Falcons (3-1, 2-0 MAC) make it 10 MAC Conference wins in a row after a 39-21 win away against Pittsburgh.

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Bowling Green (3-1, 2-0 MAC) have now won 10 MAC Conference games in a row following an away win in Pittsburgh on Graham Field. Although the Falcons were not at their best this weekend, they were still able to emerge victorious. Additionally, the Falcons are ranked No. 5 after this week's NCR Top 20 Coaches Poll.
 
Homecoming Weekend:
This year, September 26th-29th is Bowling Green's Homecoming Weekend. This weekend Saturday, September 28th the Falcon's will take on Maryland (2-2, 0-1 MARC), No. 16 in the NCR Top 20 Coaches Poll, at the Roger Mazzarella Rugby Field at 1 pm. The Tarps were previously ranked 9th in the NCR Preseason Power 10. This will be the teams second ever match. The Falcons won their only match against Maryland when they played in 2013. In order for this match to be possible, the current BG Rugby players will be hosting the Maryland players.
 
Alumni can meet at Brewing Green at 6 p.m. on Saturday following the match with Maryland.
 
History:
The BGSU Rugby team played their first season in Fall 1968. In the club's first season, there was only one match, a 5-3 victory over Ohio State University. The first ever Bowling Green Club Rugby try was scored by AL Bohl (3 pts), and the first ever conversion was scored by Jim Gerding (2pts). Since 1968, Bowling Green has emerged as a highly successful program. Since the MAC Championship started in 1973, there have been 50 MAC Championships. Bowling Green has won 41 of 50 MAC Championships, a 82% win rate. The Falcons had an unmatched win streak from 1981-2021, which saw the Falcons win 40 consecutive MAC Championships. Their most recent MAC Championship win was a 48-15 win over Western Michigan. Since 2021, the Falcons have finished second at the MAC Championship in 2022 and 2023.
 
About Maryland:
Last season Maryland finished 3rd in the Mid-Atlantic Rugby Conference (MARC) following a 35-17 victory over Princeton.
 
This season, Maryland started 2-1 following their preseason. The Terps won 30-0 against Christendom and 22-19 against UVA, while only losing to the Naval Academy's B side 14-62. Over their preseason the Terps scored 66 points, conceded 81, and had a -15 points differential. The Terps also began their MARC season with a 36-38 loss to West Chester University on Saturday, September 21st to start the year 0-1. The Terps are now ranked No. 16 following this week's NCR Top 20 Coaches Poll.
 
Season Recap:
This season, the Falcons have started the season 3-1, 2-0 MAC. They have victories over Michigan (Big 10, 47-12), Cincinnati (MAC, 38-5) and Pittsburgh (MAC, 39-21) and have only lost to Notre Dame (Big 10, 15-33).
 
This year in the MAC, the Falcons have extended their conference win streak to 10 in a row. The season's first MAC win was the 38-5 home opener victory over Cincinnati at the Roger Mazzarella Rugby Field. Next, the Falcons had a 39-21 away win over Pitt at Graham Field. This away win extended the win streak to 10. The streak started following a 91-0 win over Pitt in Fall 2022. This streak includes the Falcon's undefeated 2023 season when they went 7-0 in conference play. Currently, the Falcons sit joint 1st in the MAC with 10 pts, only behind Louisville (+145) and Western Michigan (+84) on Points Differential. The Falcons have scored 72 points from 12 tries and 6 (of 12, 50%) conversions. They have conceded 26 points and have a points differential of +46. The Falcon's have nine different try scorers, only behind Louisville with 10. Freshman Logan Van Hoose currently has 15 points (three tries) and tied 4th for total points. Junior, and Captain, Joey Apel is 6 from 12, 50%, for conversions and is tied 8th with 12 points and Senior Owen Slimmer is tied 12 with 10 points (from two tries) in the MAC.
 
Overall, the now NCR D-1AA Ranked No. 9 Falcons are 3-1 this season. They have only played two non-conference games going into this weekend's match with Maryland. The Falcons are 1-1 against Big 10 teams this season. They managed a 47-12 victory at home over Michigan on the opening weekend of the season and a 15-33 loss to Notre Dame. Throughout the entirety of the season, the Falcons have scored 138 points, have 71 points against, and a +67 point differential.
 
Bowling Green vs. Maryland
Bowling Green, Ohio | Roger Mazarella Rugby Field
Saturday, October 12th | @ 1 p.m.
 
Up Next
Bowling Green will play their next MAC game against Dayton Saturday, October 12th on the Roger Mazzarella Rugby Field at 1 pm. The Falcons will look to make massive improvements from their match against Pitt and to extend their conference win streak to 11 games.
 
Follow the Falcons
Be sure to follow the Falcons Rugby team on social media for schedule updates and any information:

• Instagram: @rugbgofficial
• Facebook: BGSU Men's Rugby