There will be 11 players on the field for each team on every play during the Little Caesars
Pizza Bowl game between Bowling Green and Pittsburgh on Thursday.Kickoff is at 6 p.m. in Detroit’s Ford
Field.However, the key matchup for the game could come down to four players — Bowling Green’s interior
offensive linemen Dominic Flewellyn (left guard), ‘Chief’ Kekuewa (center), and Alex Huettel (right
guard) — against Pittsburgh’s standout defensive tackle Aaron Donald.The Falcons’ interior trio have
combined for 98 starts in their career, including a team-high of 46 for Flewellyn.Lining up across from
the Falcons is Donald, the winner of four national individual defensive awards this season, including
the Outland Trophy. He is a disruptive defender with 26.5 tackles for loss, leading the nation in
tackles for loss per game at 2.2, and 10 sacks this season. He also has 16 quarterback hurries, and four
forced fumbles.‘‘He’s an exceptional player. Congratulations to him on his awards,’’ Flewellyn said. ‘‘I
know it’s going to be a big challenge. But I take it as an opportunity for all of us to show them what
we’ve got.‘‘We’re playing a BCS school and one of the best players in the country … We’re trying to
show what we can do.’’The 6-foot, 285-pound Donald, has everything you need in a defensive lineman,
according to Flewellyn.‘‘He has a great first step. He gets to the offensive linemen pretty quickly with
a swim move, or a quick line stunt, and he plays with good leverage,’’ Flewellyn said.‘‘With his length
and his ability to get off the ball, he tries to disrupt plays early and get penetration,’’ Flewellyn
continued. ‘‘That’s how he was able to win all these awards, by getting penetration in the
backfield.’’Pitt quarterback Tom Savage enjoys watching Donald.‘‘Obviously the offense wants to be on
the field, but we’re excited to get off the field so we can watch him play a little bit; it’s fun, it’s
entertaining,’’ Savage said. ‘‘He is a wrecking force. I saw it all through camp playing against him,
and all season … In practice I have the red jersey on, so I’m good.’’Jason Hendricks, Pitt’s strong
safety, leads the team with 75 tackles, Anthony Gonzalez, a linebacker, has 73 stops, and Ray Vinopal,
the free safety, has 72 tackles and a team-high three interceptions.Savage, a 6-5, 230 senior, leads
Pitt’s offense. The Panthers offensive line has allowed 41 sacks, No. 118 in the nation. Savage is
minus-208 in rushing yards.Savage was 230-of-276 (61.2 percent) for 2,834 yards with 21 touchdowns and
nine interceptions.Savage said the key against BG’s defense is starting off fast, and trying to get on
the Falcons quickly.‘‘We’re just going to have to keep going and be consistent with them, because they
don’t make too many mistakes,’’ Savage said.Tyler Boyd set the Pitt school record for receptions by a
freshman with 77, and he has 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns this season. Boyd was a quarterback in
high school.Devin Street has chipped in with 51 receptions for 854 yards and seven scores. However,
Street has be slowed by an injury, and may not be at full strength for the game.Pittsburgh is ranked No.
112 in the nation in rushing with a total of 1,379 yards this season. Isaac Bennett leads the way with
795 yards on 166 carries with seven touchdowns. James Conner has rushed for 570 yards on 120 carries,
also with seven touchdowns.‘‘They have a quarterback with a big arm, two great receivers, and they like
to run the ball. They have a two-headed monster back there at tailback. They have a physical line,’’
said linebacker D.J. Lynch, BG’s leading tackler. ‘‘We match up well with them, so we should be all
right … You always have to be locked in on what your responsibility is.’’On special teams, Boyd and
Lafayette Pitts are the top kickoff returners,. They have combined for 780 yards on 35 returns. Kevin
Weatherspoon returns punts.Chris Blewitt handles the place-kicks. He is 11-of-14 on field goals with a
long of 47 yards, and 37-of-38 on PATs.Matt Yoklic has punted 66 times for 2,844 yards, an average of
43.1 yards per punt. He had 18 punts of 50 yards or longer this season, and 17 punts have been inside
the 20-yard line. Yoklic has not had a punt blocked all season.