INSIDE SLANT
Bowling Green and Idaho posted 7-5 records under first-year coaches, and their reward is a matchup in the Humanitarian Bowl on Dec. 30.
However, the two teams got there in different manners.
At one point Idaho was 6-1, but it lost four of its last five games. In those four defeats, the Vandals allowed an average of 54 points a game, including 70 points to Nevada and 63 to Boise State.
Meanwhile, Bowling Green was 1-4 early in the season and needed to close out strong to become bowl-eligible. The Falcons went 4-0 in November and got to 7-5 with a 38-24 win over rival Toledo in the season finale.
“At the end of the year, we played at the level I wished we had played at all year,” Falcons coach Dave Clawson said.
Bowling Green then had to wait to see if all the conferences could fill their bowl spots. When that didn’t happen, Bowling Green, the Mid-American Conference and the Humanitarian Bowl were able to make a deal.
The MAC has three automatic bowl spots, but it got five teams into bowls. Bowling Green’s placement in the Humanitarian Bowl could be a prelude to the MAC becoming an automatic partner to the bowl, as it looks as if the International Bowl (one of the MAC’s automatic tie-ins) is done after this season.
There is also a difference in the background of the two coaches. Idaho’s Robb Akey was a long-time assistant coach, including a stint as defensive coordinator at Washington State. Clawson was a successful head coach at Fordham and Richmond and was the offensive coordinator at Tennessee for one year before taking the Bowling Green job.
Both teams can put points on the scoreboard. Idaho is averaging 450.9 yards and 31.8 points per game. Bowling Green is averaging 391.4 yards and 27.3 points per game.
“They have a great offense. In a lot of ways, the formula they’ve won with is very similar with ours,” Clawson said. “It’s going to come down to what defense can step up and make stops. We have to find ways to get off the field, and they have the same challenge.”
Idaho does have an advantage in playing the game in its home state. But Boise State fans don’t have much use for the Vandals, and you can expect many of the Boise fans in attendance to be wearing orange (Bowling Green’s colors are brown and orange) and cheering for the Falcons as an alternative to cheering for Idaho.
NOTES, QUOTES
• After starting the season 1-4, going to a bowl game was one of the last things on Bowling Green’s mind.
However, led by a 20-member senior class, the Falcons finished the season going 6-1, including a 4-0 mark in November, to become bowl-eligible at 7-5 in Dave Clawson’s first year as head coach.
“It says a lot about the players on our team that they kept fighting, kept working and (kept) getting better, which allowed us to win six of the last seven,” Clawson said. “And also the amount of times we came from behind in the fourth quarter this year (was important). I think five of our seven wins we were either tied or behind in the fourth quarter and came back to win or pull ahead to win.”
That strong finish put the Falcons in position to fill an at-large bowl berth, and they were rewarded with a spot in the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho. It will be Bowling Green’s fourth bowl berth this decade, with Bowling Green going 2-1 in the previous three games.
In November, the Falcons outscored their opponents 139-87, as their offense was productive with WR Freddie Barnes and QB Tyler Sheehan, and the defense benefitted from strong play of its three linebackers, all seniors, and the return of senior S P.J. Mahone from a six-game suspension.
Scouting The Offense: Bowling Green’s offensive success was powered through the air. QB Tyler Sheehan finished the regular season with 3,664 yards passing (averaging 305.3 yards per game) with 23 touchdowns and only six interceptions. WR Freddie Barnes was Sheehan’s top target, leading the nation with 138 receptions. Barnes’ receptions covered 1.551 yards, and he caught 16 TD passes and had 18 touchdowns overall.
Scouting The Defense: This unit may not have put up gaudy numbers, but it was stout when it needed to be in the drive for a winning season. In the four games in November, the Falcons forced 11 turnovers, including five in the regular-season finale against arch-rival Toledo on Nov. 27. Teams that can successfully run the ball give the Falcons the most trouble. But late in the season, Bowling Green was better able to neutralize the run.
Matchup To Watch: Bowling Green’s interior defensive line and its overall pass rush against Idaho senior OG Mike Iupati, who is an American Football Coaches Association All-American and was a finalist for the Outland Trophy—Iupati, at 6-feet-6 and 330 pounds, allowed only five quarterback pressures and no sacks this season while playing 807 snaps.
Other Key Matchups:
Idaho’s run game vs. Bowling Green’s defense—Bowling Green has had problems stopping the run all season, allowing an averaging of 192.8 yards per game. Stopping Idaho’s three-pronged running attack, led by DeMaundray Woolridge (853 yards and 16 TDs) is going to come down to Bowling Green’s defensive front, which is still learning, and a senior linebacker trio, who are Bowling Green’s top three tacklers. If the Vandals can move the ball on the ground and take time off the clock, it’s going to put a lot of pressure on Bowling Green’s offense to be productive each time it takes the field. S P.J. Mahone, who has played well in the last four games since returning from a six-game suspension, will be the defensive wild card for Bowling Green, He’s a sure tackler who can support the run as well as defend the pass.
Bowling Green’s passing attack vs. Idaho’s defense—Bowling Green is averaging 310.2 per game through the air, led by QB Tyler Sheehan (340 of 528 for 3,664 yards, 23 touchdowns and only six interceptions) and WR Freddie Barnes (138 receptions to lead the nation, for 1,551 yards and 16 TDs). Barnes was one of three finalists for the Fred Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the nation’s top wide receiver. The Falcons have seen all kinds of defensive schemes to stop Barnes, but the Vandals will have almost a month to prepare things, which probably will include getting pressure on Sheehan from a number of different angles and bracketing Barnes. That means Sheehan will have to get rid of the ball quicker, and TE Jimmy Scheidler and RB Willie Geter could come into play as outlet receivers.
Idaho’s passing attack vs. Bowling Green’s defense—Again it’s going to come down to Bowling Green’s front seven to make a major contribution. Idaho QB Nathan Enderle has thrown for 2,666 yards and 18 scores with nine interceptions. WR Max Komar has made 62 receptions for 1,036 yards and 10 scores. Bowling Green has allowed only 14 touchdowns through the air all season. Roger Williams leads the Falcons in solo tackles (47) and interceptions (four).
Quote To Note: “We’ve played the majority of the season with 45 to 50 scholarship players. … We were a very thin football team the whole year, and that’s why I give our seniors so much credit—they kept this group together. You say you want your starters to be on two special-teams units; ours were on three and four. There were games that we were just hanging on by a thread injury-wise that if we lost a guy, we really had no idea who was going to go in the game. We had a lot of guys really step up and play well.”—Bowling Green coach Dave Clawson.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Bowl Breakdown:
Bowling Green vs. Idaho, Humanitarian Bowl, Dec. 30, Boise, Idaho—This is Idaho’s first bowl game since a 1998 appearance in the Humanitarian Bowl. But the Vandals are no stranger to playing on Boise’s blue turf. Bowling Green is in its fourth bowl game this decade, going 2-1, but the Falcons did not fare well playing at Boise State in regular-season games in 2005 and 2008.
Players To Watch:
QB Tyler Sheehan—The senior is looking to close out his college career in a positive way after a sub-par performance in the regular-season finale against Toledo on Nov. 27. He has thrown for 3,664 yards and 23 TDs with just six picks this season. Sheehan has thrown a TD pass in 21 straight games and is Bowling Green’s career leader in several categories, including total yards.
WR Freddie Barnes—He is one of three finalists for the Fred Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s top wide receiver. With 138 receptions this season, Barnes is only four away from matching the NCAA single-season record. He had 1,551 receiving yards with 16 touchdowns. He has 18 TDs overall.
S P.J. Mahone—The Falcons are 5-1 in the six games the sure-tackling safety has played in this season. He was suspended for six games during the season, but Bowling Green has gone 4-0 since he returned to the lineup. In those four games, he has made 41 tackles. He is also an effective special-teams performer, especially on the punt-coverage unit.
LB Jerett Sanderson—Sanderson is called Bowling Green’s best, most consistent defensive player by head coach Dave Clawson. He can support the run and also cover slot receivers. This season, Sanderson has 77 tackles, including a team-high 7.5 tackles for loss, an interception, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Sanderson is also a good special-teams performer.
Roster Report:
• Starting DT Kevin Alvarado had his assault charge amended to disorderly conduct with persistence. He will pay fines and court costs and will be placed on probation. He is still suspended indefinitely from the Bowling Green football team. A redshirt sophomore, Alvarado started all 12 games for the Falcons this season and had 28 tackles.
