Notre Dame Football First Look: Bowling Green Falcons
Offense
Bowling Green’s offense ranks 120th in points per game with 18.3. Against its three FBS opponents this year, the Falcons have only scored 27 total points, or 9.0 per game.
Those numbers are bad by any standard.
The most successful aspect of Bowling Green’s offensive attack thus far has been its ground game, which is averaging 167.3 yards per game, good for 61st in the country. However, at only 4.0 yards per carry (85th overall) and 1.3 touchdowns per game (95th overall), the Falcons certainly aren’t punishing teams on the ground.
The bulk of the carries will be split by senior running back Davon Jones and junior Andrew Clair. Neither have rushed for more than 86 yards in a game this season, and Notre Dame’s front seven — which held Virginia to 4 total rushing yards last Saturday — will unquestionably be the best the Falcons will face all season.
The Bowling Green passing game is significantly worse than its sub-par rushing attack. The team ranks 110th in passing yards per game and 98th in completion percentage, and senior quarterback Darius Wade has thrown 3 interceptions through the first four games.
While Wade has a wealth of experience (this is the fifth season he’s played in) he has not been effective through the air so far this season. Junior wide receiver Quintin Morris has been Wade’s primary target, as he leads the team in receptions (16), receiving yards (218), and touchdowns (2), but outside of his contributions there is little to note.
Bowling Green’s offense has struggled to get anything going this season. The team’s 354.8 yards per game ranks 106th in the FBS and, unsurprisingly, the Falcons average only 4.7 yards per play — good for 115th.
To make matters worse, the offense has the nation’s 5th-worst 3rd down conversion percentage, which sits at an alarming 29.5 percent.
For Bowling Green to have a fighting chance in this game, they will need to find ways poke holes in the Irish defense and establish a consistent rushing attack like Louisville did in Week 1. If not, it’s going to be a long day for the Falcons.