The San Jose State Spartans are one of the most impressive offensive teams in the country and will face a stiff test as they take on the defensive-minded Bowling Green Falcons on Thursday afternoon in the Military Bowl at RFK Memorial Stadium in Washington D.C.
Both San Jose State and Bowling Green are much improved from two years ago when they combined for just three wins between the two teams. The Spartans are 10-2 this season under head coach Mike MacIntyre, who helped bring the team to a No. 24 ranking after going 1-12 in 2010.
"It's all new for all of us," senior tight end Ryan Otten said to the Associated Press. "I was here on teams when we won one game, two games. We were toward the bottom of college football. Now, to crack the Top 25, we've come so far."
MacIntyre has been an integral part of the program, but left following the regular-season to take the head coaching job at Colorado, leaving defensive coordinator Kent Baer as the team's interim head coach for the bowl game.
"We want to thank Mike for the tremendous job that he did," San Jose State athletic director Gene Bleymaier said. "He turned the program around and did it the right way with character kids and by stressing academics. Mike provided us with a nice model moving forward for our next head coach to follow."
San Jose State won 10 games for the first time since 1987 and went 5-1 in the Western Athletic Conference, finishing second behind Utah State. Last season the team went just 5-7 and is making their first postseason appearance since the 2006 New Mexico Bowl.
The Spartans have a high-powered offensive attack, largely due to the play of quarterback David Fales, who is in his first season with the team after transferring from junior college. He is leading the team with 3,798 yards and is tied for the WAC lead 31 touchdowns with just nine interceptions.
The junior is completing over 72 percent of his passes and has the Spartans ranked 11th in the nation in passing yards. Fales had 367 passing yards and three touchdown in the regular-season finale and has padded for 14 touchdowns and just four interceptions over the past four games.
Fales will be looking towards at leading wide receiver Noel Grigsby, but San Jose State is going up against a Falcons defense that is giving up 173 yards through the air per game. Grigsby has made 73 receptions for 1,173 yards and nine touchdowns this season and made seven grabs for 1227 yards in the regular-season finale against Louisiana Tech.
The Spartans have won six games in a row to finish the season and a win on Thursday would give the team 11 wins for the first time since 1939. To do that, the Spartans will have to overtake a Bowling Green team that is allowing just 15.8 points per game.
The Falcons enter the game following a 21-7 win over Buffalo and have won seven of the past eight games to finish the regular season.
Fourth-year head coach Dave Clawson is taking the team to its second bowl game after leading the team to the Humanitarian Bowl his first season after going 7-6. Following two disappointing seasons, Bowling Green went 8-4 this year and finished second to Kent State in the East division
"We really hope all of Falcon nation, as many people as possible will come out and support us and hopefully make it a home-field advantage for us," Clawson said. "It's a much easier trip from Bowling Green, Ohio, than San Jose, California."
The Falcons will rely heavily on their defense, which was seventh nationally, allowing 289.7 yards per game. The team is ranked eighth in scoring and has a linebacker unit that has been one of the best in the nation and was ranked top unit in the MAC this year. Linebackers Gabe Martin, Dwayne Woods and Paul Swan all have at least 60 tackles, with Martin leading the entire team with 69.
Defensive tackle Chris Jones is tied for the conference lead with 19 tackles for loss and won Mid-American Conference player of the year this season after posting 12.5 sacks. The offense gains over 350 yards per game, but is scoring only 23 points, ranked 9rd nationally.
Quarterback Matt Schilz has been solid for the Falcons this season, but he will be facing off against San Jose State lineman Travis Johnson, who won WAC player of the year after finishing with 12 sacks and leading the conference with 19 tackles for loss.
The junior has thrown for 2,426 yards and 14 touchdowns this season, but has also turned the ball over 12 times while completing 56 percent of his passes. Schilz has a solid matchup against a Spartans defense that gives up 227.8 yards per game and will try to hook up with freshman wide receiver Chris Gallon, who is leading the team with 47 catches for 647 yards and six touchdowns.
Bowling Green opened the season with a loss against Florida before dropping two of the next three games to fall to 1-3. The Falcons pulled together and won the next six games before losing 31-24 to 11-2 Kent State and finished the year with a solid 21-7 win over Buffalo. Schilz was clutch in the game against Kent State, throwing for a season-high 355 yards and three touchdowns, but he also threw three interceptions.
Running back Anthon Samuel was held to negative-four yards in the finale against Buffalo, but rushed for 118 yards and two touchdowns in the team's 26-14 win three weeks ago against Ohio. Samuel will be going up against a Spartan team that allows 123.67 rushing yards per game and has given up 14 scores on the ground.
PREDICTION: San Jose State 32, Bowling Green 21. The Falcons defense is stellar, but it won't be enough to stop the high-powered passing attack of the Spartans. Although the team is dealing with a coaching change, quarterback David Fales has been exceptional this season and will continue his strong play against a solid passing defense. The Spartans are the better team in the better conference and will win the game if they can control the field position battle. If running back Anthon Samuel gets going, the Falcons have a chance to win, but he will have to face off against lineman Travis Johnson, who has been an absolute beast for the Spartans this season.
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