2003 Motor City Bowl

August 2023 March 2026 2003 Motor City Bowl 2003 Northwestern Wildcats Northwestern University Bowling Green Falcons Bowling Green University 6–6 Big Ten 10–3 MAC Randy Walker Gregg Brandon NR NR 24 7 3 7 7 0 7 7 14 December 26 Ford Field Detroit, Michigan Northwestern by 12.5 Josh HarrisJason Wright Jerome Boger (C-USA) 51,286 ESPN List of announcers of major college bowl games Dave Barnett (Play-by-Play) Rod Gilmore (Analyst) The 2003 Motor City Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the Northwestern Wildcats and the Bowling Green Falcons on December 26, 2003, at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. Northwestern led early after shutting down Bowling Green's running game but Bowling Green made a comeback in the second half led by a strong passing game under quarterback Josh Harris and won 28–24. It was the seventh time the Motor City Bowl had been played and the final game of the 2003 NCAA Division I FBS football season for both teams. The game between the Mid-American Conference (MAC) team Bowling Green and Big Ten Conference Northwestern was played at neutral-site Ford Field. As then organized the Motor City Bowl matched a MAC team and a team from either the Big Ten, the Big East Conference, or an at-large team. Bowling Green accepted a bid for the Motor City Bowl after losing to Miami (OH) in the MAC Championship Game. It was Bowling Green's first appearance in a bowl game since the 1992 Las Vegas Bowl.Bowling Green to Motor City The Ledger December 5, 2003 Northwestern was the first Big Ten team to play in the Motor City Bowl and had not appeared in a bowl game since the 2000 Alamo Bowl. Bowling Green and Northwestern last played each other on November 17, 2001, a meeting that Bowling Green won 42–43.Northwestern faces high-scoring Falcons in Motor City Bowl The Argus-Press December 26, 2003 January 10, 2010 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-24iAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Gq0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1448,4637419&dq=northwestern+motor+city&hl=en The Motor City Bowl was one of two bowl appearances by the MAC; the other was by Miami in the 2003 GMAC Bowl. Miami defeated Louisville 49–28, making the MAC 2–0 in bowl games that year. Unusually for the Motor City Bowl there were two MVPs: Bowling Green quarterback Josh Harris and Northwestern running back Jason Wright. Harris passed for 386 yards, including three touchdown passes, and rushed for Bowling Green's fourth touchdown. Harris' completion record of 38/50 and total offense of 454 yards set Motor City Bowl records. Wright had 21 carries for 237 yards, including a 77-yard touchdown run which was the second-longest in Motor City Bowl history.Harris throws 3 second-half TDs ESPN.com December 26, 2003 January 10, 2010 https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=233600189 https://web.archive.org/web/20160820081407/http://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=233600189 dead August 20, 2016Bowling Green defeats Northwestern 28–24 in Motor City USA Today December 26, 2003 January 10, 2010 https://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/bowls/2003-12-27-motor_x.htm Ron Vample References External links https://web.archive.org/web/20031225172413/http://motorcitybowl.com/ Motor City Bowl Category:Little Caesars Pizza Bowl Category:Bowling Green Falcons football bowl games Category:Northwestern Wildcats football bowl games Motor City Bowl Motor City Bowl Motor City Bowl