CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1971 Bowling Green

6–⁠4 (4–⁠1 Mid-American Conference), coached by Don Nehlen.

Schedule and results

Bowling Green in 1971, game by game: won at Ohio 20–19; won vs. East Carolina 47–21; won vs. Western Michigan 23–6; lost vs. No. 20 Toledo 7–24; won at Kent State 46–33; won vs. Miami (OH) 33–7; lost at Marshall 10–12; won at Texas–Arlington 34–17; lost vs. Xavier 27–42; lost at Dayton 16–26+26−17Won 20–19 at Ohio+1OhioWon 47–21 vs. East Carolina+26East CarolinaWon 23–6 vs. Western Michigan+17Western MichiganLost 7–24 vs. No. 20 Toledo-17No. 20 ToledoWon 46–33 at Kent State+13Kent StateWon 33–7 vs. Miami (OH)+26Miami (OH)Lost 10–12 at Marshall-2MarshallWon 34–17 at Texas–Arlington+17Texas–ArlingtonLost 27–42 vs. Xavier-15XavierLost 16–26 at Dayton-10Dayton
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 18atOhioW 20–⁠1934%
Sep 25vsEast CarolinaW 47–⁠2175%
Oct 2vsWestern MichiganW 23–⁠644%
Oct 9vs20ToledoL 7–⁠2431%
Oct 16atKent StateW 46–⁠3357%
Oct 23vsMiami (OH)W 33–⁠745%
Oct 30atMarshallL 10–⁠1277%
Nov 6atTexas–ArlingtonW 34–⁠1788%
Nov 13vsXavierL 27–⁠4291%
Nov 20atDaytonL 16–⁠2653%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Dayton 26–⁠16; unranked in the final AP poll; 2nd in the Mid-American Conference.

In program history: The 45th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 73 on file).

Record
6–⁠4
Conference
4–⁠1 2nd in Mid-American Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
263–⁠207
Coach
Don Nehlen
Elo
1438 −1 this season
SP+ rating
3.5 No. 51 of 120; offense No. 29, defense No. 84
SRS
−1.3 No. 75 of 128 major-college teams
Recruiting class
—
Defensive coordinator
Gary Tranquill

1971 Mid-American Conference standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Toledo5–⁠012–⁠014
Bowling Green4–⁠16–⁠4
Western Michigan2–⁠37–⁠3
Miami (OH)2–⁠37–⁠3
Ohio2–⁠35–⁠5
Kent State0–⁠53–⁠8

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.