Meeting the opponent: Week 6 – Western Michigan Broncos
By Evan Ertel
How do Western Michigan fans view opportunities such as this one against Mississippi State football?
Evan Ertel: As part of a conference that prides itself on midweek action on ESPN to make sure they are finding their way onto the most television sets possible for their members, how do games against Power-5 opponents move the needle for both the fans and the programs? Is it seen just as an opportunity for exposure?
Steve Helwick: The MAC markets its conference tremendously well. Midweek #MACtion has been a national phenomenon for over a decade. But one newer tradition the conference established in 2018 is “Fly the Flag,” where MAC teams wave a MAC-themed pirate flag after earning such victories. Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher even starred in a spectacular promo when the flag was introduced, and the conference has gone all in on the branding. This year, four flags have been flown — Northern Illinois over Boston College, Ohio over Iowa State, Miami (OH) over Cincinnati, and Bowling Green over Georgia Tech.
The “Fly the Flag” games come with increased anticipation for that reason, and the MAC has a decent track record of winning them. Although the streak was snapped when Akron fell to Indiana in a four-overtime thriller, at least one MAC team defeated a Big Ten opponent every year from 2006 through 2022, excluding the 2020 pandemic season which saw adjusted scheduling. So these are more than just opportunities for exposure — these are opportunities at statement victories for many programs. And Bowling Green got theirs last week by dropping 38 unanswered points on Georgia Tech.