,500 receiving yards. Defensively, the Falcons held opponents to under 16 points per game. BGSU closed the regular season with four consecutive conference wins, holding their rivals to a combined 17 points. In the MAC Championship, Johnson threw five touchdown passes and the defense kept Heisman hopeful Jordan Lynch in check to give the Falcons a historic 47-27 victory over previously undefeated Northern Illinois.

Clawson departed for Wake Forest after the MAC Championship, and Dino Babers took over in 2014. He brought a high-paced, electrifying style of play to the Doyt, utilizing the numerous weapons on the field. Despite an injury to Johnson, the Falcons continued their winning ways behind James Knapke. Knapke relied on a strong rushing attack, with Fred Coppet and Travis Greene combining for 1,713 yards and 18 touchdowns. At receiver, newcomers Roger Lewis and Gehrig Dieter paired with the returning Moore and Burbrink to help Knapke throw for over 3,000 yards. In a thrilling 45-42 victory over Indiana, the Falcons ran a program-record 113 plays. Although they lost the MAC Championship Game, BGSU rallied to win the Camellia Bowl against South Alabama. Knapke threw a 78-yard touchdown pass to Roger Lewis with a minute remaining to give the Orange and Brown a 33-28 victory.

Johnson returned in 2015 to lead the Falcons to another appearance in the MAC Championship Game. This time, the Falcons left no doubt, defeating Northern Illinois 34-14 behind a 183-yard rushing performance from Travis Greene. Johnson and Greene would set numerous passing and rushing records that season, in the MAC and at BGSU. The team scored an astounding 591 points that season, the highest total in program history. They gained over 500 yards in 12 games, scoring over 30 points in 11 games. The offense set program records in yards gained (7,655), plays (1,136), touchdowns scored (82), and first downs (389).

Seven BGSU players have been named All-American this decade, including captains Chris Jones, Alex Huettel, and Matt Johnson. The four bowl appearances are tied for the most in a decade and the Falcons are one of just two teams to win the MAC East Division three times in a row. From 2014-2017, BGSU had a player named Academic All-American. In 2014, kicker Tyler Tate was selected. Tate finished his BGSU career with the single-season school records in extra points and field goals made and the career record for field goals made with 56. All-American punter Joseph Davidson was an Academic All-American from 2015-17.

This season, Scot Loeffler and his veteran staff will usher in a new era of BGSU Football. He and his assistants have coached numerous players that are currently in or retired from the NFL, including Tom Brady, Tim Tebow, Jaylon Smith, David Pollack, and Braylon Edwards. This year's squad will feature preseason All-MAC selections Andrew Clair, David Konowalski, Caleb Bright, Brandon Perce, and Jack Kramer. Kramer, Clair, Gabe Skrobot, and Quintin Morris have all been named to preseason watch lists. The Orange and Brown open the 2019 season a week from today, hosting Morgan State at 7:00 pm.

LONGEST WIN STREAK
Thanks to a midseason winning streak, the 2015 team boasts the highest-scoring offense in program history. After a 1-2 start, the Falcons won seven consecutive games to help earn a berth in the MAC Championship. In those seven wins, the Orange and Brown averaged nearly 48 points per game while holding opponents to 21 points per game. BGSU opened the streak with a 35-28 win at Purdue, bringing their all-time record against the Boilermakers to 3-0. With the score tied at 28 with nine seconds left, Travis Greene scored from 12 yards out to give the Falcons their second win over a Big Ten opponent. Matt Johnson threw for 402 yards, his fourth consecutive game with over 400 passing yards. The Falcons escaped from Buffalo with a 28-22 win the following week, with receiver Roger Lewis catching 10 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown.

The next five wins were as impressive as any in school history, with the Falcons setting individual and team records offensively. The Falcons set the program record for yards gained against UMass when they totaled an astonishing 725 yards. Johnson threw for 450 yards and five touchdowns, Greene ran for 122 yards, and Lewis totaled 142 receiving yards. The Falcons won 62-38, their highest-scoring victory since 2002. Hosting Akron the next week, BGSU continued to dominate through the air, with Johnson throwing five more touchdowns, including two to Lewis. The 59-10 victory was BGSU's seventh consecutive game with over 500 yards of offense. The offense and defense were superb the next week when they shut out Kent State 48-0, extending the streak to five games.

Just 25 days after scoring 62 points against UMass, the Falcons scored the same amount against conference rival Ohio. After the Bobcats tied the game at 14 in the second quarter, the Orange and Brown scored 27 unanswered points. Two of the touchdowns were Matt Johnson passes to Gehrig Dieter, and captain Dernard Turner scored on an 85-yard interception return to boost the lead to 41-14. Johnson threw four touchdowns, with two going to Dieter. Travis Greene ran for three scores and the Falcons once again gained over 500 total yards.

The final win of the streak came when BGSU traveled to Western Michigan to face the Broncos. The game was tied at 27 early in the third quarter, but two rushing touchdowns from Travis Greene gave the Falcons a 41-27 victory. Greene finished the game with 170 yards and three touchdowns, both career-highs. The Broncos failed to score on their final four possessions, turning the ball over on downs twice and throwing an interception to Alfonso Mack with two and a half minutes remaining. Mack, a MAC Distinguished Scholar Athlete, finished the season with a team-high six interceptions. The Falcons finished the season with a 7-1 record in the MAC, winning the East Division and playing in the conference championship. They ended the season with a school-record 591 points, averaging over 42 points per game.

NOTABLE WINS
December 6, 2013: BGSU 47, #14 Northern Illinois 27 (MAC Championship)
The undefeated Huskies entered the MAC Championship with a 12-0 record, a Heisman hopeful at quarterback, and aspirations for a second consecutive BCS Bowl appearance. The Falcons dashed these hopes with a dominant 47-27 victory, their first conference championship in over 20 years. Matt Johnson exploded onto the national scene with 393 yards and five touchdowns, with each touchdown going to a different receiver. His four first half touchdowns helped the Falcons to a 31-13 lead at the half, a deficit not even Jordan Lynch could overcome. Lynch, who eventually finished third in Heisman voting, finished with 219 yards and two interceptions on 21-of-40 passing.

Entering the fourth quarter, the Falcon lead was trimmed to 11. A 52-yard field goal from Tyler Tate was followed by a receiving touchdown and rushing touchdown from Travis Greene, who finished the game with 156 total yards. Ronnie Moore and Alex Bayer, who each caught a touchdown, combined for 269 receiving yards on 11 receptions. This was BGSU's 11th MAC championship, helping them earn a berth in the Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl.

September 13, 2014: BGSU 45, Indiana 42
In their first season under Dino Babers, the Falcons were searching for their first win in the Doyt against a Big Ten team. An early September matchup against Indiana provided this opportunity and James Knapke took full advantage. The redshirt sophomore stepped in for Matt Johnson after the MAC Championship MVP suffered a season-ending hip injury against Western Kentucky. Knapke completed 46-of-73 passes, both school records. The high-paced offense ran a school-record 113 plays, racking up 571 yards. Knapke finished with 395 yards and three touchdowns, with Roger Lewis catching 16 passes for 149 yards. Travis Greene ran for 123 yards and a touchdown and the Falcons punted just once.

Tyler Tate kept the Falcons in the game during the first half, making all four field goals he attempted. Trailing 14-12 at the half, the Orange and Brown took a 19-14 lead on a 40-yard touchdown reception by Ronnie Moore. Indiana and BGSU traded touchdowns for the remainder of the game, with Travis Greene and Fred Coppet running for touchdowns and Ryan Burbrink catching a 31-yard touchdown. The Hoosiers took a 42-39 lead with two minutes remaining when Nate Sudfield scored on fourth and goal from the one. Needing to travel 88 yards for a score, Knapke completed seven passes to put the Falcons at the 30, then back-to-back Indiana penalties put the ball at the two. With nine seconds remaining, Knapke found Lewis in the end zone for the go-ahead score, giving BGSU their second win of the season.

December 20, 2014: BGSU 33, South Alabama 28 (Camellia Bowl)
After finishing the regular season 7-5, the Falcons lost to Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship. They were invited to play in the Camellia Bowl against the South Alabama Jaguars. James Knapke threw for 368 yards and two touchdowns; both being caught by freshman Roger Lewis. Lewis finished with 137 yards to boost his season total to 1,093, the first freshman in BGSU history to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards. The Falcons, who gained exactly 500 yards of offense, took a 20-7 lead into the half thanks to a Knapke touchdown pass to Lewis, a Travis Greene score, and two field goals from Tyler Tate.

In the second half, the Jaguars scored early to cut the BGSU lead to six. Another rushing touchdown by Greene extended the lead back to 13, but South Alabama scored twice in the fourth quarter to take a 28-27 lead. With just over a minute remaining, Knapke looked to drive the Falcons down the field for a game-winning score. It did not take very long, as the first play of the drive was a 78-yard catch and run by Roger Lewis, scoring the go-ahead touchdown with 1:09 left. The defense held strong, Knapke was voted Bart Starr Most Valuable Player, and the Orange and Brown won their first bowl game in ten years.

December 4, 2015: BGSU 34, Northern Illinois 14 (MAC Championship)
For the third consecutive year, BGSU and NIU faced off in the MAC Championship. The Huskies avenged a 2013 loss by defeating the Falcons in 2014, but the Orange and Brown looked to take another game at Ford Field. BGSU throttled the defending champs, starting the game with 28 unanswered points and finishing with a 34-14 win. Senior Travis Greene, the program's all-time leading rusher, ran for two touchdowns and a career-high 183 yards. He was backed by Fred Coppet, who finished with 85 yards and a score. Matt Johnson threw for 235 yards and two touchdowns to set the MAC single-season records in passing yards and passing touchdowns. Gehrig Dieter and Roger Lewis each totaled 75 receiving yards.

Defensively, the Falcons held the Huskies to just 259 yards while forcing five turnovers. Alfonso Mack, Clint Stephens, and Marcus Milton each had an interception, and Mike Minns and Shannon Smith both recovered NIU fumbles. The Falcons totaled 501 yards, the 12th time in 13 games they gained over 500 yards. This was the program's second league title in three years and 12^th in school history.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCE
After a 59-30 loss to Tennessee, the Falcons traveled to Maryland to face the Terrapins. Senior quarterback Matt Johnson put on a historic performance, shredding the Terps for 491 yards and six touchdowns. Four of those touchdowns came in the fourth quarter when BGSU outscored Maryland 28-7 in the final stanza to claim a 48-27 victory. Johnson's passing total is the second-highest in school history and his six touchdown passes are tied for the program record. Roger Lewis totaled 200 receiving yards and two scores, and four other Falcon receivers caught touchdowns from Johnson. Matty J would finish the season with school records in completions, passing yards, passing touchdowns, total touchdowns, completion percentage, and yards gained. BGSU would go on to win the MAC Championship and earn a berth in the GoDaddy Bowl.

NOTABLE COACH(ES)
Two coaches proved to have success at BGSU during the decade -- Dave Clawson and Dino Babers. Clawson began the program's transformation into a three-time MAC Championship game qualifier and Babers took the program to dizzying heights.

Clawson's second season at Bowling Green corresponded with the first year of the decade and the Falcons went just 2-10. But his program improved each year, winning five games in 2011 and eight in 2012, returning to a bowl game for the first time since 2009. In 2013, Clawson's program matured and Bowling Green became a MAC Champion once more.

The Falcons started the 2013 season at 5-3, including a one-point loss to Dak Prescott and Mississippi State. With four games remaining on the schedule, BGSU needed to run the table to assure itself of a long-awaited trip to the MAC Championship. During that four game stretch, the Falcons put together one of the most impressive offensive and defensive stretches in program history. Bowling Green outscored Miami, Ohio, Eastern Michigan and Buffalo 176-17, allowing opponents to score just one offensive touchdown in four games. The Falcons went on to face No. 14 Northern Illinois, a team with Heisman candidate Jordan Lynch and an undefeated record. The Falcons dominated on the way to a 47-27 win to close out Clawson's tenure.

Enter Dino Babers. In just two seasons, Babers accomplished two things that had rarely occurred since the early 1990s. While doing this under Babers, the Falcons won a bowl game in 2014 and a league title in 2015. Prior to his BGSU career, Babers was the head coach at Eastern Illinois. Babers and future Super Bowl champion Jimmy Garrapolo led the Panthers to the FCS playoffs in 2012 and 2013.

In his first season, Babers inherited a program that featured a promising young quarterback named Matt Johnson. Johnson suffered a season-ending injury in the season opener, forcing Babers to rely on James Knapke. Knapke led the high-paced offense to an 8-6 record, breaking several school records along the way. After suffering a loss in the MAC Championship, Babers and the Falcons claimed a win in the Camellia Bowl, their first bowl victory in ten years. The following season, Babers led the BGSU offense to new heights, scoring over 42 points per game and winning ten games and a MAC title for the second time in three years.

Babers' high-powered offense featured some of the most dominant players in school history. Matt Johnson, James Knapke, Travis Greene, and Fred Coppet hold numerous passing and rushing records in single-game, single-season, and career categories. Wide receivers Roger Lewis, Ryan Burbrink, Ronnie Moore, Gehrig Dieter, Teo Redding, and Scott Miller are among the school's leaders in several receiving categories. BGSU's last five All-Americans spent time playing for Babers, including Johnson, Burbrink, and Lewis.

Following BGSU's victory in the 2015 MAC Championship, Babers accepted the head coach position at Syracuse. Last season, Babers led the Orange to a 10-3 record, winning the program's sixth bowl game in their last seven appearances. Ranking as high as No. 12 that season, the Orange finished ranked No. 15. Syracuse has defeated four ranked teams under Babers, including a 27-24 upset of No. 2 Clemson in 2017. Babers will once again lead the Orange this season, entering their campaign ranked No. 22 in the country.

NOTABLE PLAYERS
Matt Johnson (QB): One of the most prolific passers in school history, Matt Johnson led the Falcons to stardom in the 2010s. In 2013, Johnson finished with 3,467 passing yards and 25 touchdowns, leading the Falcons to their first MAC Championship in over 20 years. Behind Johnson and a strong defense, BGSU closed the regular season with four consecutive wins, outscoring opponents 176-17. In the MAC Championship, Johnson threw for a career-high 393 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Falcons to a 47-27 win over Northern Illinois. For his efforts, he was named the game's Most Valuable Player.

After missing nearly the entire 2014 season due to injury, Johnson returned in 2015 to dominate BGSU's conference and non-conference opponents. Johnson and the Falcons gained over 500 yards of offense 12 times in 14 games, and Johnson threw for over 400 yards in the season's first four games. After leading the Falcons to another MAC title, Johnson finished the season going 383-for-569 with a completion percentage of 67.3. Totaling 4,969 passing yards, 46 passing touchdowns, 5,105 total yards, and 50 total touchdowns, Matty J holds the MAC single-season record in each of those categories.

Johnson finished his career with 9,224 total yards and a school-record 73 passing touchdowns. Johnson is tied for the school record with most 300-yard passing games and holds the school record for most 400-yard passing games. In 2015, he was selected fourth team Phil Steele All-American, honorable mention Sports Illustrated All-American, and MAC Offensive Player of the Year. He was honored with the Columbus TD Club Sammy Baugh Award, as well as the MAC Vern Smith Leadership Award

Joe Davidson (P): Punter Joe Davidson excelled on and off the field for BGSU, earning several postseason accolades and setting numerous school records. Davidson was selected first team All-MAC and Academic All-American three times and was a four-time MAC Distinguished Scholar Athlete. In 2016, Davidson was named fourth team Phil Steele All-American, and he played in the 2017 East-West Shrine Classic.

Playing from 2014-2017, Davidson attempted 257 punts, totaling 11,412 yards for an average of 44.4 yards per punt. These are all BGSU records, as are his 2014 totals of 82 punts for 3,497 yards. That season, he set a program record by averaging 60.5 yards per punt against Ball State. Davidson was named a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award in 2016 and 2017.

Travis Greene (RB): BGSU's all-time leading rusher was an integral part of the team's MAC Championships in 2013 and 2015. A second team All-MAC selection in 2013, Greene ran for a program-record 1,594 yards. He finished the season with 1,749 all-purpose yards and 13 total touchdowns. That season, Greene ran for over 100 yards in five consecutive games, tying the program record set by Fred Durig in 1951.

After leading the team in rushing in 2014, Greene exploded for 1,299 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns in 2015. He led the team in scoring with 17 touchdowns, including a two-touchdown performance in the MAC Championship that helped him earn Most Valuable Player. Leading the Falcons to a 34-14 win over Northern Illinois, Greene ran for a career-high 183 yards. Greene totaled 19 games with over 100 rushing yards, tying Dave Preston's school record. Greene finished his career with a school-record 3,852 yards, scoring 43 touchdowns to help the Falcons set the program scoring record in 2015. That season, Greene was a first team All-MAC selection.

Roger Lewis (WR): In just two seasons with BGSU, Roger Lewis caught 158 passes for 2,673 yards and 23 touchdowns. In 2015, he was selected All-American by the AP, Sports Illustrated, Phil Steele, and the FWAA. He was also the recipient of the Columbus TD Club Paul Warfield Award. Lewis finished that season with 1,544 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns on 85 catches. In an early matchup against Memphis, Lewis torched the Tigers for 261 receiving yards and three touchdowns on just seven receptions. Lewis had over 100 receiving yards in five consecutive games that season, including a ten-catch, 201-yard performance against Buffalo. He finished his career with a program-record 13 games with over 100 receiving yards.

When it came to clutch situations, few did it better than Roger Lewis. In an early 2014 matchup against Indiana, Lewis caught a fade in the end zone to give the Falcons a 45-42 lead with nine seconds left. This was his career-high 16^th reception of the game and James Knapke's program-record 46^th completion. That same year, BGSU defeated South Alabama 33-28 in the Camellia Bowl. Trailing by one with a minute to go, Lewis caught a pass down the seam and ran untouched for the 78-yard winning score. This was his fourth reception and second touchdown of the day, bringing his yardage total to 137. This brought his season total to 1,093, the first Falcon freshman to total over 1,000 receiving yards.

Year	Overall Record	Head Coach	Team Captains	Season Scoring Totals
2010	2-10	Dave Clawson	Ben Bojicic, Eugene Fells, Calvin Wiley, Willie Geter	Bowling Green 255, Opponents 403
2011	5-7	Dave Clawson	Ben Bojicic, Chris Jones	Bowling Green 318, Opponents 346
2012	8-5	Dave Clawson	Ronnie Goble, Chris Jones, Matt Schilz, Paul Swan, Bart Tanski, Dominic Flewellyn	Bowling Green 298, Opponents 218
2013	10-4 (MAC Champions)	Dave Clawson, Adam Scheier	Ronnie Goble, Alex Bayer, Chief Kekuewa, Paul Swan, BooBoo Gates, Jairus Campbell, Gabe Martin, Dominic Flewellyn	Bowling Green 487, Opponents 222
2014	8-6	Dino Babers	Gabe Martin, Alex Huettel	Bowling Green 420, Opponents 469
2015	10-4 (MAC Champions)	Dino Babers, Brian Ward	Matt Johnson, Zach Colvin, Travis Greene, Alex Huettel, James Sanford, Dernard Turner	Bowling Green 591, Opponents 405
2016	4-8	Mike Jinks	Alfonso Mack, Trent Greene, Logan Dietz, Fred Coppet	Bowling Green 298, Opponents 460
2017	2-10	Mike Jinks	Game Captains	Bowling Green 304, Opponents 456
2018	3-9	Mike Jinks, Carl Pelini	Game Captains	Bowling Green 292, Opponents 480

Calendar

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Turn Back The Clock: BGSU Football In The 2010s

The 2010s

Players Mentioned

Caleb Bright

Andrew Clair

Joseph Davidson

David Konowalski

Jack Kramer

Scott Miller

Marcus Milton

Quintin Morris

Brandon Perce

Teo Redding

Gabe Skrobot

Shannon Smith

Clint Stephens

Upcoming Events

Recent Results

Bowling Green State University Athletics

Turn Back The Clock: BGSU Football In The 2010s

The 2010s

Players Mentioned

Caleb Bright

Andrew Clair

Joseph Davidson

David Konowalski

Jack Kramer

Scott Miller

Marcus Milton

Quintin Morris

Brandon Perce

Teo Redding

Gabe Skrobot

Shannon Smith

Clint Stephens

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