Bowling Green has its own personnel problems. Running back K. Baldwin sat out the Miami win with an undisclosed injury, and receiver A. Clay has been shut down for the season. Even so, the Falcons came out of the Sacramento State game on a 2-game winning streak. Going into that game they had lost 5 straight at home going back to last season. They beat the Hornets 38-10, so for the first time in a while, coming back to Doyt L. Perry Stadium isn't a problem.
Stony Brook41-17
Look past the records and both teams are 1 good week away from a different story. Bowling Green's 2 wins came against a Miami team it beat by 4 and an FCS opponent. Its 3 losses were to 2 Power 4 teams and a South Florida team that held it to 6 at home. Ball State's 4 straight losses came to 2 decent MAC teams, a Liberty team that scored 51, and a Big Ten opponent. Neither of these teams has beaten a good opponent yet, and Saturday's winner will have beaten a bad one.
The early forecast for Bowling Green calls for 40 degrees, light drizzle and 15 mph wind. That is a week-out read and will change, but if it holds, it's bad news for an offense that has averaged 15 points a game this past month. Ball State can't afford a game where the ball is wet and its receiver depth is already thin. Bowling Green can win a slow, run-heavy game, which is how it started this 2-game streak at Miami.