Liberty (0-0) and Bowling Green (0-0) will meet Saturday at noon to open the 2023 season. Kickoff from Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

“I’m sure they are going to have little changes here or there, but what they’re about, that’s what they’re about,” Chadwell said of the Falcons. “They are a physical team. They like to run the ball. They do a lot of different personnel on offense and on defense they are very aggressive. Special teams, they do a good job with a couple categories last year they were top 25 in special teams. I think they are a very aggressive mindset.”

Last season, the Falcons made their first bowl appearance since 2015 as they advanced to the Quick Lane Bowl, losing to New Mexico State, 24-19. Prior to 2022, BGSU had failed to record more than 4 games in a single season during that bowl-less streak.

5th year head coach Scot Loeffler seems to have things headed in the right direction. When he was hired in 2019, Loeffler became the 7th head coach at Bowling Green in 7 seasons, including interims. They were 3-14 overall and 2-11 in the MAC during his first two seasons, going nearly two full calendar years without recording a win.

Things began to turn for Loeffler and the Falcons in 2021. After beginning the season 0-2, Bowling Green would win two straight games, including an upset of Minnesota, to end a streak of 10 straight losses. They would finish the season with 4 wins, the most for the program in a single season since 2016. They added confidence carried over into 2022 where the Falcons finished with a 6-7 record.

At quarterback, Bowling Green is having a quarterback competition throughout camp and have yet to officially name a starter. Missouri and Indiana transfer Connor Bazelak is likely the favorite. He comes to Bowling Green with 29 career starts and 7,370 career passing yards. In 2020, he was named the 2020 SEC Co-Freshman of the Year. He started nine games at Indiana last year, throwing for 2,312 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Camden Orth is also competing for the job. He spent his first three seasons at Long Island where he competed 143 of 260 pass attempts for 1,655 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2021. Orth saw some playing time at Bowling Green in 2022, completing 34 of 57 passes for 378 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in 10 games.

A couple of Alabama A&M transfers lead the way at receiver for Bowling Green. Odieu Hiliare joined the Falcons for the 2022 season. He had a career game with 8 receptions for 246 yards and 2 scores in a win over Toledo, and would finish the season with 58 receptions for 747 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim joins the team this year after spending four years at Alabama A&M. In 31 career games, he amassed 163 receptions for 2,488 yards and 22 touchdowns and twice recorded 1,000-yard receiving seasons.

Austin Osborne led the team in receptions with 64 in 2021 after transferring from Washington. He is expected to be back to full strength after being limited in 2022 due to an injury suffered just before the regular season began.

The Falcons have had a running back by committee approach the last few seasons. Terion Stewart, Ta’ron Keith, Jaison Patterson, and Jamal Johnson are all veterans who have been in the program for a few years. Any one of them could emerge as the team’s top back this season.

Bowling Green’s offensive line is expected to be the best they have had under Loeffler. They return 75 career starts and add transfers from Arizona State, Iowa State, and Tulsa.

“I think they’ve got some guys that if you get the ball in space they can make you miss and do some things,” said Chadwell. “We’re going to have to do a good job from a defensive standpoint of bending and not breaking. What I mean by that is not give up any big plays, if they earn it on us, they earn it, but the worst thing that you want as a coach is you give up an explosive play, a 70-80 yard touchdown because someone busted or something like that, that is demoralizing. If people earn on you and they can just take the ball down the field consistently, then hey we will tip our hat from that, but we don’t want to do anything to give them free stuff. They have guys, if we’re not paying attention, that can do that.”

It has been a tough go of it for Bowling Green on the defensive side of the ball the last few years. In 2020, the Falcons allowed 45 points and 476 yards per game. Those numbers improved to 30.7 points and 374 yards per game in 2021. Last year, they slipped to 32.5 points and 420 yards per game.

This year, Bowling Green returns five starters and welcome in new co-defensive coordinators in Sammy Lawanson and Steve Morrison. Lawanson and Morrison were promoted from within the staff, having served as position coaches previously.

PREDICTION

Liberty 31, Bowling Green 21

Line: Liberty -9.5

Picks results this year:
Straight-up: 0-0
ATS: 0-0