It’s the game that was never supposed to happen.
Bowling Green football coach Urban Meyer ironically talked to the Northwestern football staff before the beginning of the season because he liked their dynamic offense. Meyer had no idea that his 6-3 Falcons would butt heads with the 4-5 Wildcats. This was supposed to be a week of rest in preparation for Toledo on Nov. 23. After the cancellation of the South Carolina game, BG Athletic Director Paul Krebs worked diligently to set up another contest with a solid team. It was the best possible situation for Meyer and brought a lot of excitement to a team.
“I think Paul (Krebs) did a great job (of arranging this game),” Meyer said. “We aren’t looking to play Nebraska, but we don’t want to play a slew of 1-AA’s either and have the 108th, 110th, 114th-ranked schedule. I think you need balance, but you also want to play teams you can compete with. So, if you win, if you are playing 1-AA teams, you won’t get recognition and I think we are playing a team we can compete with, even though they are a Big Ten opponent.”
Can BG pick up win seven against a Big Ten school? The last time the Falcons played a Big Ten team was their season opener in 2000 against Michigan. BG hung tough in the first half, but was eventually blown out 42-7. The Falcons got a chance to play in front of 110,000 people and grab some wanted attention. The Northwestern game will have the same feel.
“It gives our guys a chance to get known not just throughout the state of Ohio, because people have already forgotten about Missouri,” Meyer said. “If we can get this one, we will see a bunch of guys get a little recognition. And finally, when we move to the west, we will have to recruit Chicago a little harder now because we will play some of those teams in that direction … so, this will help our recruiting also.”
But the Falcons have shown they can hang with the bigger conferences this season. BG pulled off one of their biggest wins in the last five years over Big 12 Missouri. They also conquered Big East Temple at home. Northwestern coach Randy Walker was quick to point out during his press conference that this game was no gimme for the Wildcats. Walker knows all about the Falcons. Formally head coach at Miami (OH), he compiled a record of 2-6-1 against them.
“We’re playing a football team that’s having a great year and has done a great job under Coach Meyer,” Walker said. “They play very effectively. They had a great season with quality wins against Missouri and Temple outside their league. They beat a Big East and a Big 12 team, and now they are trying to get a Big Ten school.”
To “get” that Big Ten school, the Falcons know they will have to play a great game. Northwestern was preseason favorite to win the Big Ten, but a key injury killed the Wildcat’s hopes. All-American running back Damien Anderson dislocated his left shoulder in the third quarter of a game against Indiana. Anderson was just 515 yards shy of 5,000 yards totaled for his collegiate career. His total is good for sixth all-time in Big Ten history.
With the loss of Anderson, the Wildcats may look more towards the air. Last week without Anderson, the Wildcats couldn’t get any offensive production in a 59-16 loss to Iowa. But Meyer is still weary about NU’s talented offense. Walker said even without Anderson, he would still like to keep the ball on the ground.
“I still like to rush the football and we’re going to find a way to rush the football,” Walker said. “Somebody has to run the football, and it might be our quarterback. We’re down a little bit at tailback but Zak (Kustok) can run the football. He’s proven that. He’s had a couple of 100-yard games and he’s a viable threat as a runner. We can’t reinvent the wheel at this stage of the game but we’re going to do what we can do.”
Meyer said he will likely start the Falcons rushing weapon at quarterback in sophomore Josh Harris. Last week against Ohio, Harris set the single-game rushing record for quarterbacks with 148 yards on the ground. He combined for 304 yards of total offense.
“As of now Josh is the leading candidate,” Harris said. “But the quarterback position is still open.”
Overall Meyer has been very happy with the production and chemistry of his team.
“I like the chemistry of our coaching staff and the players. There are no egos, there is no selfishness, the goal is just to win number six and they did that and the best thing about getting number six is it gives you an opportunity to try and get number seven.”
