1985 California Bowl


The 1985 California Bowl, referred to as "The Bowling Green Massacre," was an American college football bowl game played on December 14, 1985 at Bulldog Stadium in Fresno, California. The game pitted the Fresno State Bulldogs and the Bowling Green Falcons.

Background

The Falcons won every single regular season game, opening the season with a 31-6 trouncing of Ball State. They defeated their two non-conference opponents while winning every MAC game by at least four points. This was the second Mid-American Conference title for the Falcons in four seasons. Coach Stolz announced before the game that he would leave the program for San Diego State. Fresno State did not lose any game in the regular season, with only a tie to Hawaii being the one blemish en route to their third Pacific Coast Athletic Association title in eight years and second California Bowl appearance in four seasons, which was also against Bowling Green.

Game summary

The Falcons had committed just five turnovers the whole season. In the California Bowl, they turned the ball over eight times. Fresno State had 225 rushing yards and 194 passing yards. Bowling Green had 89 rushing yards and 259 passing yards. For Bowling Green, Brian McClure went 22-of-42 passes for 254 yards with 3 interceptions. Kevin Sweeney went 9-of-19 for 185 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception.

Aftermath

Fresno State made two more bowl games before the decade ended, both of them being in the California Bowl. The two teams met again in the California Bowl in 1991.