Answering Coach's Challenge

Coach made a challenge today...he challenged someone (in the media) to compare BG last year after four MAC games to this year.  I jumped right on that.  And he was right...we are improved over last year.  The orange-shaded sections are improvements over last year...the unshaded are neutral or got worse.

There is no doubt.  This team has made incremental progress.  Four games into 2026, we are 2-2 in the MAC.  We are #2 in scoring, #5 in yards per play. We are #10 in yards per carry and #1 (really!) in passing efficiency.  We are #8 in scoring defense, #7 in yards per play. #9 in yards per carry allowed and #7 in pass efficiency defense.

So, we are better.  We are a top-five offensive team and solidly middle-of-the-pack on defense.  Over many years, all those close losses combined with steadily improving numbers would have told us that we were making progress.

My question is this: what is the role of continuity in today's football?  How do you account for steady improvement when you might lose 50 guys every year?  We lost a ton of guys when Loeffler left and we remain, you know, middle of the pack.

About that.  First, Coach said today that we couldn't run last year because of how bad the passing was.  In fact, the passing is much better, but the running is actually worse.  And, we really hadn't seen Dendy take over yet last year at this time.  This isn't a big surprise.  We have a fully new line this year and I believe inflated hopes to run the ball.

Now, can we keep the line?  Keep the RB stocked?  We shall see.  We have 34 HS FR from this fall, almost none of whom have played.

Note that the team remains relatively healthy.  One recent injury was to James Thomas on the OL, which brought Caden Campbell in to play important snaps for the first time.

Coach said something about consistency today.  I'd just make a point here that I think that is the key...along with depth.  It isn't that the defense didn't win their share of battles against Messiah Burch.  Without the 73-yard TD, he averaged 3.5 yards per carry.  The problem is, we didn't win enough.  And football is the kind of sport where you let that guy loose once, it can cost you a game. And, those first half stops took a toll on us physically, and we don't have the depth to rotate guys and stay effective.

The offense was the same.  There were good moments, and then there were three terrible drives in the second half and a terrible two-minute drive.

Bowling Green Football: First Four MAC Games, 2025 vs. 2026

2025: Ohio, Toledo, Central Michigan, Kent State. Delta = 2026 minus 2025. Light orange = improvement. Unshaded values are neutral, unchanged, declined or unavailable.

Bowling Green — Offense & Team Statistics

Statistic	2025	2026	Delta
Scoring
Points scored	75	117	+42
Points per game	18.75	29.25	+10.50
First downs
Total	67	79	+12
Rushing	30	27	−3
Passing	30	38	+8
By penalty	7	14	+7
Rushing
Attempts	158	135	−23
Net yards	605	502	−103
Yards per rush	3.83	3.72	−0.11
Yards per game	151.25	125.50	−25.75
Yards gained	753	562	−191
Yards lost	148	60	−88
Rushing TDs	4	5	+1
Passing
Attempts	99	105	+6
Completions	60	74	+14
Completion %	60.6%	70.5%	+9.9 pp
Net yards	660	874	+214
Yards per game	165.00	218.50	+53.50
Yards per attempt	6.67	8.32	+1.66
Yards per completion	11.00	11.81	+0.81
Passing TDs	5	8	+3
Interceptions thrown	6	4	−2
Total offense
Total yards	1,265	1,376	+111
Offensive plays	257	240	−17
Yards per play	4.92	5.73	+0.81
Yards per game	316.25	344.00	+27.75
Conversions
Third down	24/58	24/48	—
Third-down %	41.4%	50.0%	+8.6 pp
Fourth down	1/7	1/2	—
Fourth-down %	14.3%	50.0%	+35.7 pp
Red zone
Scores/trips	9/9	12/14	—
Scoring %	100.0%	85.7%	−14.3 pp
Touchdowns	6	9	+3
TDs per trip	66.7%	64.3%	−2.4 pp
Turnovers
Fumbles–lost	4–1	3–0	—
Interceptions thrown	6	4	−2
Total turnovers lost	7	4	−3
Special teams
Punts	20	13	−7
Punt yards	781	473	−308
Gross yards per punt	39.05	36.38	−2.67
Net yards per punt	37.31	34.31	−3.00
Punt returns–yards	9–35	2–7	—
Yards per punt return	3.89	3.50	−0.39
Kickoff returns–yards	13–297	6–134	—
Yards per kickoff return	22.85	22.33	−0.51
Field goals	4/5	4/5	—
Field-goal %	80.0%	80.0%	0.0 pp
PAT kicks	9/9	15/15	—
Penalties and other
Penalties	34	16	−18
Penalty yards	296	166	−130
Penalty yards per game	74.00	41.50	−32.50
Sacks allowed	10	10	0
Sack yards lost	80	67	−13
Average possession time	30:29	31:00	+0:31
Points off turnovers	7	Not reported	—

Opponents — BG Defense & Special Teams

Statistic	2025	2026	Delta
Scoring
Points allowed	109	93	−16
Points per game	27.25	23.25	−4.00
First downs
Total	75	77	+2
Rushing	37	34	−3
Passing	30	34	+4
By penalty	8	9	+1
Rushing
Attempts	156	153	−3
Net yards	721	669	−52
Yards per rush	4.62	4.37	−0.25
Yards per game	180.25	167.25	−13.00
Yards gained	806	786	−20
Yards lost	85	117	+32
Rushing TDs	8	6	−2
Passing
Attempts	83	97	+14
Completions	53	59	+6
Completion %	63.9%	60.8%	−3.0 pp
Net yards	717	665	−52
Yards per game	179.25	166.25	−13.00
Yards per attempt	8.64	6.86	−1.78
Yards per completion	13.53	11.27	−2.26
Passing TDs	5	4	−1
Interceptions thrown	2	0	−2
Total offense
Total yards	1,438	1,334	−104
Offensive plays	239	250	+11
Yards per play	6.02	5.34	−0.68
Yards per game	359.50	333.50	−26.00
Conversions
Third down	16/47	19/52	—
Third-down %	34.0%	36.5%	+2.5 pp
Fourth down	3/6	6/9	—
Fourth-down %	50.0%	66.7%	+16.7 pp
Red zone
Scores/trips	11/12	12/12	—
Scoring %	91.7%	100.0%	+8.3 pp
Touchdowns	9	7	−2
TDs per trip	75.0%	58.3%	−16.7 pp
Turnovers
Fumbles–lost	6–3	3–3	—
Interceptions thrown	2	0	−2
Total turnovers lost	5	3	−2
Special teams
Punts	21	15	−6
Punt yards	813	647	−166
Gross yards per punt	38.71	43.13	+4.42
Net yards per punt	35.60	38.67	+3.07
Punt returns–yards	3–20	3–27	—
Yards per punt return	6.67	9.00	+2.33
Kickoff returns–yards	7–104	8–105	—
Yards per kickoff return	14.86	13.13	−1.73
Field goals	3/4	7/9	—
Field-goal %	75.0%	77.8%	+2.8 pp
PAT kicks	14/14	8/8	—
Penalties and other
Penalties	33	25	−8
Penalty yards	268	245	−23
Penalty yards per game	67.00	61.25	−5.75
Sacks by BG defense	5	8	+3
Yards lost on BG sacks	30	36	+6
Average possession time	28:57	29:00	+0:03
Points off turnovers	14	Not reported	—

Source: Four 2025 MAC game books and the 2026 four-game conference team-statistics summary. Neutral raw counts are not automatically considered improvements.