It may be
just the third game of the season for each team, but the time has come for
Toledo and Bowling Green to renew the Battle of I-75.
The 77th installment of this rivalry will be
played in September for just the second time and this edition will be the
earliest it has ever been contested.
Still, all who are involved understand the importance and
magnitude of the annual showdown.
“This is what college football
is all about,” said UT head coach Matt Campbell. “We know what the rivalry
stands for. A very confident and experienced football team comes into the Glass
Bowl in one of the great rivalries in all of college football. We know what it
means to our football program and our university and we look forward to
playing.”
The Rockets (1-1) enter this game coming off a win last weekend on
the road in Wyoming. Terrance Owens threw for 300 yards on 25-of-41 passing and
four touchdowns. The junior also added a career-high 74 yards on the ground en
route to winning Mid-American Conference West division Player of the
Week honors.
Owens was rewarded for his excellent play and remained in the game
from start to
finish, something that’s been highly rare for UT signal callers the last couple
years.
Senior Austin Dantin, the co-starter according
to the team’s official depth chart, did not see the field against the Cowboys.
He played in each of the last 27 games he was healthy for.
As was the case last week, it appears T.O. will get the nod
against BGSU.
“Today, if all was equal, Terrance would start the football game
again this week,” Campbell said. “Terrance played an excellent game last week,
really got things rolling early in the football game and that’s why we decided
to stay with him.”
Bowling Green (1-1) will trot out Matt Schilz, a junior who will suit up against Toledo for the
third time.
Schilz has completed 50-of-89 passes for 439
yards with two scores and three interceptions in his two contests against the Rockets, both resulting in
losses.
His numbers don’t exactly jump off the page, but Campbell and his
staff know what he and the Falcon offense are capable of.
“I think their quarterback is an excellent football player,” Campbell said. “He’s started there [for three years] and is doing a great job and I think we’ll get his best shot. I think they’re a confident football team coming in here this Saturday.”
The Falcons picked up their first win last weekend with a 21-13 win over Idaho.
BG will be facing a UT defense that has yielded over 1,100 yards of total offense in their first two games.
Bowling Green faced a tall task in week one, traveling to
Gainesville to face No. 25 Florida. They gave the Gators all they could handle,
leading 7-0 after the first quarter and trailing by only three points to begin the
fourth before losing 27-14.
Schilz threw for 283 yards on 24-of-35 passing
and a touchdown. Sophomore running back Anthon Samuel added a pair of scores on the
ground.
“We have great respect for their football team,” Campbell said.
“We know it’s a very confident and good football team coming in here. But I
think that’s the Mid-American Conference. If you don’t come ready to
play each and every week, then you’re going to get beat, and it doesn’t matter
who you play in this conference.”
Campbell is no stranger to the I-75 rivalry having coached at both
schools. He was with the Falcons from 2003-04 as a graduate assistant and
returned to coach the offensive line from 2006-08 before joining the Rockets.
Current UT defensive assistant and special teams coordinator Stan
Watson was on Bowling Green’s staff from 2008-11.
Campbell downplayed the notion that he’ll be leaning on Watson for
player evaluations this week, but he does know what this game means to both
sides.
“Both football programs, both universities have a lot of pride,”
Campbell said. “They both have a lot of tradition and I think it means the
world to not only the kids that are playing, but to their alumni.”
A new trophy will be at stake this year as the Peace Pipe was
retired after the 2010 season because of its negative connotation with Native
Americans culture. The Battle of I-75 Trophy was not completed in time for last
year’s game, but it was eventually given to Toledo and currently sits in their
trophy case.
Along with the new trophy and the earlier meeting between these
two bitter rivals, the 7 p.m. start time and the under the lights finish should
pump even more excitement into what will surely be an energetic crowd.
“It’s going to be a great atmosphere here, both are great
universities,” Campbell said. “Their students, they have a chance to come early
in the season be part of what looks like great weather for Saturday and a
chance to be a part of something really special here.”
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