This Sunday will arguably become the most important NFL game ever to be played in relation to this University.
The Super Bowl, or the Harbowl as you likely know it as, will pit brother against brother, both sons of BG alumni Jack Harbaugh.
Harbaugh played football for the Falcons from 1957-60, lettering three times before he eventually played for the Titans of New York of the American Football League.
Concluding his short professional career, Harbaugh began his coaching career in Perrysburg, Ohio. His wife, also a BG alum, gave birth to their two sons, Jim and John in Toledo, Ohio.
San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh and Baltimore Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh would both go on to play youth hockey in Bowling Green, developing ties to the area before attending high school in California.
Both would return to the Midwest, as Jim would go on to play at the University of Michigan while John would play in Oxford, Ohio at Miami University.
With strong coaching careers, the two will face each other in the largest game of which could maybe give Jack an ulcer.
This Super Bowl will be a great matchup. The 49ers switched quarterbacks mid-season, pulling Alex Smith out with an above-100 quarterback rating for second-year breakout player Colin Kaepernick. No one seems to doubt Jim now.
Baltimore brings its age-old defense in veteran Ray Lewis. Lewis will be retiring after making the announcement mid-season to conclude a guaranteed hall of fame career after this season. Lewis is no stranger to the Harbaugh family, as he isn’t just coached by one but registered his first sack as an NFL rookie against Jim Harbaugh back in 1996. Who would have thought that some rookie’s sack against a mediocre quarterback would be such a relevant statistic 17 years later.
The game favors a defensive matchup as both teams bring in formidable defenses with coaching styles favoring conservative football — but not according to Niners receiver Randy Moss.
Moss has always been eccentric and this past media day was no different. Moss went on the record declaring himself to be the greatest receiver of all time, in theory surpassing former 49er, Jerry Rice. Few have validated his claim so far.
This Super Bowl won’t need a Janet Jackson dress mishap to be one for the books. I expect a strong defensive struggle from both sides, however ,a run-heavy offense created by Kaepernick’s play-action ability for the 49ers will make all the difference.
Expect a sixth Super Bowl title for the Bay-area, as the 49ers will defeat the Ravens, 24-21. Can you just imagine the family reunions?
