Football faces Bowling Green in Little Caesars Pizza Bowl

Dec. 19, 2013

Pitt (6-6, 3-5 ACC) vs. Bowling Green (10-3, 7-1 MAC)

Little Caesars Pizza Bowl

Dec. 26, 2013 • 6 p.m., ET • ESPN

Ford Field (65,000/FieldTurf) • Detroit, Michigan

Pitt Bowl Game Notes Link: Little Caesars Pizza Bowl vs. Bowling Green

Game Storylines

• Pitt will make its 30th all-time postseason appearance when it takes on the Mid-American Conference champion Bowling Green Falcons in the 2013 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl at Ford Field.

• The Panthers and Falcons have faced each other three prior times, the last coming in 2008. Pitt leads the series, 2-1, but dropped the last meeting, 27-17, at Heinz Field. Pitt is 29-3 all-time against the MAC. This will be the Panthers’ first bowl game against a MAC foe.

• Pitt will be looking to slow down a Bowling Green offensive attack that averages 35.4 points and 472.5 yards per contest. The Panthers will counter with a unit led by senior tackle Aaron Donald, the most decorated defensive player in the nation. 

• Donald was honored with the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Outland Trophy and Rotary Lombardi Award. He was also named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

• Donald had one of the most disruptive seasons for an interior lineman in college football history. He currently leads the nation in tackles for loss (2.2 per game), while ranking 10th in forced fumbles (0.33 per game) and 13th in sacks (0.83 per game).

• Senior quarterback Tom Savage triggers Pitt’s offensive attack. Entering the bowl with 2,834 passing yards, Savage is looking to become just the fifth Pitt QB to reach 3,000 yards in a season.

• One of Savage’s top passing targets is Tyler Boyd, whose 77 receptions lead all freshmen receivers on the Football Bowl Subdivision level. Boyd’s reception total is the most ever by a Pitt freshman. His 1,001 receiving yards are second only to Larry Fitzgerald’s frosh total of 1,005 in 2002.

• A win over Bowling Green would give Pitt its first bowl victory and winning season since 2010. Pitt was 6-7 the past two years.

Pitt-Bowling Green History in Brief

Series Began: 1999

Series Overall: Pitt leads 2-1

At Pittsburgh: Series tied 1-1

At BGSU: Pitt leads 1-0

At Neutral Sites: DNA

OT Games: DNA

Last Meeting: Aug. 30, 2008 (Heinz Field: BGSU 27, Pitt 17)

Last Meeting at BGSU: Sept. 9, 2000 (Pitt 34, Bowling Green 16)

Current Series Win Streak: BGSU has won 1 (2008)

Longest Pitt Series Win Streak: 2 games (1999-2000)

Longest BGSU Series Win Streak: 1 game (2008)

Largest Pitt Margin of Victory: 20 points (30-10, 1999)

Largest BGSU Margin of Victory: 10 points (27-17, 2008)

Pitt-Bowling Green Series Notes

This is the fourth meeting between Pitt and Bowling Green in a series that dates back to 1999...the 2013 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl marks the first postseason game between the two teams...Pitt and Bowling Green last met in the 2008 season opener...the Panthers, owning a No. 25 preseason ranking, seized a 14-0 second-quarter lead but would ultimately fall to the visiting Falcons, 27-17...it was the first time Pitt would lose to a Mid-American Conference team at home in 25 games...Pitt and Bowling Green also played a home-and-home series over the 1999 and 2000 seasons...the Panthers won both games: 30-10 in Pitt Stadium to open the ‘99 campaign (the last season played in the venerable building) and 34-16 at Bowling Green the following year...Pitt is 29-3 all-time against the MAC, including 26-1 at home (the lone loss coming to Bowling Green)...the Panthers are 3-2 vs. MAC foes on the road...Pitt has never played a MAC opponent in a bowl game.  

Pitt-Bowling Green Broadcast Information

Television • ESPN

Dave Lamont, play-by-play

Ray Bentley, analyst

Niki Noto, reporter

Pitt Radio • 93.7 The Fan & the Pitt IMG Sports Network

Bill Hillgrove, play-by-play

Pat Bostick, analyst

Larry Richert, reporter

SiriusXM Satellite Radio

SiriusXM Channel 91

Internet Audio • Panthers All-Access