Mid-Week MACtion is coming to election night.  

10 days removed from their resounding road victory in the 89th installment of the Battle of I-75, Bowling Green (4-4, 3-1) opens up their mid-week MACtion slate against the Central Michigan Chippewas (3-5, 1-3) on Tuesday, Nov. 5.  

MATCHUP HISTORY 

Bowling Green and Central Michigan have matched up 43 times, their first coming almost 100 years to the day (Oct. 31, 1924).  

The Falcons lead the series, 24-19, and won the last matchup between the schools in 2022 (34-18 at Central Michigan).  

Central Michigan has not won a home game against BG since 2006, and Bowling Green is 5-1 vs the Chips in Mount Pleasant since the turn of the century.  

THE LOWDOWN 

“We’re getting ready to play a really well-coached football team. [Central Michigan is a] tough place to play,” BGSU head coach Scot Loeffler said at his weekly press conference. “They’ve had a ton of injuries at quarterback for Central Michigan, but we have a ton of respect for ‘Mac’ [Jim McElwain] and what he does.”  

The injuries Loeffler refers to are those sustained by Iowa transfer Joey Labas and his understudy, Bert Emanuel, Jr.  

Labas has not played since CMU’s Oct. 12 game against Ohio, and Emanuel Jr. left Central Michigan’s Oct. 19 game vs EMU with an injury that is considered “week-to-week.”  

In the absence of both, McElwain has turned to Tyler Jefferson, a redshirt freshman from High Springs, Florida.  

In his first start of the season last weekend against Miami (OH), Jefferson went 7-for-17 passing for 62 yards and had one interception. He added 37 yards on the ground on eight carries.  

CMU will also be down their top pass catcher. Leading receiver Evan Boyd was injured against the RedHawks and is “likely out an extended period of time,” according to McElwain.  

Bowling Green will have some trouble keeping their heads on straight after the win they had just last weekend. The Falcons not only defeated but dominated their rival Toledo Rockets, winning 41-26 on Oct. 26.  

“The challenge is to be able to put that to bed. It was a great win. It’s our rivalry, but the fact of the matter is we have 100 pieces of evidence this year of teams that play in a rivalry game, play in a big game, and win the game and then go and lay an egg the next week,” Loeffler said.  

The defense has been the key cog for Bowling Green, holding their last three opponents to 17, 6, and 26 points, respectively.  

“When we’re clicking altogether, and we’re worrying about the important stuff, and we prepare like we’re supposed to prepare, and we’re staying away from the selfish thoughts and the selfish things that are going on and concentrate on just being great teammates and concentrating on doing our jobs, we’re a good team,” Loeffler continued.  

One key player that the BGSU defense will have to key in on is star running back Marion Lukes. 

Lukes, a senior from Charlestown, Indiana, has 94 rush attempts for 465 yards and four touchdowns.  

As previously mentioned, this week begins the mid-week portion of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) season. While some of Loeffler’s assistants will be getting their first taste of MACtion, it’s business as usual for the rest of the staff.  

“We’re used to it, to be honest with you. We only have to do it twice this year for some ungodly reason,” said Loeffler. “I liken it to the fact that it reminds me closer to pro football in terms of you don’t have school, so, your players are able to practice, and then able to come in on their own and get extra film work [and] extra treatment without having the academic classes being on the weekend.” 

We’re officially into November, the final month of the season. A month that has seen Bowling Green go 5-3 over the last two seasons.

Last year, this is where the ship was righted.  

This year, it’s where a berth in the MAC Championship can be earned. 

Bowling Green and Central Michigan kick from Kelly/Shorts Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 5.