BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (Ticker) -- Plenty is at stake in Saturday's Mid-American Conference showdown between Toledo and No. 25 Bowling Green.
The winner captures the outright MAC West Division title and advances to host Miami Ohio in the MAC championship game for a berth in either the GMAC Bowl or Motor City Bowl. The loser likely will be shut out of a bowl.
Both teams own victories over Northern Illinois and one other ranked school. Bowling Green (9-2, 6-1) defeated then-20th-ranked Purdue, 27-26, on September 6 and Toledo upset then-No. 11 Pittsburgh, 35-31, on September 20.
Toledo (8-3, 6-1) has come on strong, winning three straight to tie Bowling Green for the division lead, including a 34-17 victory over Western Michigan last week.
The Rockets are seeking their first outright West Division title since 1998. Toledo has either won outright or shared the division crown in all but one season since the MAC went to division play in 1997. The Rockets advanced to the MAC title game the last two years on tiebreakers and have made consecutive appearances in the Motor City Bowl.
Bowling Green has never played in the MAC championship game and is seeking its first bowl appearance since 1986. Prior to this season, the Falcons finished no higher than third in the West Division.
Toledo's Bruce Gradkowski leads the MAC in passing efficiency, throwing for 3,026 yards this season, the second-highest total in school history. Gradkowski, who has completed 264-of-366 passes (72.1 percent), is on pace to set a MAC single-season record for completion percentage.
Lance Moore leads the nation in receptions per game with 8.70 while Trinity Dawson needs 76 yards for 1,000 rushing yards. He ran for 125 yards on 22 carries last week.
Bowling Green's offense remained in high gear in a 41-14 rout at Ball State last week. Josh Harris threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for two more scores and B.J. Lane rushed for 115 yards on just six carries for the Falcons.
Last season, Toledo rallied from a 10-point deficit to defeat Bowling Green, 42-24, and gain a share of the West Division title. The Rockets cut the Rockets' lead in the all-time series to 35-28-4.
