Week 12: Bowling Green at Buffalo

The story line is pretty obvious for the Falcons and the Bulls — the winner moves on and remains in contention in the league, and the loser is likely out of the race. Both Bowling Green and Buffalo entered this week a game behind Mid-American Conference East Division leader Miami in the loss column.

For the Falcons to capture the MAC East crown, they have to win this game, and get some help, since they need Miami to lose its final two games. Buffalo’s scenario is slightly more direct, with the Bulls needing wins over the Falcons and then Kent State in the final week, and a loss by Miami in one of its two remaining games.

Bowling Green has momentum in its favor. The Falcons have won two straight, and three of their last four games. The offense has been clicking, as evidenced by the fact that over the past two games, Bowling Green has punted the football away just once. The Falcons did not punt at all in a 39-32 win over Eastern Michigan last week.

Sophomore quarterback Tyler Sheehan has connected on 63.2 percent of his passes this season for 2,650 yards and 18 touchdowns. He has found a comfort zone in recent weeks, and appears to have a pretty thorough grasp of the Falcons’ wide open offensive approach.

On the defensive side, Bowling Green needs to stiffen its run defense, but the Falcons do own the top pass defense in the MAC. Bowling Green has allowed 202.1 yards per game through the air, and allowed zero passing yards in the first half of a recent win over Kent State.

For the Bulls, focus is the primary issue since they have to avoid being excited and content over just being a part of the MAC race for the first time. And Buffalo is also dealing with the constant distraction brought on by talk that Bulls head coach Turner Gill is going to be introduced as the next head coach at Nebraska as soon as the season is over.

Gill, a former Cornhuskers quarterback, has brought about a remarkable turnaround at Buffalo, where the Bulls have found themselves unable to compete with the best of the MAC until this season.

Under Gill's tutoring, Buffalo quarterback Drew Willy has matured into the best in the East Division in pass efficiency (133.9) by completing a league-high 68.1 percent (205-301) of his passes for 2,208 yards, and 12 touchdowns, with just six interceptions.

Buffalo, which long struggled to muster much offensive punch, has the MAC’s fifth-best rusher in tailback James Starks, who averages 91.2 yards per game and provides the balance the offense needs to be effective.

Buffalo by 6