Mid-American Conference Boasts Bowling Green--but Gets Little Recognition

Undefeated, untested and unknown Bowling Green is one of only three unbeaten NCAA Division I-A teams; it shares the longest winning streak in the nation, 12 games; and its quarterback, 6-foot-6 Brian McClure, is a premier college passer.

But it doesn’t seem likely the Falcons will creep up in the rankings anytime soon.

“I don’t think they take us seriously,” said McClure, a senior. “People think we’re a I-AA league instead of a big-time, I-A league.

“People say we don’t play good competition, yet we beat Kentucky (4-3) this year and they’re a good team. We’ve never been looked at as a serious conference.”

That’s the Mid-American Conference he’s talking about, and it includes nine schools besides Bowling Green--Miami of Ohio, Kent State, Ball State, Toledo, Ohio University, Northern Illinois and Eastern, Western and Central Michigan. Famous MAC athletic alumni include former Pittsburgh Steelers star Jack Lambert (Kent State), basketball’s George Gervin (Eastern Michigan), formerly of San Antonio and now with the Chicago Bulls, and Philadelphia Phillies slugger Mike Schmidt (Ohio U.).

Besides Kentucky, the only non-conference school Bowling Green has beaten so far is Akron (6-2) and they’re in Division 1-AA.

Overall, the MAC is 6-13 against non-conference teams, 2-3 against 1-AA. Against the big guns--Big Ten, Big Eight, Pac-10, ACC and Independents--it’s 0-10.

Still there’s a belief the conference is underrated.

“Well, I don’t know if it’s wishful thinking, but I sure wish this conference would get the recognition that it deserves,” said Jack Gregory, Bowling Green’s athletic director.

“So darned often you hear about all of these other schools that haven’t done as much and haven’t done it in the right way.”

Said MAC Commissioner Jim Lessig: “There are nine Division I-A conferences in the country, so obviously we’re in elite company. I don’t think we are from the competitive standpoint, but from the visibility standpoint the MAC . . . is on one of the bottom rungs of the ladder.”

The Falcon football team is a good example, particularly McClure.

The Ohio native has 9,437 passing yards, fourth behind NCAA all-time leader Doug Flutie (10,579 yards). McClure also has 29 career 200-yard passing games, he has thrown for 58 touchdowns in four years and he has not been intercepted in his last 90 attempts.

McClure, however, knows he is toiling in relative obscurity.

“Realistically, Bo Jackson and some of the other contenders have to win the Heisman. A lot of (voters) notice that they play at Auburn and places like that. They look at me and say, ‘Where’s Bowling Green?’

“I think I would have performed the same (at any other major college) if it ran the right offense,” he said. “I don’t feel that I’m less of a quarterback than (Robbie) Bosco or (Jack) Trudeau or (Chuck) Long.”

Lessig, meanwhile, wants to increase MAC football scholarships and upgrade all stadiums.

“Over the next 10 years, we will make major strides toward being recognized as a major conference,” he said.