Bowling Green State University Athletics
Saturday, September 17
Bowling Green, Ohio
5 p.m.
Bowling Green State University
vs
Marshall
Bowling Green Celebrates 100th Homecoming on Saturday Against Marshall
September 12, 2022 | Football
Bowling Green Celebrates 100th Homecoming
• Bowling Green State University hosts the Marshall Thundering Herd on Saturday for Homecoming.
• It is the 100th Homecoming game at Bowling Green State University.
• The game will kick at 5 p.m. and be broadcast live on the NFL Network.
• There will be postgame fireworks.
Bowling Green vs. Marshall
• Saturday is the 30th all-time meeting between Bowling Green and Marshall in a series that began in 1954 when the Herd first joined the Mid-American Conference.
• BGSU leads the all-time series, 21-8, however Marshall has won five of the last eight meetings.
• Marshall was a member of the MAC from 1954-1969 and then again from 1997-2005. The Thundering Herd won five MAC championships from 1997-2002.
Five Top Storylines
• The very first Homecoming game at Bowling Green was on Nov. 4, 1922 against Toledo and was played at the fairgrounds after the parade arrived there. The game ended in a 6-6 tie. BGSU alumnus and 800-meter Olympic champion (1972) Dave Wottle is returning to campus to celebrate Homecoming 2022.
• QB Matt McDonald is No. 1 in the MAC and No. 10 in the nation with six passing touchdowns. His 24.0 points per game responsible for ranks No. 1 in the MAC and No. 7 in the nation.
• RB PaSean Wimberly has blocked a punt in each of BG's first two games. He ranks No. 1 in the MAC and No. 2 in the nation with two blocked kicks. Each of his blocked punts led to touchdowns. At UCLA Charles Rosser picked it up and returned it 11 yards for a touchdown. Against EKU, Jaison Patterson punched it in for a score seven plays later to put BG up by a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
• WR Odieu Hiliare has a catch in 24-straight games, which includes his career at Alabama A&M. It is tied for the 16th-best active streak in the nation.
• Preseason All-American Darren Anders was No. 8 in the nation in 2021 with 10.33 tackles per game. He is one of three players in all of FBS over the past two seasons to rank in the Top-15 nationally in tackles and the only one who returns to the college football ranks in 2022.
Bowling Green vs. Sun Belt
• Bowling Green is 27-12 all-time against current members of the Sun Belt, which includes games against Arkansas State (1-0), Georgia Southern (0-1), Marshall (21-8), South Alabama (1-1), Southern Miss (3-1) and Troy (1-1).
• Bowling Green is scheduled to host Old Dominion on Sept. 28, 2024, and travel to ODU on Sept. 13, 2031. BGSU also goes to Marshall on Sept. 25, 2027 and to South Alabama on Sept. 16, 2028.
• The Falcons last faced a Sun Belt team last season when South Alabama came to Doyt Perry Stadium. South Alabama kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired to win, 22-19.
Poignancy In The series with Marshall
• There is some poignancy between Bowling Green and Marshall surrounding the tragic 1970 Marshall football plane crash that killed everyone on board.
• The previous Marshall road trip before the fateful East Carolina trip in 1970 was to Bowling Green when the Falcons won 26-24 on Oct. 31. Two weeks later the Herd played at ECU and the plane crashed on the return to Huntington.
• Marshall battled to field a team in 1971 and while the MU won the opener against Xavier, the only other win for Marshall that year came on Oct. 30 when they beat Bowling Green in Huntington.
The 1959 Meeting in Huntington
• BGSU won the small college National Championship in 1959 and they faced Marshall to start the season.
• A nervous and doubtful head coach, Doyt Perry, had his tensions and doubts dispelled as the 1959 version of the Bowling Green Falcon football team crushed an under-manned Marshall College eleven, 51-7, in the Mid-American opener for both teams.
• The 44-point victory is BG's largest victory in the series.
• The game was played last Saturday night at Huntington, W. VA, before an estimated 3,600 fans.
• With only seven minutes elapsed in the first period, Bob Colburn, All-Ohio quarterback in 1958, completed a pass to End Jerry Roberts on the BG 45-yard line. Roberts, while being tackled, lateralled to Chuck Comer and the speedy halfback romped the remaining yards for the score.
• After Marshall had received the kick-off, Jim Andrews picked off an enemy aerial on the 40. Six plays later Russ Hepner cut 25 yards off right tackle for the second score. Chuck Ramsey again was successful on his second conversion attempt and the score was 14-0.
• Once again, Marshall had no success and was forced to punt. From their own 33 the Falcons marched 69 yards and scored the third TD as Bernie Casey dove over the line from two yards out. Dave McClain, who replaced Bob Colburn on this drive passed to Roberts for the two points after touchdown and a 22-0 lead.
• Touchdown number four was counted on a McClain to Ron Blackledge aerial which covered 31 yards. Ramsey kicked his third conversion in succession and the halftime score was 29-0.
• Perry's forces continued the rout in the second half as they kicked off and quickly gained possession of the ball on downs. After driving from their own 37 to the Marshall 30, BG sent Comer off the right side of the line on an amazing and scintillating jaunt into paydirt. A Colburn to Casey pass netted two extra points and the scoreboard registered BG 37, Marshall 0.
• At this point the Thundering Herd began to show some life as they halted still another BG drive on their own 11. Getting possession, they drove downfield via the airlines to the Falcon 13-yard line. From here Greg Porter carried three straight times and finally plunged over from the three.
• Running through the Herd almost at will, BG went 56 yards on 10 plays, capping the series with a three-yard scoring run by John Ruper. Jim Potts picked up two more on a keeper around the end.
• The final score came a minute and 39 seconds later as Al Junior swept left end from the four. BG was driving as the clock ran out.
Bowling Green - Marshall connections
• Marshall assistant head coach and linebackers coach Shannon Morrison was the co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Bowling Green in 2009.
• Marshall offensive coordinator Clint Trickett was featured on seasons one and two of Netflix's Last Chance U when he was the quarterback coach at East Mississippi Community College. BGSU defensive lineman Kitione Tau was a freshman at Laney Community College when it was featured in season five of Last Chance U.
The Sack Game and the Bowling Green Falcons
• Bowling Green is No. 9 in the nation with eight team sacks. The Falcons are also No. 25 in the nation with two sacks allowed.
• Bowling green is one of four teams in the nation to have 8+ sacks and allow two or fewer sacks. The other teams are Michigan State, Navy and Temple.
Bowling Green in the Plus on Turnover Margin
• Bowling Green is +2 in the turnover margin through two games. The Falcons have also forced 2+ turnovers in three-straight games dating back to 2021.
• Bowling Green's two turnovers are both errant snaps over the quarterback's head.
• The Falcons are No. 23 in the country in turnover margin and are tied for No. 2 in the MAC.
McDonald Spreading the Wealth
• QB Matt McDonald has connected with 12 different receivers so far this season.
• McDonald is No. 1 in the MAC and No. 10 in the nation with six passing touchdowns. Five different receivers have caught his six touchdown passes.
• McDonald threw five touchdown passes to four-different receivers in the Eastern Kentucky game. The five touchdowns are tied for the third-most in a game this season.
McDonald Elevating Game Toward the end of Last Season
• Since throwing three interceptions in the Akron (Oct. 9, 2021) game, QB Matt McDonald has thrown for 1,557 yards, 13 touchdowns and only one interception over the past eight games.
• McDonald has gone 189 passes since his last interception, which came on his first pass of the third quarter against Eastern Michigan.
• However, McDonald has been sacked 19 times over the last six games.
• McDonald is the son of former Cleveland Brown starting quarterback Paul McDonald. Paul led the USC Trojans to the 1979 National Title and was a first-team All-American and first-team academic All-American for the Trojans.
• Bowling Green State University hosts the Marshall Thundering Herd on Saturday for Homecoming.
• It is the 100th Homecoming game at Bowling Green State University.
• The game will kick at 5 p.m. and be broadcast live on the NFL Network.
• There will be postgame fireworks.
Bowling Green vs. Marshall
• Saturday is the 30th all-time meeting between Bowling Green and Marshall in a series that began in 1954 when the Herd first joined the Mid-American Conference.
• BGSU leads the all-time series, 21-8, however Marshall has won five of the last eight meetings.
• Marshall was a member of the MAC from 1954-1969 and then again from 1997-2005. The Thundering Herd won five MAC championships from 1997-2002.
Five Top Storylines
• The very first Homecoming game at Bowling Green was on Nov. 4, 1922 against Toledo and was played at the fairgrounds after the parade arrived there. The game ended in a 6-6 tie. BGSU alumnus and 800-meter Olympic champion (1972) Dave Wottle is returning to campus to celebrate Homecoming 2022.
• QB Matt McDonald is No. 1 in the MAC and No. 10 in the nation with six passing touchdowns. His 24.0 points per game responsible for ranks No. 1 in the MAC and No. 7 in the nation.
• RB PaSean Wimberly has blocked a punt in each of BG's first two games. He ranks No. 1 in the MAC and No. 2 in the nation with two blocked kicks. Each of his blocked punts led to touchdowns. At UCLA Charles Rosser picked it up and returned it 11 yards for a touchdown. Against EKU, Jaison Patterson punched it in for a score seven plays later to put BG up by a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
• WR Odieu Hiliare has a catch in 24-straight games, which includes his career at Alabama A&M. It is tied for the 16th-best active streak in the nation.
• Preseason All-American Darren Anders was No. 8 in the nation in 2021 with 10.33 tackles per game. He is one of three players in all of FBS over the past two seasons to rank in the Top-15 nationally in tackles and the only one who returns to the college football ranks in 2022.
Bowling Green vs. Sun Belt
• Bowling Green is 27-12 all-time against current members of the Sun Belt, which includes games against Arkansas State (1-0), Georgia Southern (0-1), Marshall (21-8), South Alabama (1-1), Southern Miss (3-1) and Troy (1-1).
• Bowling Green is scheduled to host Old Dominion on Sept. 28, 2024, and travel to ODU on Sept. 13, 2031. BGSU also goes to Marshall on Sept. 25, 2027 and to South Alabama on Sept. 16, 2028.
• The Falcons last faced a Sun Belt team last season when South Alabama came to Doyt Perry Stadium. South Alabama kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired to win, 22-19.
Poignancy In The series with Marshall
• There is some poignancy between Bowling Green and Marshall surrounding the tragic 1970 Marshall football plane crash that killed everyone on board.
• The previous Marshall road trip before the fateful East Carolina trip in 1970 was to Bowling Green when the Falcons won 26-24 on Oct. 31. Two weeks later the Herd played at ECU and the plane crashed on the return to Huntington.
• Marshall battled to field a team in 1971 and while the MU won the opener against Xavier, the only other win for Marshall that year came on Oct. 30 when they beat Bowling Green in Huntington.
The 1959 Meeting in Huntington
• BGSU won the small college National Championship in 1959 and they faced Marshall to start the season.
• A nervous and doubtful head coach, Doyt Perry, had his tensions and doubts dispelled as the 1959 version of the Bowling Green Falcon football team crushed an under-manned Marshall College eleven, 51-7, in the Mid-American opener for both teams.
• The 44-point victory is BG's largest victory in the series.
• The game was played last Saturday night at Huntington, W. VA, before an estimated 3,600 fans.
• With only seven minutes elapsed in the first period, Bob Colburn, All-Ohio quarterback in 1958, completed a pass to End Jerry Roberts on the BG 45-yard line. Roberts, while being tackled, lateralled to Chuck Comer and the speedy halfback romped the remaining yards for the score.
• After Marshall had received the kick-off, Jim Andrews picked off an enemy aerial on the 40. Six plays later Russ Hepner cut 25 yards off right tackle for the second score. Chuck Ramsey again was successful on his second conversion attempt and the score was 14-0.
• Once again, Marshall had no success and was forced to punt. From their own 33 the Falcons marched 69 yards and scored the third TD as Bernie Casey dove over the line from two yards out. Dave McClain, who replaced Bob Colburn on this drive passed to Roberts for the two points after touchdown and a 22-0 lead.
• Touchdown number four was counted on a McClain to Ron Blackledge aerial which covered 31 yards. Ramsey kicked his third conversion in succession and the halftime score was 29-0.
• Perry's forces continued the rout in the second half as they kicked off and quickly gained possession of the ball on downs. After driving from their own 37 to the Marshall 30, BG sent Comer off the right side of the line on an amazing and scintillating jaunt into paydirt. A Colburn to Casey pass netted two extra points and the scoreboard registered BG 37, Marshall 0.
• At this point the Thundering Herd began to show some life as they halted still another BG drive on their own 11. Getting possession, they drove downfield via the airlines to the Falcon 13-yard line. From here Greg Porter carried three straight times and finally plunged over from the three.
• Running through the Herd almost at will, BG went 56 yards on 10 plays, capping the series with a three-yard scoring run by John Ruper. Jim Potts picked up two more on a keeper around the end.
• The final score came a minute and 39 seconds later as Al Junior swept left end from the four. BG was driving as the clock ran out.
Bowling Green - Marshall connections
• Marshall assistant head coach and linebackers coach Shannon Morrison was the co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Bowling Green in 2009.
• Marshall offensive coordinator Clint Trickett was featured on seasons one and two of Netflix's Last Chance U when he was the quarterback coach at East Mississippi Community College. BGSU defensive lineman Kitione Tau was a freshman at Laney Community College when it was featured in season five of Last Chance U.
The Sack Game and the Bowling Green Falcons
• Bowling Green is No. 9 in the nation with eight team sacks. The Falcons are also No. 25 in the nation with two sacks allowed.
• Bowling green is one of four teams in the nation to have 8+ sacks and allow two or fewer sacks. The other teams are Michigan State, Navy and Temple.
Bowling Green in the Plus on Turnover Margin
• Bowling Green is +2 in the turnover margin through two games. The Falcons have also forced 2+ turnovers in three-straight games dating back to 2021.
• Bowling Green's two turnovers are both errant snaps over the quarterback's head.
• The Falcons are No. 23 in the country in turnover margin and are tied for No. 2 in the MAC.
McDonald Spreading the Wealth
• QB Matt McDonald has connected with 12 different receivers so far this season.
• McDonald is No. 1 in the MAC and No. 10 in the nation with six passing touchdowns. Five different receivers have caught his six touchdown passes.
• McDonald threw five touchdown passes to four-different receivers in the Eastern Kentucky game. The five touchdowns are tied for the third-most in a game this season.
McDonald Elevating Game Toward the end of Last Season
• Since throwing three interceptions in the Akron (Oct. 9, 2021) game, QB Matt McDonald has thrown for 1,557 yards, 13 touchdowns and only one interception over the past eight games.
• McDonald has gone 189 passes since his last interception, which came on his first pass of the third quarter against Eastern Michigan.
• However, McDonald has been sacked 19 times over the last six games.
• McDonald is the son of former Cleveland Brown starting quarterback Paul McDonald. Paul led the USC Trojans to the 1979 National Title and was a first-team All-American and first-team academic All-American for the Trojans.
Players Mentioned
ILB
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QB
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OLB
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DL
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RB
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