The Bowling Green Falcons won their second straight MAC East division title and nabbed their first bowl victory in ten years last season. Momentum seems to be on their side heading into the upcoming college football season. But they’ll start their season against the No. 25 Tennessee Volunteers. Think the Falcons have a few tricks up their sleeves to surprise the Vols? Read on for a preview of this thrilling showdown.
Get ready for a stacked opening weekend of college football. Check out the complete breakdowns for UT-Martin vs. Ole Miss and Stanford vs. Northwestern.
[sc:NCAAFArticles ]Bowling Green Falcons vs. Tennessee Volunteers Preview
Where: LP Field, Nashville, TN
When: Saturday, September 5, 4:00 PM ET
TV: SEC ESPN Network/ Watch ESPN
Line: Bowling Green Falcons (+21.5) at Tennessee Volunteers (-21.5) – view all NCAA Football lines
Betting on the Bowling Green Falcons
The Bowling Green Falcons can’t go wrong no matter which quarterback they decide to start. Matt Johnson, who was tabbed as the starter last season, had a stellar 2013 campaign, passing for 3,467 yards and 25 touchdowns. He was solid in the first game of the 2014 campaign but suffered a season-ending injury.
[sc:NCAA240banner ]Johnson’s replacement, James Knapke was sensational in leading the Falcons to their second straight MAC East title. He was also named the MVP in the Camellia Bowl, a 33-28 victory over South Alabama. Wide receiver Roger Lewis was another pleasant surprise last season, becoming the first freshman in school history to reach the 1,000-yard receiving mark. He led the team with 1,093 yards receiving and seven touchdowns.
Bowling Green is also quite solid on the ground with a pair of devastating running backs. Travis Greene leads this group after rushing for almost 2,600 yards and 26 total touchdowns in the past two seasons. Fred Coppet could also be a threat on the ground after rushing for 764 yards and six touchdowns last year.
Having their offense clicking is crucial for the Falcons. The team suffered from plenty of graduations of their defensive players. Seven starters have moved on from last year’s unit that gave up 33.5 points and almost 500 total yards of offense per game. Having inexperienced players taking the field may only give opponents more openings to gain significant yardage and score touchdowns.
James Sanford returns as the most experienced among Bowling Green’s linebackers. He managed to make 2.5 sacks last season. Defensive back Clint Stephens also returns after intercepting four passes last year.
The Falcons have won seven of their last 10 on the road, going 6-3-1 against the spread.
Think Bowling Green makes a big statement in the season opener? Create a betting account now and back these live dogs.
Betting on the Tennessee Volunteers
The Tennessee Volunteers are due for a big season with a promising young cast. The Vols will be led by quarterback Joshua Dobbs, who won five of the team’s last seven games last season. He scored 17 touchdowns over that span but also had six turnovers.
Dobbs will have plenty of weapons at his disposal. Marquez North and Von Pearson combined for nine touchdown receptions last year, while Pig Howard led the group with 618 yards receiving. Jalen Hurd returns at tailback after rushing for 899 yards and five scores last season. The Vols also signed four-star recruit in running back Alvin Kamara.
The Vols also have quite a defense led by Jalen Reeves-Maybin. The junior linebacker had an impressive campaign in 2014, making seven tackles for loss in a single game and eight in another. He tied for the team lead with 101 total tackles. Reeves-Maybin and sophomore Derek Barnett, who had 10 sacks as a freshman last season, should be strong pass-rushing threats to repeatedly hound Bowling Green’s quarterback.
Tennessee has won three of its last five at home, going 4-1 against the spread.
Writer’s Prediction
The Vols get into a fire fight with the Falcons. Take Bowling Green to cover +21.5.
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