At 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, the bright lights of Kyle Field will await the No. 25 Texas A&M Aggies versus the Bowling Green Falcons for the second primetime game of the 2024 season in Aggieland. Entering the fourth week of college football, A&M holds a 2-1 record with its only loss against Notre Dame, while Bowling Green is 1-1 with its only loss in Happy Valley against Penn State.
The Falcons, who hail from Bowling Green, Ohio and are members of the Mid-American Conference, fly into Aggieland confidently after almost knocking off the No. 8 Nittany Lions in Happy Valley, suffering a 34-27 loss.
“They’re a talented football team regardless of their results,” coach Mike Elko said. “The focus is always on us and our ability to play our best football.”
Under the leadership of coach Scot Loeffler, the Falcons have won their last seven of nine regular-season games. Since 2020, the Falcons have increased their win total each year, with four wins in 2021, six in 2022 and seven in 2023, including an appearance in the Quick Lane Bowl. They are tied for sixth in the nation with 32 seniors and have added notable transfers via the transfer portal during the offseason.
“He does a really good job offensively,” Elko said. “They’ve got a really good group on offense. They have a quarterback, Conner Bazelak, who was at Missouri the last time we won a road game. They got three really talented running backs. They got a tight end who’s leading the country in reception yards for a tight end. They got five offensive linemen who are multi-year starters, and so it’s a really experienced offensive group they present.”
Bazelak is completing 65.6% of his passes with 422 passing yards and two touchdowns. Despite going 25-for-39 with 254 yards passing and two interceptions against Penn State, Bazelak knows his offense’s capabilities on both sides of the ball. With two weeks to study film and prepare for A&M after the bye week, the sky’s the limit for Bazelak and his offense to confuse the Aggies’ defense — which includes senior defensive lineman Shemar Turner, junior DL Nic Scourton, sophomore linebacker Taurean York and senior defensive back Trey Jones Ⅲ.
“We get ready for Bowling Green because we respect every opponent we play, and we know everyone can beat us,” Elko said.
Elko previously coached at Bowling Green from 2009-2013 along with defensive line coach Sean Spencer in 2009 and 2010. The connections from both coaches allowed A&M to snag transfer defensive end Cashius Howell, listed as 6-foot-4, weighing in at 235 pounds. The junior, who was tied for No. 16 in the nation with 9.5 sacks in 2023, will be someone to keep an eye on against his former team, where he recorded 56 tackles, 27 solo tackles and 13 tackles for loss with Bowling Green.
“I was debating on if I should even enter the portal because I just knew the number was big for people currently in the portal,” Howell said. “With all the information and the visits, I felt like A&M was the right fit for me.”
Howell mentioned that he still has a good relationship with his former coaches and teammates. When he has the opportunity, he also plays video games and calls his best friends, but he emphasized to his current team that Bowling Green is not a team to take lightly.
“They’re going to come in here ready to work and ready to get after us, so I’ve for the longest time been telling them, ‘Don’t take them lightly,’” Howell said.
The Aggies are No. 60 in the nation in total defense, allowing 312 yards per game and 529 yards per play. They are also 79th overall in rushing defense, allowing opponents to run for 189 yards per game and 5.25 yards per rush, but they are tied at No. 93 for the fewest penalties, with 22.
“The penalties are something we’ve got to get cleaned up quickly,” Elko said. “They came in a lot of different ways.”
Elko also discussed how the Bowling Green defense looked comfortable in the system, alluding to how they jump in and out of four-down and three-down fronts. For obvious reasons, the question revolves around which quarterback will deal with the defense after sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman was ruled out with a shoulder injury against Florida.
Weigman was graded as the top QB in the nation with an offensive grade of 97.7 and a 96.6 passing grade by Pro Football Focus after the McNeese game, but rising freshman QB Marcel Reed made his case for the starting role after showing his mobility to extend plays going 11-for-17 with 178 yards passing and two touchdowns.
“Conner is going to be listed as day-to-day and week-to-week,” Elko said. “We’ll kind of get him through and see where he’s at with everything. We’ll continue to manage the quarterback room very similar to how we have been and play the guy Saturday that we think gives us the best chance to win.”
With excitement surrounding both programs, multiple families will travel to College Station for the game and to see their children.
Mike Rothmann, Class of 1987, has been a lifelong Aggie and is making the trek to the game, accompanying his daughter, nursing senior Katelynn Rothmann. A member of the Corps of Cadets, Katelynn said the game is an opportunity to show his pride about daughter and Aggieland.
“Every time I roll into that town, I’m proud to be an Aggie,” Mike said. “I feel like I am back at home. Singing the Spirit of Aggieland together moves me every time, and I sing it loud and proud.”
A proud parent and Tyler Junior College graduate, Jennifer Taylor is also headed to the game with her friend and said she is looking forward to spending time with her daughter: forensic investigative science sophomore Kendall Taylor. To them, the game gives them the opportunity to see the Yell Leaders, Reveille and the student section.
“This will be my second game in the last two years,” Taylor said. “The constant energy is almost on level ten the whole game, especially the student section. My daughter is really excited about the sporting events.”
Another former student in attendance will be Truly Batts, Class of 1996, arriving with their daughter, business management senior Brylee Batts.
“Returning to Aggieland is always a wonderful experience,” Batts said. “Seeing Aggieland through your child’s eyes makes it much more enjoyable. The student spirit is something you cannot explain — with the excitement and adrenaline.”
The A&M and Bowling Green Kickoff will be streamed live on SEC Network+ and ESPN+.
