7/23/2019 football Edit

Preview & Prediction: Bowling Green

Bowling Green's offense will likely lean on tailback Andrew Claire. (USA Today)

Matt Hall • EMAWOnline

Managing Editor

Before I get into our preview, there's also a very well done preview from the Notre Dame Rivals site talking with a reporter covering Bowling Green. Give it a read, for sure, as it was the source of plenty of information for my piece, as well.

LAST YEAR

Well, the Falcons weren't very good. Bowling Green did win two of its last three games (24-13 over Central Michigan and 21-6 over Akron before finishing with a 44-14 loss to Buffalo), but overall it was a rough season for the MAC member leading to a head coaching change. Power Five schools all hammered BGSU, with losses to Oregon (58-24), Maryland (45-14) and Georgia Tech (63-17).

WHO ARE THEY?

Unfortunately for the Falcons, they aren't even who they thought they'd be. What I'm referring to is the post-spring loss of their starting quarterback to transfer. There wasn't much back to begin with, as less than 10 total starters off last season's 3-9 bunch returned. New head coach Scot Loeffler, who came from Boston College, is inheriting a true rebuild.

WHO TO WATCH?

Like the opener against Nicholls, it's going to be the running game to keep an eye on. There are massive questions at quarterback and an already bad defense returning just three starters, so any hopes for the Falcons will fall on an experienced offensive line and 5-foot-10, 199-pound junior tailback Andrew Clair. Clair has played in 22 games (with eight starts) over the last two seasons, rushing for 1,427 yards (over 700 each year) and a very nice average of 5.9 yards per carry for his career. There's absolutely some explosiveness in Clair, and he's going to be the focus of K-State's defense.

K-STATE WINS BECAUSE...

Bowling Green will be really, really, really bad. I think we could see some similarities to games early last season, where the Wildcats struggled with an FCS opponent before crushing a low level FBS team like UTSA. Bowling Green is worse than UTSA was last year. It's almost impossible to think of a scenario where K-State loses this game, especially against a team that may have zero ability to stop the run.

K-STATE LOSES BECAUSE...

I don't know; stuff happens? I'm not trying to be rude about Bowling Green or who they are. I have no reason to believe the Falcons can't build under a new coaching staff. They're nowhere near ready to compete with a Power Five team, however, even one picked to finish ninth in the Big 12 Conference. IF BGSU was going to pull off the shocker here it would be thanks to turnovers, special teams miscues and the inability to get the Falcon offense off the field on third downs.

PRESEASON PREDICTION: Kansas State 38, Bowling Green 10

This is easily the worst team K-State will see all season, and the score could be worse. I suspect Chris Klieman and company will silently see this as a game giving some opportunity to test the depth of their team, which may keep the score even closer than I'm projecting above.

-Opponent Previews & Predictions: Nicholls

-Position Preview Podcasts: QB | RB

-Roster & Recruiting Center: CLICK HERE

-KSNT Preview: CLICK HERE

BIG 12 MEDIA DAYS COVERAGE

-K-State's Media Day Notebook

-Five Poyntz: What did we learn from Klieman?

-What did Klieman have to say at the podium?

-Running Diary: Big 12 Football Media Days, Day One

-Five Poyntz: Recapping Day on in Arlington

-The KSO Show looks back at Big 12 Media Days

-KMAN's The Game: Young, Hall join the show