During Scot Loeffler’s tenure as Bowling Green State University football coach, the Falcons have beaten two teams from power five conferences.

In 2021, the Falcons defeated Minnesota, 14-10, and last year, the Falcons defeated Georgia Tech, 38-27, both on the road.

This year, the Falcons will have a chance to get that done again.

BGSU travels to Beaver Stadium for a Sept. 7 noon contest at Penn State in University Park, Pennsylvania, and on Sept. 21, the three-year anniversary of the win over Minnesota, BGSU has a 7:30 p.m. contest against Texas A&M at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas.

Loeffler believes anything is possible, but confesses that it is always a challenge for a Mid-American Conference squad to beat a team out of the Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, or Southeastern Conference.

“We’ve done it a couple times,” Loeffler said. “In this conference (MAC), there are some really good players.

“Our issue and the issue at the MAC is depth. We might play the No. 1 team in the country in the first half, and played really well, and the thing that can get you against those teams is depth.”

Last year in front of a crowd of 109,995 at Michigan Stadium, he Falcons forced three first-half turnovers and trailed by just 14-6 at the half. But, the Wolverines (3-0) scored 17 third-quarter points to take control of the game and win 31-6.

This year, including conference games, the upcoming schedule has Bowling Green facing six teams that earned bowl bids in 2023 – Miami (Cure), Northern Illinois (Camellia), Old Dominion (Famous Toastery), Penn State (Peach), Texas A&M (Texas) and Toledo (Arizona).

However, before the Falcons get to Penn State and Texas A&M, they host Fordham on Thursday, August 29 at 7 p.m. at Doyt L. Perry Stadium.

The Rams are an FCS school, but have a history of knocking off MAC teams. As a result, Loeffler says there will be no days off in the non-conference or conference schedule.

“Non-conference is a bear,” Loeffler said. “Fordham beat Buffalo last year and two years ago they beat a really, really good Ohio U. team.

“They remind me of the preparation that it takes for an option team, a wishbone team. You’ve got to keep the ball, you’ve got to score on every possession,” Loeffler continued.

“For them, throwing on every down, which they do, you have to do an unbelievable job of keeping the ball. Their offense is extremely efficient. Their quarterback had only one interception the entire year, so that will be a challenge.”

Just over a week later, the Falcons take their trip to Penn State — a place Loeffler is familiar with during coaching gigs at Michigan, Central Michigan, Florida, Temple, Auburn, Virginia Tech and Boston College

“Obviously, I’ve been to Happy Valley a hundred times,” Loeffler said. “You know what you are getting there. It will be a top one, top two, top three Big Ten team. They are really good.

“I’ ve watched them on tape, and I think Phil Trautwein, who I had at Boston College, who was their offensive line coach, he’s done a phenomenal job.

“(Head coach) James Franklin is another unbelievable coach. They’ve just done a really nice job in that program. They are Penn State. There is no doubt about that.”

The Falcons get a bye week immediately after and then travel to Texas A&M.

“Then, the biggest thing is having that week off,” Loeffler said. “Then we got to go play against (A&M head coach Mike) Elco, and I’ve played against Elco at four different stops.

“I know exactly what he is, he knows where we are. He’s got really good players. I think his discipline and his mindset will make Texas A&M much better, in my opinion.

“He’s got a really good staff and a recruiting coordinator who started here with us, so they are going to be a handful.

“The only thing I don’t like about the A&M game is that it is at 7 at night because we are not going to get back until 6 in the morning and then go play a really good ODU team.”

The Falcons host Old Dominion at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28 at Perry Stadium in their final non-conference match-up before MAC play begins.

“ODU, every other year right now, has beaten Virginia Tech. It’s four really, really challenging football teams,” Loeffler said.