Bowling Green's non-conference schedule games could pose problems when it is time for bowl game selection.
With the college football season starting in a few days, the teams in the Mid-American Conference are preparing for their non-conference schedules.
“We all are very experienced at going out, getting paid a little money to go play a non-conference game on the road, and somebody is going to knock somebody off this week," Akron coach Terry Bowden said. "Somebody in our conference will knock somebody off this week, but we hope it is us.”
Akron hopes to Zip past Sooners
Akron will travel down to Norman, Oklahoma, where Akron hopes to upset Oklahoma. Bowden described the environment as possibly hostile for the Zips.
He also mentioned how Akron will be preparing for the heat they will be facing.
“We practiced inside earlier this week with the fans off,” Bowden said.
Adding on with the environment and heat, Bowden said Akron will be making lots of substitutes against Oklahoma, and believes they will be successful because of the experience of his coaching staff.
Akron went 5-7 in 2014 and faces a difficult non-conference schedule this year, playing Oklahoma and Pittsburgh in weeks one and two to start the season.
Non-conference schedule may come back to haunt Falcons
Bowling Green coach Dino Babers hopes his second campaign will build upon his first.
“I think just being familiar with the players, the players being familiar with the coaches, and everyone just settling down,” Babers said.
Babers added that consistency and expectations, along with the practice schedule, are just some of the little details being focused on.
In terms of the Falcons' schedule, Barbers believes his team may have one of the most competitive and rugged non-conference schedules in the country. The Falcons start off the year against nationally ranked Tennessee, then play Maryland before coming back home to face Memphis and finish off its non-conference schedule on the road at Purdue.
“They are so athletic and huge...we haven’t seen anything like this, this is new territory for these young men," said Babers of Tennessee's defensive line.
Babers said the biggest challenge against the Volunteers will be staying in the game the first 10 minutes, so the Falcons have opportunities to make changes.
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Huskie Stadium Celebrates 50th
When the Northern Illinois Huskies hit the field Saturday it will be more then just opening day. It will also mark the 50th anniversary of the opening of Huskie Stadium, and to celebrate the occasion, the team will be wearing throwback uniforms replicating those worn by the 1965 squad.
After the festivities, Northern Illinois will be taking on UNLV -- a game against a first-year coaching staff. Northern Illinois coach Rod Carey said playing against a team with a new coaching staff is a challenge because Northern Illinois has no prior knowledge of UNLV’s offense or defense.
When Carey was asked if he had any advice for new UNLV head coach Tony Sanchez, Carey said: “I wouldn’t even come close to giving Coach Sanchez any advice in any way, he is a super successful coach…that man is a coach, he knows what he is doing.”
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