Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
Toledo
Falcons Host the Battle of I-75 on Tuesday Night
November 10, 2023 | Football
• Bowling Green State University returns home on Tuesday night to face the Toledo Rockets in MACtion.Â
• It is the 88th meeting between the Falcons and the Rockets for the two schools whose stadiums are located 25 miles apart.
• The game is an "Orange Wave" and fans are encouraged to wear orange.
• Kick is set for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
Bowling Green vs. Toledo
• Bowling Green and Toledo meet in the annual quest for the Battle of I-75 trophy.
• Toledo leads the all-time series with the BGSU, 42-41-4.
• Since 2000, Bowling Green is 2-0 against UT when the Falcons hold the Rockets below 300 yards of total offense.Â
• Since 2000, Bowling Green is 6-4 against UT when the Falcons accumulate 400+ yards of total offense.
• Since 2000, Bowling Green is 6-3 against UT when the Falcons win the turnover battle. They are 0-6 when they don't. And it is tied, 2-2, when the turnovers are the same.
Five Top Storylines
• A win for the Falcons would clinch Bowling Green's first winning season since winning the MAC in 2015. It would also give the Falcons their first five-game winning streak since winning seven games (Sept. 26-Nov. 11) in a row during the 2015 season.
• Last time out against Kent State, Ta'ron Keith rushed for 103 yards and notched 130 receiving yards, making him the first Falcon in program history to notch 100+ rushing yards and 100+ receiving yards in the same game. He was named MAC East Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts.
• Bowling Green is No. 1 in the nation in takeaways (24). The Falcons are No. 1 in fumble
recoveries (11, tied with Navy) and No. 5 in interceptions (13). BGSU is the only team in the nation in the top-10 in both categories.
• CB Jalen Huskey is No. 8 in the nation with four interceptions. ILB Darren Anders and DL Dontrez Brown are tied for No. 8 in the nation with two fumble recoveries.
• BGSU is the only program in the nation to have returned at least one blocked field goal (Liberty) and one blocked punt (Buffalo) for touchdowns.
The Battle of I-75
• BGSU and Toledo have played every season since 1948. The two programs did not play from 1936-47, but since picking the series back up have played for 76-straight seasons (including 2023).
• Bowling Green's current second-longest annual series is against Ohio, which has been played every season since 2004.
• With its 20-7 win in 2019, Bowling Green snapped its nine-game losing streak to UT.
• When the Falcons beat Toledo in 2019 at The Doyt, Scot Loeffler became the 10th head coach in program history to beat Toledo in his debut game as head coach against the Rockets. He was the first to do so since Dave Clawson (current Wake Forest head coach) in 2009.
• BGSU Hall of Fame head coach Doyt Perry never lost to Toledo. He was a perfect 10-0 in the rivalry.
• Here are the 10 coaches in BGSU history to win their debut games against Toledo:
- 2019 - Scot Loeffler (20-7)
- 2009 - Dave Clawson (38-24)
- 2003 - Gregg Brandon (31-23)
- 2001 - Urban Meyer (56-21)
- 1991 - Gary Blackney (24-21)
- 1977 - Denny Stolz (21-13)
- 1965 - Bob Gibson (21-14)
- 1955 - Doyt Perry (39-0)
- 1948 - Robert Whittaker (21-6)
The Battle of I-75 - Southern Edition
• Tuesday is BGSU's second contest against an opponent this season that resides off I-75.
• Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium, like Doyt Perry Stadium, can be seen from I-75 in Atlanta where I-75 and I-85 run together in the Downtown Connector.
Bowling Green - UT connections
• BGSU's Cade Zimmerly and Toledo's Grant Zimmerly are brothers who hail from nearby Perrysburg High School. Cade Zimmerly is a former BGSU walk-on who was the only offensive or defensive true freshman walk-on in the nation in 2021 to start a game. He made 10 starts including the season opener at Tennessee.
A Win Over Toledo Would Put Loeffler in an Exclusive BG Club
• With a win on Tuesday, Scot Loeffler would become just the fifth BGSU head coach to have a winning record against Toledo through his first five meetings and the first since Gary Blackney who went 4-1 from 1991-95. Loeffler enters the game 2-2 all-time against Toledo.
• Robert H Whittaker started going 3-2 against Toledo from 1948-52.
• Doyt L. Perry, who was 10-0 all-time against Toledo, started 5-0 from 1955-59.
• Denny Stolz went 4-1 during his first five meetings with Toledo from 1977-81.
A Program on the Rise
• BGSU is 9-5 in MAC play since the start of the 2022 season.
• Only Toledo and Ohio have better records in conference play over that period. Miami (OH) also is 9-5 during that span. Toledo is 11-3 and Ohio is 11-3.
• The previous 14-game MAC window for BGSU was 2-12.Â
• The gains during Scot Loeffler's tenure started to take root in 2021 and by 2022 Bowling Green was back in a bowl game for the first time since 2015 as the Falcons took part in the Quick Lane Bowl.Â
• Bowling Green became one of four FBS programs in 2022 whose win totals improved 4+ games from 2020 to 2021 and then improved 2+ more games from 2021 to 2022. Joining BGSU on the list were Kansas State, Oregon State and Tennessee.
• With BGSU's next win, the Falcons will be the only program in the nation that improved its wins 4+ games from 2020 to 2021, followed by +2 wins from 2021 to 2022 and then again improved +1 from 2022 to 2023.Â
Keith Important Out of the Backfield
• RB Ta'ron Keith is like a Swiss Army Knife doing so much for the Falcons. He rushes, receives and returns kicks.
• Keith is tied for No. 1 in the nation among running backs with 35 receptions. He is No. 2 in the nation and No. 1 in the MAC among running backs with 389 receiving yards and tied for No. 4 in the nation and is No. 1 in the MAC among running backs with three receiving touchdowns. Keith has 383 yards after catch, which is No. 3 in the nation among running backs.
Howell Heating Up as the Weather is Cooling Down
• OLB Cashius Howell has been on a tear of late. He is currently tied for No. 11 in the nation and No. 2 in the MAC with 7.5 sacks. His 7.5 sacks is tied for No. 4 in the nation among linebackers and tops among the MAC's linebackers.
• He currently has at least 1.0 sack in each of the past three games and 5.0 total during that span. Howell notched 2.0 against Akron and again at Kent State.Â
Fannin the Pass-Catching Tight End
• TE Harold Fannin Jr. is No. 1 in the MAC and tied for No. 7 in the nation among tight ends with four receiving touchdowns.
• His 385 receiving yards are also No. 1 in the MAC and No. 10 in the nation among tight ends.
• His 26 receptions is No. 2 in the MAC and tied for No. 22 in the nation among tight ends.
• Over the last two games Fannin has seven receptions for 126 yards and two touchdowns.
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