The Greatest BGSU Football Games of the Past Decade

[bgsufalcon24]

So it was 10 years ago this week that I set foot on the BGSU campus as a totally naïve freshman, looking to make my mark on the world. That simple fact is a scary one to me...surely it hasn't been a decade since I started at BGSU and over 6 years since I got my degree?! But it has. And in terms of Falcon Football, I can honestly say that I've seen things, good and bad, that I never thought I would see. Although I may have some comments about the bad along the way, this countdown is about the good.

If you could put together the best of Falcon Football's last decade into one season, what would it look like? Good question, and its one that I will attempt to answer. Over the next 13 days leading up to the opener of the 2015 season, I'm going to count down the best BGSU football contests of the past decade from 13 to 1. Along the way I'll throw in all sorts of anecdotes and fun facts about our program, and our passion...BGSU football.

Let's get started!!!

#13 - Bowling Green 70 - Temple 7 - October 1, 2005 - Doyt Perry Stadium, Bowling Green, Ohio

This one has sentimental value to me for a couple of reasons. First off, this was my first live game at Doyt Perry Stadium, my anointing to the awesomeness that is Falcon football. And secondly, this remains the largest margin of victory I have ever seen from a BGSU football team, though I'm not sure if the 63 point margin is a school record or not. From what I remember, it was an absolutely beautiful day, 70 degrees, sunny skies, and a high powered offense led by QB Omar Jacobs, RB's PJ Pope and BJ Lane, and WRs Charles Sharon and Steve Sanders, absolutely put on a show. BG lit up the scoreboard 40+ in the first half and never let up. Perhaps more impressively, the Falcon defense, which had struggled mightily in early season defeats at Wisconsin and Boise State, did a great job against the Owls offense, holding them to 7 points. This result galvanized the Falcons, who steamrolled through the early conference schedule, beating Ball State, Ohio, and Buffalo to start the conference campaign 3-0, a start that was undone only by Omar Jacobs' unfortunate injury against Western Michigan three weeks later. This game, although it never appeared it on the surface, was actually the beginning of a rivalry between the two schools, as Temple paid BG back with a 28-14 upset win in Philadelphia the next season, and then Temple ended up joining the MAC as a football only member the next season, which led to more tense contests in the coming years...one of which might land on this countdown later.

[kdog27]

Not sure of the year or exact score but we beat Findlay something like 149-0 way back when.

[bgsufalcon24]

Not sure of the year or exact score but we beat Findlay something like 149-0 way back when.

[kdog27]

Looked it up. 151-0 in 1921. Collegiate record off 22 touchdowns at the time.

[Falconfreak90]

Great game against Temple....coming on the heels of blowing their doors off in Phila the year before, 70-16. OUCH>

[jpfalcon09]

I remember that Temple game, their program was in the toilet at that time and BG simply had their way that day.

Ugh, 2005 was such a promising year until Omar got hurt.

[Flipper]

Last year's IU game was pretty fun.... made all the more merry by coach Babers "tweets and twats" comment post game.

[zete]

Not sure how to rank it: BG 27 Pitt 17 I think it was 2008

Pitt usually beats MAC teams into the ground, but BG turned it around with good D and effort during the second half if I remember correctly.

[jpfalcon09]

Not sure how to rank it: BG 27 Pitt 17 I think it was 2008

Pitt usually beats MAC teams into the ground, but BG turned it around with good D and effort during the second half if I remember correctly.

McCoy got shut down that day and I believe it was one of his lowest rushing totals in his entire collegiate career. It was also one of a handful of games where GB made actual halftime adjustments that worked.

[BGSU33]

This one is easy for me, the MAC Championship game in 2013. Northern Illinois was ranked, undefeated, and BG hadn't won a MAC Championship in over 20 years. The BG crowd was as enthusiastic as any game I can remember since the Gameday crowd vs NIU in 2003. BG whipped NIU badly and the Falcons cruised to victory.

That title did not only end a long drought for BG without a MAC title, but also me personally. BG won back-to-back MAC Championships in 1991 and 1992. My freshman year was 1993. I witnessed our MAC hopes dashed from everything from: the fat punter game versus CMU in 1994, to Big Ben and Miami in 2003, to the 4th quarter collapse up 27-7 at home versus Buffalo in 2008, to Dri Archer going 77 & 80 yards on two carries in 2012. The 2013 MAC title finally helped easy a lot of pain.

[Beaker]

This one is easy for me, the MAC Championship game in 2013. Northern Illinois was ranked, undefeated, and BG hadn't won a MAC Championship in over 20 years. The BG crowd was as enthusiastic as any game I can remember since the Gameday crowd vs NIU in 2003. BG whipped NIU badly and the Falcons cruised to victory.

That title did not only end a long drought for BG without a MAC title, but also me personally. BG won back-to-back MAC Championships in 1991 and 1992. My freshman year was 1993. I witnessed our MAC hopes dashed from everything from: the fat punter game versus CMU in 1994, to Big Ben and Miami in 2003, to the 4th quarter collapse up 27-7 at home versus Buffalo in 2008, to Dri Archer going 77 & 80 yards on two carries in 2012. The 2013 MAC title finally helped easy a lot of pain.

+ a million. That was the most fun I'd had at game in a lot of years.........and that was even without the tailgating!

[factman]

Urban's win at Northwestern and the first win at Purdue in the 70's are the two big wins that stick out for me. Purdue was picked to win the Big 10 that year, if I remember correctly and had 8-10 future NFL players, including Gary Danielson, Dave Butz, Daryl Stingley, and Otis Armstrong, to name a few. BG had a forth and long late in the game and punted, and it was blocked high in the air, the punter caught it and ran for the first down and we then kicked a FG to win it, if I remember right!
The past decade win had to be the win over NIU in Detroit for the MAC title.

[kdog27]

The 2003 Purdue game is still the best game I have ever attended. Had a perfect view of Chuck's catch. I think we're stealing 24s thunder.

[mscarn]

Not sure of the year or exact score but we beat Findlay something like 149-0 way back when.

Hire Niekamp!

Going beyond the parameters of the last decade, it's tough to beat 2001 Toledo when the goalposts came down and the score was reversed from the year before. Within the last decade I'd add the 2013 Buffalo game that got us to the MACC and overrated NIU. One of the most dominating defenses in BG history flexed its muscles in the second half, Joplin made clutch grabs and Matty J made the run/decision of the year on a QB keeper.

[Schadenfreude]

Within the last decade I'd add the 2013 Buffalo game that got us to the MACC and overrated NIU. One of the most dominating defenses in BG history flexed its muscles in the second half, Joplin made clutch grabs and Matty J made the run/decision of the year on a QB keeper.

The Buffalo game deserves a mention. Savvy pick.

What about the 2007 Minnesota game? The very first day of the Big Ten Network, and we made them look a bit silly. Todd Walker's call was fantastic.

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