I’m excited to preview the upcoming Mid-American Conference (MAC) showdown between the Bowling Green Falcons and the Central Michigan Chippewas. The Falcons (4-4, 3-1 MAC) are currently 13.5-point favorites as they head on the road to take on the struggling Chippewas (3-5, 1-3 MAC) on Tuesday night.
Bowling Green Riding High After Toledo Rout
The Falcons are coming off a dominant 41-26 victory over the Toledo Rockets, a performance that has head coach Scott Loeffler feeling confident about his team’s direction. “I was really happy about our team playing like we did Weeks 1, 2, and 3,” Loeffler said, referring to Bowling Green’s narrow losses to ranked opponents Penn State and Texas A&M to start the season. “That’s the team we know and want to be: team football, which was cool.”
The Falcons’ offense, driven by quarterback Connor Bazelak’s 1,815 passing yards and 10 touchdowns, has emerged as a formidable force. Receiver Harold Fannin Jr. has been Bazelak’s top target, hauling in 66 catches for 947 yards and six scores.
Players such as Jordan Oladokun, Charles Rosser, and Joseph Sipp Jr. have demonstrated their leadership on the defensive side, leading a unit that has displayed moments of brilliance this season.
Central Michigan Struggling To Find Consistency
Meanwhile, the Chippewas are in the midst of a three-game losing streak, the latest of which was a 46-7 blowout defeat at the hands of the Miami (OH) Red Hawks. “We started out OK and just sputtered on offense and gave up some explosives on defense, which makes it tough,” Central Michigan head coach Jim McElwain said after the loss.
Running back Marion Lukes has led the Chippewas offensively, rushing for 465 yards and four touchdowns. Defensively, Jason Williams, Dakota Cochran, and Jordan Kwiatkowski have been the standouts.
However, Central Michigan’s inconsistency on both sides of the ball has been their downfall this season. The Chippewas are giving up a whopping 32.3 points per game, a number that has ballooned to 37 during their current skid.
Bowling Green Is Poised To Cruise To Victory
With the Falcons’ balanced offensive attack and the Chippewas’ defensive woes, all signs point to Bowling Green emerging victorious in this MAC clash. McElwain described his team’s approach as simply playing with consistency and accepting what they are given. “Don’t try to do too much. That’s what’s so frustrating.”
Bowling Green’s ability to move the ball through the air and on the ground should overwhelm a Central Michigan defense that has struggled to contain opponents. And with the Chippewas’ quarterback situation in flux, the Falcons’ stout pass defense could make life difficult for the home team.
Prediction: Bowling Green 34, Central Michigan 18?
The Falcons’ 13.5-point spread seems well within reach, as Bowling Green should be able to cruise to a comfortable victory on the road. The over/under of 48.5 points also looks enticing, as the Falcons’ high-powered offense could push the game over that total.
With the Chippewas reeling and the Falcons finding their stride, this MAC matchup appears to be a mismatch in Bowling Green’s favor. Fans can tune in to ESPN2 on Tuesday night to see if the Falcons can continue their march toward a strong conference finish.
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