For the first time in as long as many Cincinnati Bearcat can remember, the Bearcats will not be playing the regional rival, Miami Redhawks for the Victory Bell during week two of the college football season. The Cincinnati Bearcats scheduled another regional rival, just 3 hours south on I-75, The Bowling Green Falcons. The Game will take place at Nippert Stadium on September 6, 2025 at 3:30 on ESPN+.
Bowling Green finished last season with an overall record of 7-6 and a record of 6-2 in the Mid-American-Conference. The Falcons made the 68 Ventures Bowl, losing to Arkansas State 38-31.
Bowling Green lost most of their offensive production from last season with All-American tight end Harold Fannin Jr. getting picked by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft and quarterback Connor Bazelak getting picked up by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent.
The biggest returning pieces for the Falcons this season are running back Terion Stweart who ran for 898 yards and 6 touchdowns (5.4 yards per carry), linebacker Brock Horne who totaled 82 tackles 2.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles and wide receiver Malcom Johnson Jr. who caught 49 passes for 569 yards and 3 touchdowns.
The Falcons quarterback next season will be Drew Pyne, a familiar name to many college football fans. Pyne is a graduate transfer previously playing at Notre Dame, Arizona State and Missouri. Pyne brings the Falcons a lot of experience under center against top tier programs and can play in an complex and pro-style offense, definitely something to note is Pyne ends up torching the young and inexperienced Bearcats secondary.
The Falcons head coach last season, Scot Loeffler stepped down as head coach to take a job with the Philadelphia Eagles as the quarterbacks coach, many thought this would lead to a decline in the football program just as they began to climb to the top of the MAC.
However, their new head coach, former Heisman winner Eddie George could end up being their best offseason acquisition. George knows what it takes to be great at the college level and will likely get the most out of his roster in 2025
George doesn’t run the offense or defense but he does serve as a true program leader and architect. George oversees the entire program and molds it into what he thinks will build a high level college team.
The Bearcats will likely be a two score favorite as they are by far the better football team but that doesn’t mean that this game is a for sure win– remember 2023 against Miami OH?