Feeling Good About This Saturday

[Flipper]

Right now, I think we're better in the red zone than we were last year or even earlier this year. I have no idea if that's statistically true...it's just my own impression.

[kdog27]

True, the first 4 games have skewed this some.

[Falcon137]

Looking good, BG1984

[TG1996]

True, the first 4 games have skewed this some.

By my count, we're 18 of 23 starting with the Rhode Island game, which is around 78% - which would rank only around 88th in NCAA. (We were 6 of 14 in the first four games, FWIW.) Not as big of a jump as I expected to see, but we're quite obviously a different team from the first month of the season.

Also, we've missed five FG from in or very near the RZ this year (up to 39 yards, according to the stat sheet I looked at).

[kdog27]

Thanks, I was too lazy to look it up game by game

[Rollo83]

Kent will move the ball and score on us. I don't think we've faced an offense this good this year, and that includes Florida and VT. The key will be how we respond if we get down a touchdown or two.

[Falcon137]

Kent will move the ball and score on us. I don't think we've faced an offense this good this year, and that includes Florida and VT. The key will be how we respond if we get down a touchdown or two.

Kent's offense is not as good as Toledo.

Maybe the best rushing attack we've seen. But, overall, not the best.

[Rollo83]

Satistically they are almost even. Kent has more touchdowns (40 to 32), more rushing yards and Toledo has more passing yards. Both average 33 ppg on offense.

But right now, I think Kent is playing better offensively than Toledo. We'll see what the rockettes bring tonight agaianst Northern Illinois.

[Falconfreak90]

Phil Steele has similar thoughts on the matter. From his website ...

#25 KENT ST AT BOWLING GREEN
Last year KSU was coming off a bye and BG was playing its 9th straight game and off a big upset over Temple. KSU delivered a 27-15 home win. They posted back-to-back wins over BG for the first time since ‘72-’73. The winner here will most likely end up Detroit for the MAC Championship. Last week Bowling Green went to Athens and upset the Bobcats 26-14 as RB Samuel totaled 181 yards. Kent rolled off its 8th win in a row with a 48-32 beating of Miami as the RB duo of Archer/Durham combined for 323 yards! While KSU has the big offensive edge (#62-101), BG has the defensive edge (#25-78) and with the teams playing similar schedules (KSU #116-120), it should be noted that the Falcons are +89 ypg this year while the Flashes are -12 ypg. This is BG’s 2nd game in 21 days while Kent plays for a 9th straight week and must travel again. MAC East supremacy goes to the home team here.
PHIL’S FORECAST: BOWLING GREEN 23 KENT ST 17

I like the sound of that!

Hey, I predicted that same score on the ESPN boards! Phil Steele is the sheet!

[Flipper]

Toledo hurt us with the deep throws...they put us back on our heels a bit. I don't think Kent has that component in their offense to the degree Toledo does with Russel and Reedy. Archer is a scary guy because he's a threat to score from anywhere on the field. I think our LB's and DB's will be able to keep him from getting to the edge and turning up field. Durham scares me more because he's such a load and we're a bit thin at DT. The closest thing we've seen to Durham is that big QB from VT and he gave us fits running the ball.

I like our chances...but this is going to be a really good game.

[kdog27]

Toledo hurt us with the deep throws...they put us back on our heels a bit. I don't think Kent has that component in their offense to the degree Toledo does with Russel and Reedy. Archer is a scary guy because he's a threat to score from anywhere on the field. I think our LB's and DB's will be able to keep him from getting to the edge and turning up field. Durham scares me more because he's such a load and we're a bit thin at DT. The closest thing we've seen to Durham is that big QB from VT and he gave us fits running the ball.

I like our chances...but this is going to be a really good game.

Defense will need to be in good position to plays to the outside. Once VT figured out they couldn't beat us on the inside they destroyed us with quick hitters to the outside.

[MarkL]

Durham reminds me a lot of Bronson Hill from EMU. Size, speed, athleticism. Big difference is when you shut down Hill, you shut down the EMU offense as we saw. If you shut down Durham, you still have to worry about Archer and a 4th year starter at QB. Defense is in for a challenge all right.

[jpfalcon09]

Toledo hurt us with the deep throws...they put us back on our heels a bit. I don't think Kent has that component in their offense to the degree Toledo does with Russel and Reedy. Archer is a scary guy because he's a threat to score from anywhere on the field. I think our LB's and DB's will be able to keep him from getting to the edge and turning up field. Durham scares me more because he's such a load and we're a bit thin at DT. The closest thing we've seen to Durham is that big QB from VT and he gave us fits running the ball.

I like our chances...but this is going to be a really good game.

Our corners are more than likely going to have to play man coverage the whole game so the defense can commit as many players as possible to stopping the run. I would assume we'll see Gates/Pettus very active from the safety position, playing up near the line and trying to give some different defensive looks. Its a game like this where a player like Gabe Martin can really be an X-factor since I'm sure the Flashes are gonna be most concerned with slowing down Chris Jones.

[thewebboy]

Worth noting...

Trayion Durham (quadricep) is dealing with a bruised quad but is expected to play Saturday against Bowling Green, according to USA Today.

[BGSU33]

The one thing that has me most concerned about Kent State is that rushing attack. They already have TWO backs already over 1,000 yards and Archer did it on 108 carries! Think about that for a second, the dude is average almost a first down every carry of the football!!! Yes, I know we've been pretty good against the run all season, but keep in mind, BG is #14 in the NCAA allowing 104 ypg rushing and Rutgers is #17 in the NCAA allowing only 110 ypg rushing - and Kent State racked up 224 yards against Rutgers where the Scarlet Knights entered the game as a Top-10 defense against the rush. Kent State has such great balance between Archer (speed) and Durham (power). Durham can hurt you over the game with his power and deceptive speed, and Archer can burn you on one play. He is so fast and quick. We need to get ahead of these guys and stay ahead. I think our passing game is going to need to surface at some point in this one to be the difference, and most importantly, we need to TAKE CARE OF THE BALL! KSU is #1 in the NCAA in turnover margin and I thought I saw a stat saying they are something like +33 turnovers in the last two seasons or something.....that is incredible!

I haven't been this excited about a game in awhile, damn can I taste it! But I know and have learned never to look ahead. I enrolled at BG in 1993, the year after we won our last MAC Title. We have been so damn close before, but I have witnessed things like CMU's "Fat Punter" ruin our title hopes before, Toledo do it to us a couple times in the finale including one at BG in OT, and I have even watched Buffalo snatch our title hopes away from us at the Doyt when we led 27-7 in the 4th quarter at home a few years ago. Let's pack the Doyt, beat Kent State, and close the damn deal this year!!! I am so tired of us always talking about how close we were and fell short, let's do it already!

THIS! All I can say after is MAN! (that running games, especially Archer) and DAMN! (another tough loss).