Bowling Green State University quarterback Connor Bazelak (7) throws a pass to Bowling Green Falcons tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (44) during a game against Eastern Illinois on September 9 at Doyt L. Perry Stadium. (Scott W. Grau/BGSU Athletics)
DETROIT, Mich. — It’s always great for a Mid-American Conference football team when they can beat a team from the Big Ten Conference.
They have done it before, and Bowling Green State University football (7-5) gets a chance to do it again when they take on Minnesota (5-7) in the Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field in downtown Detroit at 2 p.m. on Dec. 26.
“I mean, it is very hard in both conferences, both the Big Ten and the MAC, it’s so competitive,” BGSU coach Scot Loeffler said.
“Everyone is so similar, particularly in our league. Everyone is very, very similar and being able to find a way to become bowl eligible and having the opportunity to play, that’s one it’s having a little gratitude for your work.
“And then second, obviously, the opponent. I’m ecstatic that we’re able to play a Big Ten team. You want to always play someone that’s better than you, especially in a bowl game and you want to go out and be able to perform against the best of the best.”
Bowling Green is 9-21 all-time against current members of the Big Ten Conference, which includes games against Indiana (1-1), Maryland (1-1), Michigan (0-3), Michigan State (0-3), Minnesota (2-2), Northwestern (2-1), Ohio State (0-5), Penn State (0-2), Purdue (3-0) and Wisconsin (0-3).
BGSU’s most recent game against a Big Ten Conference foe was a loss this season at Michigan on Sept. 16.
A win against Minnesota in the Quick Lane Bowl would make three Big Ten teams the Falcons have a winning record against, joining Purdue (3-0) and Northwestern (2-1). The Quick Lane Bowl is BGSU’s 15th bowl all-time bowl.
BGSU has faced a Big Ten team only one other time in a bowl game when the Falcons topped Northwestern in the 2003 Motor City Bowl, 28-24, which was also played at Ford Field.
There is a reason the Falcons cannot be taken for granted, even with five losses.
The five teams BGSU lost to also have a combined 57-7 record entering the bowl season. Bowling Green is the only team in the nation to have a regular season schedule that featured at least three teams that went on to win a conference championship, which includes Michigan (Big Ten), Miami (MAC) and Liberty (Conference USA).
However Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck is no stranger to the MAC and what can happen. He came to Minnesota after a stint at Western Michigan, and his Minnesota team lost to the Falcons, 14-10, at Huntington Bank Stadium in 2021.
“I mean, they took care of the football, they created explosive plays, they were able to keep our offense off the field, they were able to sustain drives,” Fleck said. “I mean, I think – I’ll have to look back on it, but the time of possession was really close, if not, they won it.
“We just couldn’t move the ball. When you’re talking about the defensive line and they got after it. I remember there was a fourth-and-one earlier in the game, they stuffed us in that.”
Don’t think the Golden Gophers won’t be prepared for the Falcons.
“You talk about a team playing incredibly hard, that’s gotten better from the first game all the way to their last game, they probably could easily sit here, be 9-3 when you look at their season, maybe 10-2,” Fleck said.
“They lost some close games. That Toledo game, I mean that was a – I’m sure that was a tough one for Scot for me to bring up, but you talk about that game could’ve went either way. So, we’ve done a lot of research on them.”
Bowling Green is No. 1 in the nation in takeaways (27). The Falcons are sixth in fumble recoveries (11) and fifth in interceptions (16). BGSU is the only team in the nation in the top-10 in both categories.
BGSU tight end Harold Fannin Jr. is fifth in the nation among his position with six receiving touchdowns. His 573 receiving yards ranks seventh nationally among tight ends.
The Falcons outside linebacker, Cashius Howell, is tied for 10th in the nation and No. 1 in the MAC with 9½ sacks. He currently has seven sacks over BGSU’s last five games.
In addition, 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.
Still, Minnesota is considered the favorite, and Loeffler says in so many words, “Don’t you forget that.”
The Associated Press named four Gophers to the All-Big Ten Team. Offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery, defensive back Tyler Nubin and kicker Dragan Kesich were named to the first team, while receiver Daniel Jackson was placed on the second team.
Ersery has started all 12 games this year at left tackle, allowing just three sacks and 13 total pressures in 779 snaps on offense.
Ersery is the Big Ten’s top-graded lineman at 81. That grade also ranks eighth among FBS tackles and 16th for all offensive linemen. Ersery also leads the Big Ten, is sixth among FBS tackles and 14th overall along the O-line with a run block grade of 80.6.
Nubin made 53 tackles this year and had five interceptions and four pass breakups. He has 13 career interceptions, which is the most in school history. Nubin, who was recently invited to the Senior Bowl, is projected to be a top-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Kesich, who was previously named the Big Ten Kicker of the Year, led Minnesota in scoring with 90 points during the 2023 season. He made 22 field goals and was a perfect 24-of-24 on point-after attempts.
Kesich ranked eighth in the nation in field goals made (22), sixth in field goals attempted (26) and tied for 24th in field goal percentage (84.6%).
Jackson led the team in receptions (57), receiving yards (831) and touchdowns (8) and he ranked third in the Big Ten in touchdowns and receiving yards and fourth in receptions.
For his career, Jackson has played in 41 games and has made 131 catches (tied with Chris Autman-Bell for tenth in school history) for 1,822 yards (12th in school history) and 14 touchdowns (tied for 11th in school history with Chris Autman-Bell, Ryan Thelwell and Omar Douglas).
Either way, both coaches say this is about the players who show up in downtown Detroit to play football the day after Christmas.
“It’s about the players. It always has been,” Fleck said. “Bowl season’s always that way and I think that’s a reward for all of them.
“So, it means a lot and I don’t mean to speak for Scot but I know he feels the same way I’m sure, that it’s all about the players. It’s a reward for all their hard work, the staff’s hard work and the families’ hard work.
“And that’s what we enjoy the most is getting all of our families out there, getting all the players’ families out there and really celebrating the holidays and college football together.”
