RUSH OFFENSE vs. BGSU RUSH DEFENSE
Michigan is #75 overall in rushing (150.5 yards/game) and #53 in yards per carry (4.7) despite not having allowed a single sack this season. Blake Corum’s numbers are adequate (25 carries, 153 yards, 4 TD), but backup Donovan Edwards has been surprisingly ineffective (18 carries, 46 yards). Mike Hart said last week that neither player had been tackled during fall camp, so it appears to be taking some time for them to get back in sync with their blocking. The offensive line starters appear to be set with Karsen Barnhart and Myles Hinton winning the left and right tackle jobs, respectively. Bowling Green is #102 in rushing defense (160.5 yards allowed/game) and #98 in yards allowed per carry (4.28). They held down FCS Eastern Illinois last week, but Liberty had 246 yards on the ground at over 5.0 yards per attempt. The leading tackler for the Falcons is sophomore weakside linebacker Joseph Shipp (6’0″, 220) with 20 stops, followed by sophomore cornerback Jalen Huskey (6’0″, 185) with 15. Both of BGSU’s inside linebackers are 220-225 pounds, and they start a 285 lb. nose tackle in senior Anthony Hawkins, so they’re a little undersized up the middle.
Advantage: Michigan
Hit the jump for more.
PASS OFFENSE vs. BGSU PASS DEFENSE
The Wolverines are tied for #31 in passing offense (296.5 yards/game) with quarterback J.J. McCarthy having an outstanding season so far. He has completed 87.3% of his passes (#1 nationally) and his passer rating is #4 in the country. Meanwhile, Roman Wilson is tied for #2 in the country with 5 receiving touchdowns this season, and as mentioned above, the team has yet to allow a sack. Cornelius Johnson has also been productive catching the ball, but we have yet to see a true #3 wide receiver emerge. Running back Donovan Edwards is #3 in receptions with 9, though they have gone for just 59 yards so far. BGSU is #53 in pass defense (196.5 yards allowed/game) and #99 in passer rating defense. They’re #18 in sacks (7.0), but 5 of those came against last week’s FCS opponent. Huskey has the team’s lone interception.
Advantage: Michigan
RUSH DEFENSE vs. BGSU RUSH OFFENSE
Michigan is #26 in rush defense (82 yards allowed/game) and #39 in yards allowed per carry (2.88). Last week UNLV’s Go-Go Offense managed just 61 yards on 31 carries. Inside linebackers Michael Barrett, Junior Colson, and Ernest Hausmann each hold a share of the team lead with 9 tackles. Nose tackle Kenneth Grant and Colson are 1-2 in tackles for loss with 2.5 and 2.0, respectively. Grant has been a monster on the inside and has probably flashed more than anyone else on the defensive line, but nose tackle Mason Graham (8 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks) has also been trouble. Bowling Green is #63 in rushing offense (166 yards/game) and #36 in yards per carry (5.11). Sophomore Terion Stewart (5’9″, 225) leads the team with 17 carries for 106 yards and 2 touchdowns, while junior Ta’ron Keith (5’10”, 190) is a speedster who hasn’t touched the ball much. Junior Jaison Patterson (6’0″, 215) has 13 carries for 52 yards despite not showing much so far this year. BGSU’s offensive line has decent size in the middle, but the tackles are 6’6″ and 6’7″ but 290-295 pounds, which is rather light for their height. They like to use 11 and 12 personnel regularly, which would seem to play into Michigan’s strengths of having a big and athletic defensive front.
Advantage: Michigan
PASS DEFENSE vs. BGSU PASS OFFENSE
Michigan got top cornerback Will Johnson back for a series last week after an off-season injury, so hopefully that means he’s working up to a bigger workload for this week and beyond. Second corner Josh Wallace and fifth year senior Keshaun Harris have held up fine at cornerback, but they’re not Will Johnson. Michigan is still #23 in passing defense (150 yards allowed/game) and #22 in passing efficiency defense. They are one of nine teams that has yet to allow a passing touchdown. They’re #56 in sacks (5.0 so far), led by Grant and Jaylen Harrell with 1.5 quarterback takedowns each. BGSU is #56 in passing (252.5 yards/game) but #86 in passing efficiency. The quarterback is former Missouri and Indiana signal caller Connor Bazelak (6’3″, 225), a fifth year senior who has completed 59.2% of his throws for 390 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. His numbers against Liberty were atrocious (6/21, 3.4 YPA, 0 TD, 3 INT), and he threw those interceptions on three straight attempts. Yikes. He recovered against Eastern Illinois, but . . . the competition is the question. Last year when playing for Indiana, Bazelak completed 25/49 passes against Michigan for 4.1 yards/attempt, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. The leading receiver is 6’4″, 230 lb. sophomore tight end Harold Fannin, Jr. with 9 catches for 138 yards and 1 score. Last week running back Ta’ron Keith caught 6 passes for 123 yards, but wideout Odieu Hiliaire (6’0″, 185) has 8 catches for 97 yards and 2 scores, and seems to be the top outside guy. We may see a little bit of backup quarterback Camden Orth (6’3″, 225), who’s 7/12 for 115 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions; he’s more of a runner with 9 attempts for 25 yards so far this year.
Advantage: Michigan
ROSTER NOTES
- BGSU coaching staff includes former Michigan QB/coach Scott Loeffler (BGSU head coach), former Michigan linebacker/assistant coach Steve Morrison (BGSU defensive coordinator), former Michigan wide receiver/assistant coach Erik Campbell (BGSU wide receivers coach), and former Michigan S&C coach Kevin Tolbert (BGSU S&C coach)
- Former Michigan commit Davonte Miles plays defensive tackle for the Falcons
- BGSU players from the State of Michigan include: WR Finn Hogan (Maple City Glen Lake), WR Jalen Holly (River Rouge), LB Brock Horne (Romeo), DT Davonte Miles (River Rouge), LB James Miller (Gaylord), DL Jordan Porter (Muskegon), DL Billie Roberts (Muskegon), DL Ali Saad (Dearborn)
LAST TIME THEY PLAYED . . .
- On September 25, 2010, Michigan beat BGSU by a score of 65-21
- QB Denard Robinson had just 9 combined rushes and passing attempts, but he was 4/4 passing for 60 yards and ran 5 times for 129 yards and 2 scores. Robinson had two 47-yard rushes, including one for a touchdown
- WR Roy Roundtree caught 9 passes for 118 yards
- Backup quarterbacks Tate Forcier and Devin Gardner combined to go 19/22 for 195 yards and 2 touchdowns through the air, with 10 carries for 55 yards and 1 touchdown
- S Ray Vinopal and LB Jonas Mouton each notched an interception
- Bowling Green K/P Bryan Wright, a transfer from Michigan, made all 3 of his extra point attempts and punted 5 times for 237 yards against his old team
PREDICTION
- Michigan 44, Bowling Green 10
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