Bowling Green State University scheduled FCS opponent Tarleton State for its season opener. What was supposed to be a scheduled win quickly turned into a shocking defeat for Eddie George and his team.
Tarleton State is technically an FCS team, but is certainly not an “easy” opponent. This now marks the program’s second FBS win in two years, following a thrilling win over Army in 2025.
Tarleton State Upsets Bowling Green Thanks to Late Heroics
The Texans jumped out to a 17-0 lead and silenced the crowd in Northwest Ohio. BGSU powered back and had the ball down 20-13 with just over two minutes left deep in opposing territory. The end result was a turnover on downs.
Tarleton State proceeded to bust off an 83-yard run that should have sealed the game. But just a few plays later, the ball was fumbled and was recovered by the Falcons after it rolled all over the field.
BGSU had a chance at the end zone as time expired but opted to throw short and get tackled at the 8-yard-line as the clock ran out. And that was the game.
Bowling Green is not a team often talked about nationally, but they do have a notable head coach in former Ohio State and NFL running back Eddie George. His Falcons went 4-8 last year in his first year in town and start this season with a loss to an FCS program.
The loss is brutal considering BGSU heads on the road to Nebraska next week, followed by a road game at Iowa State. What was supposed to be an automatic win to open the year now has the team set for a potentially serious losing streak before October even arrives. That could put George on the hot seat much earlier than expected.
Tarleton State Latest Team to Pull Off Massive Week 1 Upset
This college football season is just getting started and we already have an FCS upset over an FBS team. The Mid-American Conference seems to find itself on both sides of this upset theme as UMass pulled off a shocking upset win over Rutgers on Thursday. That gives the conference a signature win and a signature loss in the span of less than 48 hours.
The current NIL era in college football creates an intriguing new landscape. A team like Tarleton State that plays well is in danger of losing its best players the following season. The same is true for a MAC school like BGSU. However, both schools could also snag transfers from larger programs who got stuck on the bench.
This new landscape means rosters change drastically year by year and smaller programs may lack a true identity due to the turnover. That may also mean plenty of more upsets this year as the season is still just getting started.
FCS Program Upsets Eddie George’s Team in Dramatic Fashion