DETROIT (Ticker) -- Bowling Green quarterback Josh Harris was a relative unknown until he opened some eyes with his performance two years ago in a late-season game against Northwestern.
That contest served as a coming-out-party for Harris, who gets to face the Wildcats again in the Motor City Bowl in his final appearance for the Falcons.
The schools arranged a meeting on November 17, 2001 to replace games that were cancelled due to the September 11 attacks, and it turned out to be a memorable affair.
Trailing the entire game, Bowling Green rallied from a 14-point deficit to defeat the Wildcats, 43-42, on a two-point reception by Cole Magner with 36 seconds remaining. The Falcons scored 29 points in the final period, setting an NCAA record for most points in the fourth quarter by a trailing team.
Harris accounted for 498 yards on total offense, setting a school record he has since broken. Northwestern gained 618 yards in the loss, with Zak Kustok establishing a school mark with 532 yards of total offense.
Harris needs just 79 yards of total offense to break the Mid-American Conference record of 4,267 held by Marshall's Byron Leftwich. Harris has passed for 3,427 yards and rushed for 762 yards. Magner, an Alaskan native, was his favorite target with 87 receptions for 1,041 yards and eight TDs.
Bowling Green (10-3) accepted a bid to the Motor City Bowl after suffering a 49-27 loss to Miami Ohio in the MAC championship game. The Falcons are making their first bowl appearance since 1992, when they defeated Nevada, 35-34, in the California Bowl.
Northwestern (6-6) defeated Illinois, 37-20, in its regular-season finale to become the Big Ten Conference's eighth bowl eligible team. The Wildcats are seeking their first bowl victory since a 20-14 win over California in the 1949 Rose Bowl.
Jason Wright led the Wildcats in rushing with his second straight 1,000-yard season. He was slowed by an bruised ankle late in the season, but rushed for 251 yards and four touchdowns against Illinois.
The Wildcats have lost their last three bowl games by a combined score of 155-77.
