From BGSU OFFICE OF MARKETING & BRAND STRATEGY
The Bowling Green State University football team has accepted an invitation to play the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the 2023 Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich. The game is scheduled to kick off on Tuesday, Dec. 26 at 2 p.m., and will be televised nationally by ESPN.
This will mark the second appearance in the Quick Lane Bowl for the Falcons after facing New Mexico State last year. While this is the team’s second appearance in the Quick Lane Bowl, it is the fourth time BGSU will play a bowl game at Ford Field. BGSU previously played in the now-defunct Motor City Bowl in 2003 and 2013 when it changed its name to the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.
BGSU is 1-2 all-time in bowl games at Ford Field, highlighted by a 28-24 win over Northwestern in the 2003 Motor City Bowl, which is the only other time the Falcons faced a Big Ten foe in a bowl game. BGSU is the first school to play in consecutive Quick Lane Bowls. Minnesota is making its third appearance in the game, which is more than any other school. The Golden Gophers won the 2015 game over Central Michigan and the 2018 game over Georgia Tech. With the 2023 game, BGSU joins Minnesota as the only other school with multiple appearances in the Quick Lane Bowl.
The Falcons are 7-5 and finished 5-3 in MAC play in 2023. The Quick Lane Bowl will mark the 15th bowl appearance for the Falcons and the second under fourth-year head coach Scot Loeffler. Minnesota is 5-7 overall and 3-6 in the Big Ten West. The Gophers earned a bowl bid with the best academic progress record (APR) after not enough 6+ win teams qualified. Minnesota’s 2015 Quick Lane Bowl victory was also after qualifying with a 5-7 record via APR.
The Quick Lane Bowl will be the fifth meeting between the Falcons and the Golden Gophers in football. The series is tied, 2-2, with BGSU winning the last meeting 14-10 in 2021 at Huntington Bank Stadium.
“Our players and staff cannot be more excited to play in the 2023 Quick Lane Bowl,” BGSU head coach Scot Loeffler said. “It is a tremendous opportunity to return to Detroit, which is in our recruiting footprint. We are starting to prepare for a Minnesota team that will be hungry to play. Our game against them two years ago was a physical battle to the end and this one will be too. It will be an exciting game for both programs. I am looking forward to our great BGSU fans returning to Ford Field to cheer us on as we go for our eighth win. Go Falcons!”
Tickets
Quick Lane Bowl tickets in the Falcons’ designated seating sections will go on sale on Monday, Dec. 4 at 12 p.m. There will be special pricing for BGSU fans, BGSU students and BGSU faculty and staff.
Obtaining tickets through the Bowling Green Ticket Office at 419-372-0000 directly, or online at BGSUFalcons.com, helps our football student-athletes enjoy the best possible bowl experience.
Buying tickets through BGSU is the only way to ensure seating in the Bowling Green sections.
For premium seating options, contact Senior Associate AD for Resource Development Dan Meyer (dbmeyer@bgsu.edu).
Falcon Fans Pregame
Information on the Falcon Fans Pregame will be announced soon. For all up-to-date information on tickets, alumni events, hotels or fan packages, please visit the Bowl Central page.
