Separated by just 25 miles, Bowling Green State University and the University of Toledo have quite a rivalry in the Mid-American Conference, even though they are in separate divisions. Bowling Green, which is south and slightly west, of Toledo is in the MAC East, while the Rockets reside in the MAC West. In any event, this is a game that means a lot to both schools. The Falcons have already locked up the MAC East title, while the Rockets are trying to keep pace in the MAC West.
Bowling Green vs. Toledo College Football Preview
Date/Time: Wednesday November 19, 8:00 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2
College Football Betting Odds from WagerWeb
College Football Betting Favorite: OFF
Total: OFF
As of Tuesday morning, no line was posted on this game due to concerns about the Toledo quarterback situation. Dino Babers inherited a quality team from Dave Clawson and has made the most of it, despite an early season starting quarterback injury and a serious regression from the defense. The Falcons are 7-3 straight up, but just 4-6 against the spread as they have failed to live up to their perception. Matt Campbell is lining himself up for some bigger jobs with a 22-13 straight up mark and an 18-17 ATS record in his three seasons since Tim Beckman left for Illinois. Campbell remains one of the youngest FBS coaches at 34.
Bowling Green Falcons:
An injury to starting quarterback Matt Johnson has forced Dino Babers to change his gameplan on the fly. Babers had the nation’s second-best passing offense at FCS Eastern Illinois last season and the same was expected at Bowling Green. Johnson’s injury pushed James Knapke into the starting role and he has been inconsistent at best. Knapke has 12 TD passes against 10 interceptions and that has led to more reliance on the running game. The Falcons have 24 rushing touchdowns as a team and have racked up an average of 175 yards per contest. The defense is a major source of concern. After having one of the top units in the country in each of the last two seasons, Bowling Green gave up 35 or more points in five of their first six games. The defense has tightened up of late, allowing 69 points over the last four games, but that’s more about the competition that they have played.
Toledo Rockets:
The status of Logan Woodside is a major question mark this week as the Rockets hope to beat their rival for the third straight season. Woodside had just two pass attempts last week and Campbell turned to senior wide receiver Dwight Macon at quarterback after Michael Julian struggled. Macon was 8-of-11 with a touchdown pass and also effectively ran the ball with two rushing touchdowns. The Rockets offense has been relatively efficient with Woodside this season, but they looked really good with Macon calling the shots. Sophomore running back Kareem Hunt continued his strong season with 119 yards on 18 carries. Campbell’s offense is on track to top the 30-point mark for the third straight season. The defense, however, has taken a bit of a step back. They are giving up over 28 points per game, though three games against non-conference FBS opponents account for 144 of the 316 points that they have allowed.
Free Pick: Toledo
The Rockets certainly have a concern at quarterback, but the idea of Macon playing once again has given a mediocre Falcons defense yet another thing to thing about for this week’s rivalry game. With a very chilly night in Toledo, running the ball is going to be paramount and Toledo is better equipped to play without a balanced offensive attack. The MAC West is a much better division than the MAC East and BGSU has padded their stats against some of the worst teams in FBS.
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