In 2012, Bowling Green was
satisfied with having a winning record and getting to a bowl game.This year, the football Falcons want
more.BG, 9-3 overall, faces Northern Illinois, 12-0 and No. 16 in the AP poll, in the Mid-American
Conference championship game Friday. Kickoff is at 8 p.m. at Detroit’s Ford Field.Last season, the Falcons
lost to Kent State in the next-to-last game of the regular season, finishing 8-5 overall.”Last year when we
played Kent State we were just enjoying the moment. We were just happy to be in that game, not really caring
if we won or lost, just happy to be there,” BG’s Alex Bayer, a fifth-year senior, said.It was different
this season, as BG went into the Buffalo game last Friday, ready to take the next step. The Falcons beat the
Bulls, 24-7 to win the MAC East and advance to the title game. BG finished 7-1 in the MAC.”This year we
have a whole new mind-set, we expected to be here and we expected to win,” Bayer said.Now the challenge is
Northern Illinois, 24-2 the last two seasons, and playing in its fourth straight MAC championship game.”I
don’t think there’s going to be a let-up, and I don’t think anyone needs to worry,” Bayer said. ”When 8
o’clock hits on Friday night, and the ball gets kicked off, we’re going to be focused and ready to go, and
not worrying about any outside distractions.”Winning a MAC title has been a stated goal for the Falcons
since Dave Clawson took over as head coach.”Guys are not just happy to be in this game, we’re not OK we
finally made it to the MAC championship, that’s not the attitude,” said fifth-year senior Paul Swan.
”We’re looking to go into this game and win the whole thing. That’s what our goal has been ever since we
got here. Now we finally have an opportunity to do, guys don’t want to waste the opportunity.”Clawson
expects his team to be ready for the Huskies."This is a team that believed that we would win the MAC
East, and get to the MAC championship game,” Clawson said. ”I don’t have the sense at all that they are
satisfied with that accomplishment.”BG INJURIES: Running back Fred Coppet is doubtful for Friday’s game.
Rover Justin Ford will not play.LAST TIME: BG last played in the MAC championship game in 2003, losing 49-27
to Miami. The Falcons then beat Northwestern, 28-24 in the Motor City Bowl to finish 11-3.The Falcons’ last
win over Northern Illinois was also in 2003, when No. 23 BG beat No. 12 NIU 34-18 at Perry Stadium.BG’s last
MAC title was in 1992. The Falcons went 10-2 overall and 8-0 in the MAC that season, beating Nevada 35-34 in
the Las Vegas Bowl. There was no MAC title game in 1992.NO PLAYERS: NIU head coach Rod Carey said on Monday,
his players will not be available for media interviews.His concern was that there would be more questions on
a possible BCS game, rather than the MAC title game."I know you (the media) aren’t happy about that.
Quite frankly, it’s not a decision I took lightly,” Carey said. ”But we’re trying to focus on BG. If we
just keep our focus on BG that gives us the best opportunity to win.”QUOTE: The success of Northern
Illinois in recent years, has helped raise the profile of the entire MAC, Clawson said, as well as adding
money to the athletics departments budgets of the 13 conference schools.”There is not an athletic director,
an administrator, a trainer in the MAC that is rooting for Bowling Green,” Clawson said Wednesday. ”The
reality is that if we win, how that affects their budget isn’t good.”On the other hand, every commissioner
of every AQ (automatic qualifier) conference are huge Bowling Green fans right now,” Clawson continued.
”So we have got more schools for us than against us. It’s just the ones that we play against that probably
aren’t pulling for us too hard right now.”Clawson laughed, saying he was disappointed that the AQ
conference commissioners haven’t sent a fruit bowl or something to the BG coaching staff or the team as
extra incentive for the game.TV: The game will be televised live on ESPN2 and Northern Illinois has won nine
straight games when playing on ESPN2. The last NIU loss on ESPN2 was the 2010 MAC title game to Miami.