The Falcons look for their first bowl win since 2014 in Mobile, Alabama.
The Bowling Green Falcons are bowling for the third-straight season under head coach Scot Loeffler.
Bowling Green found its bowl destination Sunday afternoon, and its season will conclude in Mobile, AL, pitted against Arkansas State in the 2024 68 Ventures Bowl.
This will be the Falcons’ fourth appearance in the 68 Ventures Bowl (tied for second-most appearances in the bowl’s history). The game was previously known as the GMAC Bowl during their 2004 win over Memphis and 2008 loss to Tulsa, as well as the GoDaddy Bowl during their 2015 loss to Georgia Southern.
Bowling Green hunts for its first bowl victory since 2014 when it upended South Alabama in the inaugural Camellia Bowl — also set in Alabama. The upcoming 68 Ventures Bowl will be Bowling Green’s second matchup against Arkansas State, after the Falcons posted a 17-0 shutout in the 1974 meeting.
Bowling Green (7-5, 6-2 MAC) started the season with a pair of tough non-conference losses, invading 100,000 seat venues at Penn State and Texas A&M and coming within seven points of both programs. Those close losses set the Falcons up for tremendous success in MAC play where they won five-straight matchups up until Black Friday. Bowling Green missed out on a MAC Championship Game opportunity in a 28-12 loss to Miami (OH) on senior day, but the Falcons can rebound from that defeat and secure their first 8-win season since 2015.
Arkansas State (7-5, 5-3 Sun Belt) is participating in the 68 Ventures Bowl for the fifth time (the most appearances in the bowl’s history). The Red Wolves qualified for this bowl in four consecutive seasons from 2011-14 when GoDaddy served as the sponsorship. Under fourth-year head coach Butch Jones, Arkansas State secured its first winning season since 2019 — the year in which it last won a bowl game.
One key storyline in this matchup involves Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. chasing history. With 1,342 yards on the season, the Mackey Award finalist is 10 away from tying former Texas Tech tight end Jace Amaro’s record for most single-season receiving yards at the position set in 2013.
The 2024 68 Ventures Bowl between Bowling Green and Arkansas State kicks off from Hancock Whitney Stadium at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT on Thursday, Dec. 26. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.