This season has not gone the way many thought it would for the Bowling Green football team.
After clinching the Mid-American Conference Championship East Division title, the Falcons lost three in a row, including the MAC Championship.
With that it makes sense that the players would be frustrated, as is the case right now said senior Chris Pohlman.
“I think it would be a lie to say the kids on the team aren’t frustrated,” he said. “I think there is a feeling that we had the ability to do great things, we had a successful season, but we didn’t reach all of the goals we wanted to reach.”
The hope for the team is to channel that frustration into preparing for the Camellia Bowl on Saturday.
“It’s tricky because frustration can go the wrong way pretty quick,” Pohlman said. “People can start being locker room coaches, it can go bad pretty quick, but that’s when the leadership has to step up.”
Head coach Dino Babers said that although they haven’t won enough to be happy, it has been a good season.
“It has been an amazing year. I went back through the season and it really is amazing how many guys have been in and out of the lineup,” Babers said. “I am proud of them. I’m the coach, so I’m never going to be satisfied. But I’m proud of the way the team battled through all of this adversity.”
This game is even more important for the seniors who have been through so much as Falcons. This will be their last game as Falcons and it will give them the chance to finish above .500 for the third straight season.
“It’s kind of weird knowing that this is my last week. It’s definitely different, but we are still having fun out there,” said senior Gabe Martin. “We are enjoying our last time with the young guys and together.”
Despite all of the feelings that go into a bowl game the Falcons are focused on winning and ending their season on the right note.
“I just want to end the season the right way and finish the season with my guys,” he said.
The Falcons will have to take their frustration and put it to defeating South Alabama in the inaugural Camellia Bowl.
I think our demeanor has been different in past weeks in a better way. I know a lot of guys have a bad taste after the MAC Championship game, after the season in general really,” Pohlman said. “Hopefully that can lead us to practicing harder and preparing harder to win one more and go out the right way.”
