For Jamey Chadwell’s premier game as Head Coach at Liberty University, the Liberty Flames will host the Bowling Green Falcons on Liberty Mountain this Saturday.
The Flames and Falcons will showdown at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia on Sept. 2 at 12PM. The game will be broadcast on CBSSN and LFSN Radio (The Journey 88.3 FM).
Liberty and Bowling Green have only faced off once before. In 2003, the Flames traveled to Ohio to suffer a 62-3 loss at the hands of the Falcons.
The Falcons went 6-7 last season, knocking off Toledo near the end of the season to secure their spot in the Quick Lane Bowl, where they lost 24-19 to New Mexico State. Last year’s bowl game was the first time the Falcons qualified for one since the 2015 season and was head coach Scott Loeffler’s first bowl game with the team.
Bowling Green is Loeffler’s first head coach position. Loeffler began his coaching career in 1996 at Michigan and has spent most of his career as an offensive coordinator and QB coach. Loeffler is 13-29 with Bowling Green.
In the offseason, the Falcons lost WR Tyrone Broden to Arkansas. Broden was the Falcons’ leading receiver in 2021, claiming 36 receptions, 596 yards, and 5 touchdowns. Broden finished the 2022 season as the Falcon’s second most utilized receiver, behind WR Odieu Hilaire.
The Falcons also lost a great team leader in OG Jalen Grant over the summer. Grant transferred to Purdue after appearing in all 30 of Bowling Green’s games the last three seasons, starting in 27 of those games. DT Karl Brooks, the Green Bay Packer’s 6th round draft pick, is another big loss for Bowling Green.
Interestingly, QB Connor Bazelak (likely the Falcons’ starting quarterback in Saturday’s game) has rushed for negative yards the last two seasons. In the 2021 season, as the QB for Mizzou, Bazelak rushed for -23 yards. In the 2022 season, as QB for Indiana, Bazelak rushed for -160 yards.
Bowling Green has been a member of the Mid-American Conference since 1962. During that time, the team has offered up 66 NFL draft picks, including one #1 overall draft pick in 1961.
Three Players to Watch For
QB #7 – Connor Bazelak transferred to Bowling Green in the offseason from Indiana. Bazelak started off his career as the starting QB for the Mizzou Tigers, where he threw for 5,084 yards and 23 touchdowns. After 24 games, he transferred to Indiana where he threw for 2,312 yards and 12 touchdowns.
WR #1 – Odieu Hiliare has delivered 58 receptions for 747 yards and 6 touchdowns as a Falcon. Over his career as a collegiate wide receiver, Hiliare has recorded 144 receptions for 1,897 yards and 16 touchdowns.
LB #23 – Darren Anders is in his senior year at Bowling Green. After playing the last four seasons as a Falcon, Anders has recorded 276 total tackles, 5.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, and 1 interception.
Upcoming Games
Sept. 2 – Bowling Green @ Liberty
Sept. 9 – Bowling Green vs Eastern Illinois
Sept. 16 – Bowling Green @ #2 Michigan
