1959 Bowling Green Falcons football team

1959 Bowling Green Falcons football
ConferenceMid-American Conference
Record9–0 (6–0 MAC)
Head coach
MVPBob Colburn
CaptainBob Colburn, Bob Zimpfer
Home stadiumUniversity Stadium
Seasons
← 1958
1960 →
1959 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Bowling Green $ 6 0 0 9 0 0
No. 9 Ohio 4 2 0 7 2 0
No. 19 Miami (OH) 3 2 0 5 4 0
Kent State 3 3 0 5 3 0
Western Michigan 3 3 0 4 5 0
Marshall 1 4 0 1 8 0
Toledo 0 6 0 2 6 1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from UPI small college poll

The 1959 Bowling Green Falcons football team was an American football team that represented Bowling Green State University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1959 college football season. In their fifth season under head coach Doyt Perry, the Falcons compiled a perfect 9–0 record (6–0 against MAC opponents), won the MAC championship, and outscored opponents by a combined total of 274 to 83.[1] The team was voted by the United Press International Board of Coaches as the 1959 national small college champion.[2] The team was inducted as a group into the Bowling Green Hall of Fame in 2013.[3]

The team's statistical leaders were Bob Colburn with 788 passing yards, Chuck Comer with 361 rushing yards, and Bernie Casey with 264 receiving yards.[4] Colburn and tackle Bob Zimpfer were selected by the UPI as first-team All-Ohio players.[5] Colburn received the team's Most Valuable Player award.[6] Jack Harbaugh, who later gained fame as a football coach, set a school record with three interceptions in the November 14 game against No. 1 Delaware.[7][8]

  1. ^ "2016 BGSU Football Media Guide" (PDF). Bowling Green State University. 2016. pp. 148, 153.
  2. ^ "Bowling Green Voted UPI Small College Champions". Kingsport Times. November 27, 1959. p. 8.
  3. ^ 2016 Media Guide, p. 141.
  4. ^ 2016 Media Guide, p. 133.
  5. ^ 2016 Media Guide, p. 139.
  6. ^ 2016 Media Guide, p. 140.
  7. ^ 2016 Media Guide, p. 123.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Del59 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).