Perhaps the best part of college football is the rivalries. From “The Game” between Ohio State and Michigan to “The Holy War” featuring BYU and Utah, every program has at least one other whose goal in life is nothing more than to come out on top. In the Group of 5, despite the uncertainty with conference realignment, there are some hotly contested rivalries. In the MAC, there are five inter-conference rivalries with at least 90 matchups. With 90 matchups, the Battle of I-75 between Toledo and Bowling Green has been the most consequential. Of all of the rivalries, the Battle of I-75 has produced the most MAC Champions with 24.
The rivalry is about as even as can be, with Toledo holding a narrow 43-42-4 lead. While the Rockets have won 12 of the last 15, the two have split the last six meetings, with Bowling Green winning two of the last three. The Falcons took the rivalry to another level this weekend with some well-placed marketing.
Battle of I-75 Rivalry Hits the Streets
There are just 62 days until the 91st edition of Bowling Green vs. Toledo. This year, the matchup will take place at Doyt Perry Stadium. The last time the Battle of I-75 was played at Bowling Green, Toledo pulled off a last-minute, one-point win thanks to an improbable 59-yard touchdown catch-and-run by Jacquez Stuart. Last year, the Falcons won in the most lopsided fashion since 2021, 41-26.
Bowling Green was a program scrambling for an answer after head coach Scott Loeffler bailed to be a quarterback coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. Most programs have to replace new coaches in December. Even though it was presumably behind the eight ball, Bowling Green took a swing for the fences. As a result, it landed Tennessee State coach and 1995 Heisman Trophy winner, Eddie George.
As a result, the Falcons are feeling good. In an attempt to spice things up with its hated rival up the road, Bowling Green put up a billboard right by the University of Toledo campus. Erected by Bayer Hardware on Dorr Street, the billboard reads, “Come See Coach Eddie George Falcon Football,” with a picture of the new coach. The billboard is on the main road heading up to UT, about a five-minute straight shot from campus.
The Battle of I-75 this year is already heating up 👀
BGSU is coming in hot with this new billboard on Dorr Street on the road to the University of Toledo pic.twitter.com/U7YDk6ejyS
— 13 Action News (@13abc) August 10, 2025
Looking to 2025
Toledo took a step back in 2024, falling to 8-5 after back-to-back MAC Championship appearances. Jason Candle returns, and his next win will be his 74th, breaking the program record. He is tied with Gary Pinkel in both wins and total games (113). If the Rockets are going to get back in the win column and make the Falcons pay for the cheeky marketing, they’ll have to reload on defense and depend on Tucker Gleason‘s development at quarterback.
On the other side, what 2025 has in store for Bowling Green is anyone’s guess. George had to take up a similar approach to roster building as Deion Sanders, with 25 incoming transfers and 26 headed out (according to 247Sports, which has been known to miss a few when it comes to the MAC). The Falcons will have plenty of new faces to break in. On offense, they’ll have to replace college football’s most prolific pass catcher. Drew Pyne takes over at quarterback, but who knows who his weapons will be? The leading returning rusher is Mar’Kel Porter and his 11 yards.
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Putting up a billboard right down the road just adds fuel to the fire of an already contentious Battle of I-75 rivalry. If Toledo can get back on track, you can bet that billboard is going to be a big part of the celebration at “The Doyt.”
Main Image: Syndication: Detroit Free Press
