College Football News Preview 2020: Bowling Green Falcons Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The Bowling Green Falcons Offense
The passing game has to start working. That’s where Matt McDonald has to step in.
The offense will run well, the pass protection will be fine, and if the receivers emerge, all that’s missing is steady quarterback play.
The Falcons threw four touchdown passes in the opening week win over Morgan State, and just five spread out over the other 11 games with 15 interceptions.
How weak was the passing attack. The 250 yards against Ohio in the 66-24 loss were the most against any FBS team, and that was only the third time all year it got past 200 yards.
Biggest Key To The Bowling Green Falcons Defense
The run defense can’t be so brutally awful. It got worse as the season went on, getting destroyed by Ohio for 342 yards and six scores and Buffalo for 455 yards and seven touchdowns in the final two games.
On the year, the Falcons gave up over 300 rushing yards five times, and allowed over 200 yards in two other games with 25 rushing scores allowed in the final six games.
To be fair, as miserable Bowling Green was against the run, it was a huge improvement after allowing 3,366 yards and 42 touchdowns in 2018.
Just be mediocre against the run, and the Falcons will start winning.
Key Bowling Green Falcons Player To A Successful Season
QB Matt McDonald, Jr.
It’s hard to run the offense the offensive head coach would like to do without a quarterback who can consistently produce.
Grant Loy was a big passer who struggled last year – and now he’s an Auburn Tiger. Backup Darius Wade is finished, and there’s no experience among the young parts.
Enter McDonald, a 6-3, 214-pound transfer from Boston College – and the son of former USC star QB Paul McDonald – who followed Scot Loeffler to BGSU, with the pro-style passing skills to push the ball all over the field.
He sat out a year, but he knows the offense, and he should be ready to make this passing game work.
Key Game To The Bowling Green Falcons Season
Miami University, Oct. 10
How much better are the Falcons this year and just how far have they come?
The schedule might be up in the air, but if the MAC slate goes forward like normal, beating Miami University – the defending East champion – would be a huge step forward for the program.
Last year the Falcons were thumped 44-3 for a second straight loss in the series and the third in four years.
– Bowling Green Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 Bowling Green Fun Stats
– 3rd Quarter Scoring: Opponents 104 – Bowling Green 31
– Red Zone Scores: Opponents 43-of-51 (84%) – Bowling Green 25-of-36 (69%)
– Touchdowns Scored: Opponents 62 – Bowling Green 25