1959 Bowling Green Falcons football
ConferenceMid-American Conference
Record9–0 (6–0 MAC)
Head coach
MVPBob Colburn
CaptainBob Colburn, Bob Zimpfer
Home stadiumUniversity Stadium
Seasons
← 1958
1960 →
1959 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Bowling Green $ 6 – 0 – 0 9 – 0 – 0
Ohio 4 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Miami (OH) 3 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Kent State 3 – 3 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
Western Michigan 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Marshall 1 – 4 – 0 1 – 8 – 0
Toledo 0 – 6 – 0 2 – 6 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1959 Bowling Green Falcons football team was an American football team that represented Bowling Green State University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1959 NCAA College Division football season. In their fifth season under head coach Doyt Perry, the Falcons compiled a perfect 9–0 record (6–0 against MAC opponents), won the MAC championship, and outscored opponents by a combined total of 274 to 83.[1] The team was voted by the United Press International Board of Coaches as the 1959 national small college champion.[2] The team was inducted as a group into the Bowling Green Hall of Fame in 2013.[3]

The team's statistical leaders were Bob Colburn with 788 passing yards, Chuck Comer with 361 rushing yards, and Bernie Casey with 264 receiving yards.[4] Colburn and tackle Bob Zimpfer were selected by the UPI as first-team All-Ohio players.[5] Colburn received the team's Most Valuable Player award.[6] Jack Harbaugh, who later gained fame as a football coach, set a school record with three interceptions in the November 14 game against No. 1 Delaware.[7][8]

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 26at Marshall
W 51–74,000[9]
October 3Dayton*No. 14
W 14–07,500[10]
October 10Western MichiganNo. 17
  • University Stadium
  • Bowling Green, OH
W 34–09,500[11]
October 17ToledoNo. 11
  • University Stadium
  • Bowling Green, OH (rivalry)
W 51–214,500[12]
October 24at No. T–15 Kent StateNo. 8
W 25–811,000[13]
October 31Miami (OH)No. 6
  • University Stadium
  • Bowling Green, OH
W 33–169,400[14]
November 7at Southern Illinois*No. 4
W 23–145,500[15]
November 14 No. 1 Delaware*No. 3
  • University Stadium
  • Bowling Green, OH
W 30–88,700[8]
November 21at No. 9 OhioNo. 1
W 13–912,000[16]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from UPI Poll released prior to the game

[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ "2016 BGSU Football Media Guide" (PDF). Bowling Green State University. 2016. pp. 148, 153.
  2. ^ "Bowling Green Voted UPI Small College Champions". Kingsport Times. November 27, 1959. p. 8.
  3. ^ 2016 Media Guide, p. 141.
  4. ^ 2016 Media Guide, p. 133.
  5. ^ 2016 Media Guide, p. 139.
  6. ^ 2016 Media Guide, p. 140.
  7. ^ 2016 Media Guide, p. 123.
  8. ^ a b "Harbaugh Sparks Defense: BeeGee Stomps Delaware". The Mansfield News-Journal. November 15, 1959. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Skip Johnson (September 27, 1959). "Bowling Green Romps Over Marshall, 51-7". Sunday Gazette-Mail. p. 3D – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Joe Burns (October 4, 1959). "Colburn Engineers BG To 14-0 Win Over UD". Dayton Daily News. pp. IV-1, IV-5 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Western Michigan Handed 34-0 Loss". The Battle Creek Enquirer and News. October 11, 1959. p. IV-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "BeeGees Spring Past Toledo, 51-21". Akron Beacon Journal. October 18, 1959. p. 7B – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Phil Dietrich (October 25, 1959). "BeeGees Kill Kent's Mid-Am Hopes: Falcons Roll Up 25-7 Advantage". The Akron Beacon-Journal. pp. 1B, 6B – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "BG Batters Miami, 33-16, Kills Redskin's Title Hopes". The Cincinnati Enquirer. November 1, 1959. p. 1H – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Merle Jones (November 8, 1959). "Salukis Scare Falcons, Lose 23-14". Southern Illinoisan. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Falcons Capture Grid Title". Sunday Times Signal. November 22, 1959. p. D1 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 18, 2022.


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