Indiana @ Bowling Green preview

Indiana at Bowling Green

Last Meeting ( Sep 14, 2013 ) Bowling Green 10, Indiana 42

Indiana coach Kevin Wilson knows Saturday’s game at Bowling Green will be billed as Big (Ten) Brother vs. Little Brother (Mid-American Conference), but he’s having none of it. “I don't want to hear the deal that they've got the MAC players we didn't want because there are guys on their team that we offered and recruited, yet they chose to go there,” Wilson said Monday at his weekly news conference. “So I don't want to hear that stuff about it's a chip-on-the-shoulder week (because) trust me, when you're playing here trying to earn your respect, there needs to be a big chip on our shoulder every week.”

Last Saturday’s results back Wilson’s assertions. The Big Ten squared off against the MAC in four games, and the latter finished on top in two contests (Central Michigan’s 38-17 win at Purdue and Northern Illinois’ 23-15 victory at Northwestern) and could've won a third (Ball State’s narrow 17-13 loss at Iowa). A MAC team has now beaten a Big Ten club in eight consecutive seasons – the longest streak in MAC history.

TV: Noon ET, ESPNU. LINE: Indiana -7

ABOUT INDIANA (1-0): The Hoosiers are coming off a bye following their 28-10 season-opening win over FCS member Indiana State. Indiana rushed for a program Memorial Stadium-record 455 yards in the contest, and was paced by 247 yards from tailback Tevin Coleman, who ranks second nationally in rushing yards per game (120.3) since the start of the 2013 season. Led by three sacks from defensive end Bobby Richardson, the Indiana limited Indiana State to 170 yards of total offense – the fewest surrendered by the Hoosiers in five years.

ABOUT BOWLING GREEN (1-1): The defending MAC champion opened with a 59-31 loss to Western Kentucky before pasting FCS member Virginia Military Institute 48-7 last week. The Falcons have a new coach in Dino Babers, who was hired away after a 19-7 two-year run at Eastern Illinois of the FCS, and also a new quarterback in James Knapke, who made his first career start last week after replacing injured starter Matt Johnson (hip fracture) in the opener. The Falcons rolled up 526 yards of total offense in the win over VMI, and scored on a punt return and blocked punt.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Indiana beat visiting Bowling Green, 42-10, last season, closing out the contest with 35 unanswered points and finishing with 601 yards of total offense.

2. The Falcons, who visit Wisconsin next week, are 5-16 all-time against Big Ten opponents with their last win a 32-31 overtime victory against Minnesota to open the 2007 season.

3. Under Wilson, the Hoosiers are 2-13 on road, with their only wins coming against Massachusetts (45-6) and Illinois (31-17) in 2012.

PREDICTION: Indiana 34, Bowling Green 23