As if a game against Marshall isn’t enough for the Bowling Green football team, they are also playing for the right to defend their Mid-American Conference title and earn another berth in a bowl game.

Even without a MAC title, the Falcons have an outside chance at earning a bowl bid, despite playing in a power conference.

“If we were in the Big Ten, we’d be smoking cigars right now,” BG head coach Gregg Brandon said.

The Falcons have taken care of business, winning their last six games in blowout fashion and moving up in the rankings. The, Falcons are No. 26 in the coaches poll and No. 33 in the AP poll. A win over Marshall would move them into the Top 25 in at least one of the polls.

The Falcons know what they have to do to make it to a game in late December.

“We have to win out,” running back P.J. Pope said. “We can control our destiny if we win out and keep playing good football.”

But winning isn’t the only ingredient for success in gaining a bowl big. For the Falcons to take the place of BCS schools in their bowls, they need to have bigger turnouts at their games.

“Bowl representives look at crowd size,” BG wide out Cole Magner said. “It’ll be big to keep our season going to have a big crowd come out.”

But the game means more to the players than just a bowl bid. For Magner and his senior classmates, it will be their last game at Doyt L. Perry. The seniors are hoping it will be a game for them to remember.

“I’ve always dreamed of playing in a big-time college atmosphere for my last home game,” Senior defensive back Keon Newson said. “Your senior year, you want all your lasts to be great lasts. A great last home game; a great last game; a great last season.”

“It’ll be huge for the crowd to show up,” Senior linebacker Daniel Sayles said. “I’d like to look up at the stands and see a wave of orange in my last game.”

And it isn’t just the seniors who are looking for a big win. Junior running back P.J. Pope is hoping the team gives their best effort for their elder statesmen.

“We’ve got a great group of seniors,” he said. “We want to send them out on a good note.”

And while the Falcons want to give their seniors one last hurrah at the Doyt before they leave, Brandon knows it will be hard to let go to a talented class like this one.

In the past three years, he has seen the likes of Joe Alls, Mitch Hewitt and Josh Harris make their last appearances at home and knows it doesn’t get any easier.

“Any time a great senior class moves on you shed a tear,” he said. “Great programs have seniors lead them and then move on to the next group of seniors.”

To be playing Marshall in what will be their last game against the Falcons as a MAC team gives the Falcons extra incentive. The Herd lost their last game to Akron on a last second field goal and should be coming out with a belly full of fire.

But the Falcons know they will be ready.

“We’re not interested in matching their intensity,” Brandon said. “They need to worry about matching ours.”

And to Brandon, it seems logical to feel that way.

“It’s the seniors’ last game against Marshall,” Brandon said. “Any red blooded player doesn’t need much of a pep talk.”

The Falcons will welcome the Herd to the Doyt at noon, Saturday. The game will decide the Falcons’ postseason fate and whether the seniors’ tears will be ones of joy or anger.