Game Info
Pittsburgh Panthers vs Bowling Green Falcons
Thursday – December 26 – 5:00 pm
TV: ESPN
Ford Field – Detroit
It’s the AAC taking on the MAC in this year’s Little Caesars Bowl, formally the Motor City Bowl. Pittsburgh (6-6) ends their first year in the AAC with a bowl berth and two quality wins over Duke and Notre Dame. For Bowling Green (10-3), they dominated the MAC with a 7-1 record, including an upset over Heisman finalist Jordan Lynch and Northern Illinois in the conference championship 47-27.
Bowling Green Falcons
Falcons quarterback Matt Johnson threw for five touchdowns and 393 yards in the conference championship game. The team’s award for winning was watching their head coach, Dave Clawson, leave for Wake Forest. Interim head coach Adam Scheier will fill in. Working in their favor is the Falcon defense that ranks sixth in the country. Their only loss was by three points to Toledo.
Pittsburgh Panthers
This is the second consecutive season under head coach Paul Chryst that the Panthers have finished 6-6. He has yet to win a bowl game. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald is their main attraction and winner of the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Their goal is to even there 6-7 bowl record.
Keys to Victory
The Panthers have been able to shock a few teams and if the Falcons play timid they will have a chance. Playing your bowl game with an interim head coach is always a dicey proposition at best. If Bowling Green can play good defense and ride the hot hand of their quarterback, it should be an easy win.
Prediction: Bowling Green 30 Pittsburgh 24
