(QB Connor Bazelak – Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Connor Bazelak, RB/KR Terion Stewart, TE Harold Fannin, OC Alex Padgett, OG Jake Burns, OG Nate Pabst, OT Alex Wollschlaeger, DE Ali Saad, DT Dontrez Brown, NT Anthony Hawkins, LB Demetrius Hardamon, LB Brock Horne, LB Joseph Sipp Jr., CB Jalen Burton, CB Jordan Oladokun, BS Patrick Day, BS Trent Simms, FS Darius Lorfils, PK Alan Anaya, and PT Jackson Kleather.
Key Players Departing:
RB Taron Smith, WR Odieu Hiliare, WR Austin Osborne, OT Kameren Stewart, DE Cashius Howell (Texas A&M transfer), LB Darren Anders, CB Davon Ferguson, CB Jalen Huskey (Maryland transfer), CB Deshawn Jones Jr, and KR/PR Jhavlin Embry.
(LB Donovan Stephens – 247Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: DS Darius McClendon (FAU transfer), CB Edward Rhambo (NAU transfer), WR Caleb Goodloe (Clearwater, Florida), LB Donovan Stephens (Oklahoma State transfer), CB Jocorey Benjamin (Texas Southern transfer), DE Martreece Dillard (Buford, Georgia), EDGE Nakai Amachree (Haslett, Michigan), EDGE Elias Owens (Mansfield, Ohio), DS D’kyah Banks (Loganville, Georgia), and OT Nick Reimer (Merrimack transfer).
2023 Results:
G01 @ Liberty L 24-34
G02 EASTERN ILLINOIS W 38-15
G03 @ #2 Michigan L 6-31
G04 OHIO L 7-38
G05 @ Georgia Tech W 38-27
G06 @ Miami (OH) L 0-27
G07 @ Buffalo W 24-14
G08 AKRON W 41-14
G09 BALL STATE W 24-21
G10 @ Kent State W 49-19
G11 TOLEDO L 31-32
G12 @ Western Michigan W 34-10
BOWL vs. Minnesota L 24-30
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 7-6 (3rd in MAC East)
Home: 3-2
Away: 4-3
Neutral: 0-1
MAC: 5-3
Non-MAC: 2-3
Head Coach: Scott Loeffler
Bowling Green: 20-35
Career: 20-35
Bowls: 0-2
(RB Terion Stewart – BGSU Athletics)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Connor Bazelak (168-278, 1935 yards, 60.4%, 7.0 avg., 12 TD, 7 INT)
Rushing: Terion Stewart (125 car., 762 yards, 6.1 avg., 8 TD)
Receiving: Harold Fannin Jr. (44 rec., 623 yards, 14.2 avg., 6 TD)
TD’s Scored: Terion Stewart (8)
Sacks: Jordan Porter (3)
Tackles: Joseph Sipp Jr. (73)
Interceptions: Jordan Oladokun (4)
Pass Deflections: Jordan Oladokun (6)
Tackles For Loss: Anthony Hawkins (4.5)
Forced Fumbles: Ali Saad/Trent Simms (2)
Kick Returns: Jaison Patterson (2 ret., 42 yards, 21.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Alan Anava (13-18 fg/fga., 72%, 43-43 xp/xpa., 82 pts.)
Punting: Jakcson Kleather (33 punts, 1296 yards, 39.3 avg., 13 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 7 Connor Bazelak (RS SR/TR)
RB: 4 Terion Stewart (RS JR)
WR: 2 RJ Garcia II (RS JR/TR)
WR: 1 Malcolm Johnson Jr. (RS SR/TR)
WR: 5 Jaylon Tillman (SR/TR)
TE: 44 Harold Fannin Jr. (JR)
LT: 52 Nick Reimer (SR/TR)
LG: 65 Jake Burns (SR/TR)
OC: 57 Alex Padgett (RS JR)
RG: 75 Nate Pabst (RS JR)
RT: 50 Alex Wollschlaeger (RS SR)
KR: 0 Rahkeem Smith (JR/TR)
PK: 98 Alan Anaya (RS JR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 99 Ali Saad (RS SR/TR)
NT: 54 Anthony Hawkins (SR)
DT: 60 Dontrez Brown (SR)
DE: 33 Jordan Porter (SR)
LB: 3 Joseph Sipp Jr. (JR)
LB: 2 Brock Horne (RS SR)
LB: 11 Demetrius Hardamon (RS SR/TR)
CB: 1 Jordan Oladokun (SR/TR)
CB: 7 Jacorey Benjamin (SR/TR)
FS: 9 Darius Lorfils (JR)
BS: 8 Trent Simms (RS SR)
PR: 0 Rahkeem Smith (JR/TR)
PT: 19 John Henderson (JR/TR)
(TE Harold Fannin Jr. – BGSU Athletics)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: C
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returns: C
Punt Returns: C
Kickers: B
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/29 FORDHAM RAMS | First meeting between schools.
09/07 @ Penn State Nittany Lions | Bowling Green trails the series 0-2. The Falcons lost (3-48) the last meeting between schools in 1998.
09/21 @ Texas A&M Aggies | First meeting between schools.
09/28 OLD DOMINION MONARCHS | First meeting between schools.
10/05 @ Akron Zips | Bowling Green leads the series 20-10. The Falcons are 7-3 since 2014, and their last series loss (20-35) was in 2021.
10/12 NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES | Bowling Green leads the series 12-11. The Falcons lost (26-34) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
10/19 KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES | Bowling Green leads the series 61-24-6. The Falcons are 5-5 since 2014, and their last series loss (6-40) was in 2022.
10/26 @ Toledo Rockets | Bowling Green trails the series 41-43-4. The Falcons are 2-8 since 2014, and their last series win (42-35) was in 2022.
11/05 @ Central Michigan Chippewas | Bowling Green leads the series 24-19. The Falcons won (34-18) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
11/12 WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS | Bowling Green leads the series 34-20-3. The Falcons are 3-3 since 2014, and their last series loss (10-49) was in 2019.
11/23 @ Ball State Cardinals | Bowling Green leads the series 22-9-1. Last season’s 24-21 win was the first meeting between schools since 2015.
11/29 MIAMI (OH) REDHAWKS | Bowling Green trails the series 25-47-5. The Falcons are 2-5 since restarting the series in 2016, and their last series win (17-13) was in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 5-1
Away: 3-3
Neutral: 0-0
MAC: 6-2
Non-MAC: 2-2
Overall: 8-4 (3rd in MAC)
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