Following a 7-6 2023 season, the team’s first finish with a winning record since 2015, expectations are sky-high for this season. They were pegged to finish third in the latest Mid-American Conference (MAC) Coaches Poll, their highest ranking in eight years.
“It’s great to be picked third from an understanding that we were a doormat here when we walked in (2019). As a program, as the coach and as a staff, it’s great to be recognized. They see we’ve done a great job of rebuilding a program.” Head Coach Scot Loeffler said at last month’s MAC Football Kickoff.
The team’s improvement has been a season-long challenge, one that Loeffler said they’ve been working at tirelessly.
“Halfway through the season last year, we clicked. I thought our habits became better on a daily basis. It’s going to take the leaders on this team…to be doing things at a championship level,” Loeffler said. “That’s hard to do. And that’s why there’s only so many champions.”
Bowling Green is just one of two MAC schools to return their leading passer, rusher and receiver from 2023, and Loeffler said bringing back experienced players is crucial.
“Anytime that you’re old in this league, you have a chance,” said Loeffler. “I think we have 32 seniors. We’re big, we’re fast, we’re old and we’re experienced at a lot of positions. I don’t think there’s a position that we have right now where there’s going to be a new starter; we’ve got guys who have played a lot of football.”
New faces in familiar places
After losing two all-MAC players to Power Four schools, Bowling Green loaded up on talent during the spring and summer transfer portal cycles.
Headlined by 11 three-star recruits, the Falcons landed the MAC’s fourth-best transfer haul according to 247Sports. The two stars of the class both play the same position and fill arguably the biggest holes left on the roster.
Wide receivers Malcolm Johnson Jr. from Auburn University and RJ Garcia II from Kansas State University both bring multiple years of Southeastern Conference (SEC) and Big 12 experience to a team that lost two of their three leading wide receivers to graduation.
Tennessee Tech transfer Justin Pegues can potentially fill the void left by the departure of Ta’ron Keith as the dynamic running back that can be a threat in both ground and air attacks. As a member of the Golden Eagles, Pegues carried the ball 90 times for 359 yards and caught 23 passes for 206 yards, scoring five times overall.
The addition of 2023 first-team All-Northeast Conference (NEC) tackle Nick Reimer from Merrimack College could serve as the blindside blocker for Connor Bazelak, replacing the recently graduated Kameren Stewart.
On the defensive side of the ball, the additions of CJ Brown from Northern Illinois University, Edward Rhambo from Northern Arizona University, Darius McClendon from Florida Atlantic University and Ja’Corey Benjamin from Texas Southern University add a mixture of experience and depth with a combined 114 games played between the four.
The lowdown
2024 looks to be the make-or-break season for Loeffler and Co. With a new format to the conference and the usual dominant squads retooling, this is the year for Bowling Green to capture their first conference title since 2015.
A reason to believe? With 56 upperclassmen (33 seniors, 23 juniors), this team has the experience to dominate the MAC. Now they just have to go out and put it together on the field.
Bowling Green opens their hunt for a MAC title on Thursday, Aug. 29 at home against the Fordham Rams. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m.
