The MAC Goes a-Bowlin'

We've definitely come a long way since 2003, when Northern Illinois finished 10-2, with wins over Big Guys Maryland, Iowa State and Alabama...and DIDN'T GO TO A BOWL.

Five MAC teams are in bowl games this year:

FAMOUS IDAHO-- Buffalo

BEEF O'BRADY-- Ohio

LITTLE CAESAR'S-- Bowling Green

POINSETTIA-- Northern Illinois

GO-DADDY-- Ball State.

Northern plays Utah State in the Poinsettia Bowl, but I would have rather seen them play in the Beef O'Brady Bowl in St. Petersburg, Florida, against East Carolina, one of my all-time favorite teams. I also would have preferred the Go-Daddy Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, where we played Arkansas State two years ago. Arkansas State is back at the Go-Daddy.

Oh, Well. --RoadDog

We Didn't Want to Go To Arizona Anyway: NIU Loses MAC Championship and Trip to BCS Fiesta Bowl

Still recovering from the beatdown that Northern Illinois got last night from Bowling Green in the Mid American Conference Championship game. A victory meant that NIU was going to the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona, in our second straight BCS Bowl game (earlier this year we were at the Orange Bowl).

If someone finds our defense somewhere between DeKalb and Detroit, please show them the way home as they certainly did not find the field last night. Jordan Lynch played ok, but it was not one of his best efforts, especially with the interceptions.

We were having discussions about going to the Fiesta Bowl game if the Huskies got there, but neither one of us really wanted to go, both preferring a return to the Go-Daddy Bowl in Mobile on Jan. 5th and that looks like where we'll be headed, perhaps to play against Arkansas State again.

But what a great year for NIU football. Ended with a 12-0 regular season record, played in our 4th straight MAC Championship game, beat two Big Ten teams, all that Jordan Lynch for Heisman Award, retirement of Diesel and new mascot Mission and the Chessick Indoor Center dedication and opening.

One other REAL GOOD THING, we probably won't have to find a new coach like we did within hours after winning last year's MAC Championship. Not only did we lose our coach to NC State in 2012, but also the team we played, Kent Stae, lost their coach to Purdue.

Ah, the Trials and Tribulations of Mid-Level College Football. --RoadDog

How Great Is That?? NIU 31 Toledo 24!!! And, George Bork!

We knew it would be a tough game...and it was.  Northern rallied to defeat its nemesis, the Toledo Rockets, late last night.  These guys have been extra tough on us over the years, and even with wins in the last three games, our all-time record against them is 11-29.

I'm just hoping they will get to dislike us as much as we dislike them.

Even better, this means that the Huskies win the Mid-American Conference's Western Division for the third straight time and will be in Detroit on November 30th to play the Eastern Division's winner for a trip to the Go-Daddy Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

Jordan Lynch, our qb, had another stellar game.  They call him the tailback who can pass and rightfully so.


NIU LEGEND

We watched it with friends at Antonio's on US-12 here in Spring Grove.  At one point, a woman and her husband walked over and said she took it considering all of our NIU apparel, that we were fans.  She said her father played football for Northern back in the 60s.  Then, she said his name is George Bork.

George Bork is NIU football royalty, having set just about every school passing record in 1962 and 1963, the last year going 10-0 and winning the Mineral Water Bowl in Maryland.

And, how about this, but George Bork lives in Spring Grove also.

Just last Friday, I was in the Antioch, Illinois, Ace Hardware with my NIU colors on and a guy had come up to me and said that he had played football back in the early 60s and had been a favorite receiver of Bork.  I didn't get his name, but it could have been Hugh Rohrschneider.

Congratulations NIU.  --RoadDog