Fannin’s Sweep of Honors Highlights Bowling Green’s Nine Falcons Honored on All-MAC Team

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. was named the MAC's Vern Smith Leadership Award winner, the MAC Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-MAC to highlight the nine Falcons honored with postseason MAC honors, as announced by Mid-American Conference Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher.

Fannin is the first tight end in FBS history to be named an overall Player of the Year for a conference. He is only the second tight end in FBS history to be named a league's Offensive Player of the Year, joining Rutgers' Marco Battaglia, who in 1995 was the Big East Offensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American. The 1995 Big East Defensive Player of the Year opposite Battaglia was current Bowling Green defensive line coach Cornell Brown (Virginia Tech).

The Vern Smith Leadership Award is given to the league's overall Player of the Year. Fannin is the sixth Falcon to win the honor all-time and the first since Matt Johnson in 2015. BGSU ranks No. 2 all-time in Vern Smith Leadership Award winners with six. Fannin is the 10th Falcon to be named MAC Offensive Player of the Year and the first since Johnson in 2015. No other MAC school has as many MAC Offensive Player of the Year winners as BGSU.

Joining Fannin on the All-MAC team are CB Jordan Oladokun, ILB Joseph Sipp Jr., RB Terion Stewart, and OL Alex Wollschlaeger on the first team. P John Henderson earned second-team honors, while QB Connor Bazelak, DL Anthony Hawkins and CB Jacorey Benjamin received third-team accolades. Bowling Green and Miami (OH) tied for the most first-team members with five. BGSU's five first-team honorees are the most by the Falcons since 2015.

Fannin (Jr., Canton, Ohio) is a finalist for the John Mackey Award and was the only tight end to be a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award. Fannin ranks No. 2 in the nation with 1,342 receiving yards and leads all tight ends nationally in 21+ offensive categories, including receptions (100), yards after catch (750), first downs (64), broken tackles (31), and receiving touchdowns (9). According to Pro Football Focus, Fannin has the nation's highest overall grade (95.7) and ranks No. 1 in pass routes grade (96.1) among all receivers. Nationally, he is additionally ranked No. 2 in receptions, No. 1 in broken tackles, No. 2 in first downs, and No. 2 in yards after catch. Fannin ranks second all-time in FBS history for single-season receiving yards by a tight end. He needs just 11 yards to surpass the FBS record of 1,352 yards, set by Texas Tech's Jace Amaro in 2013. Fannin set the regular-season receiving yards record by a tight end at Ball State in game No. 11, while Amaro set the current record in his bowl game. With 100 receptions this season, Fannin is third all-time in single-season catches by a tight end. He needs 12 more receptions to break the record held by Rice's James Casey, who totaled 111 in 2008. Per Pro Football Focus, Fannin's run-blocking grade of 73.2 is tops among the nation's pass-catching tight ends, including fellow Mackey Award finalists Colston Loveland (Michigan, 54.3) and Tyler Warren (Penn State, 48.0). Fannin's 137 receiving yards against Penn State remain the only instance this season in which the Nittany Lions have allowed a single player to record over 100 receiving yards in a game. His 145 receiving yards at Texas A&M are also the most any opponent has achieved against the Aggies. Fannin joins Mark Dowdell as the only Falcon tight ends to be named first-team All-MAC multiple times. Dowdell earned the accolades in 1983 and 1984. Fannin also earned the honor last season. BGSU has had four first-team All-MAC tight ends in head coach Scot Loeffler's six seasons.

Oladokun (Sr., Tampa, Fla.) is tied for No. 15 in the nation and No. 2 in the MAC with four interceptions. He posted 35 tackles and 11 passes defended. Oladokun has 134 interception return yards, which ranks No. 2 all-time at BGSU for a season. His 216 career return yards on interceptions rank No. 5 in BGSU history. Oladokun is one of five players this season with 35+ tackles, 4+ interceptions, 100+ interception return yards, and at least one "pick-6."

Stewart (Jr., Memphis, Tenn.) led the MAC in rushing yards per game (89.0). He rushed for 890 yards and six touchdowns over 10 games. Stewart is No. 13 in the nation with 62 broken tackles and the only player in the nation in the top 40 who didn't play at least 11 games. He leads the MAC in rushes of 10+ yards (28). Stewart is No. 7 in the nation in yards after contact (4.16) for players with at least 150 carries.
Sipp (Jr., Tampa, Fla.) led BGSU with 75 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and 6.0 sacks. Sipp is No. 15 in the nation among FBS linebackers in sacks.

Sipp (Jr., Tampa, Fla.) led BGSU with 75 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and 6.0 sacks. Sipp is No. 15 in the nation among FBS linebackers in sacks. The six sacks are the first of Sipp's career.

Wollschlaeger (Sr., Aurora, Ill.) started all 12 games at right tackle. He appeared in 835 snaps, including 773 at right tackle. The senior captain is a key contributor to an offensive line that blocked for Fannin's record-breaking season and Stewart's career year on the ground. Wollschlaeger allowed just two hits on the quarterback through 12 games. He is the first Falcon offensive lineman named to the first team since Dominic Flewellyn and David Kekuewa in 2013.

Henderson (Jr., Acton, Calif.) was the MAC's only semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award. BGSU is tied for No. 10 in the nation in punt return yards allowed (37). He has booted six punts of 50+ yards, and 21 have been downed inside the 20-yard line.

Bazelak (Sr., Dayton, Ohio) is No. 2 in the MAC in pass efficiency (141.48) and had a 10-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio in conference play, the best among all MAC quarterbacks. Bazelak is No. 1 in the MAC and No. 18 in the nation with a 67.1 completion percentage. With 11,959 career passing yards, Bazelak is No. 52 all-time in FBS history. His 1,119 career completions rank No. 19 all-time in FBS history.

Hawkins (Sr., Mansfield, Ohio) had a career-best 5.0 sacks on the season and ranks No. 14 in the nation among inside linemen with three passes batted down at the line of scrimmage. Hawkins had a career year with 43 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 5.0 sacks. The three passes broken up are also a career best.

Benjamin (Sr., Mobile, Ala.) posted 26 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, two interceptions, and six pass breakups during his only season with the Falcons. His two interceptions were tied for No. 3 in the MAC among cornerbacks.

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results