BOWLING GREEN — Bowling Green State University’s football players have one common goal in mind as the Falcons enter the 2023 season.

It’s Mid-American Conference title or bust.

“For this year to be a success, I think winning the MAC championship is the main goal and I think anything short of that is a failure,” BGSU senior linebacker Darren Anders said during a press conference on Monday at the Sebo Athletic Center in Bowling Green. “We’re really confident in this team and what we can do, and I think we’re going to be right there and win the MAC championship.”

Although BGSU doesn’t begin conference play for another few weeks, the Falcons will be starting their season by facing a top-tier, MAC-like opponent in the eyes of coach Scot Loeffler. BGSU will head to Lynchburg, Va., to take on Liberty at noon Saturday.

Since becoming a full FBS member with bowl eligibility in 2019, Liberty has played in a bowl game each season. The Flames, who have a combined 34-16 record the past four seasons, won in their first three bowl appearances before falling to MAC champion Toledo 21-19 in last year’s Boca Raton Bowl.

Add in the 2020 Walter Camp coach of the year in Jamey Chadwell, who led Coastal Carolina to new heights over the past handful of years, and the Flames will present a stern season-opening test for the Falcons.

“I think they’re super talented. I put their talent equivalent to a MAC championship type of team,” fifth-year BGSU coach Loeffler said. “That’s why the game came right down to the wire last year with Toledo.

“We’re going to have to go and play a game like we played against Toledo (42-35 BGSU win last season). We’re going to have to play our very best football.”

A year ago, BGSU (6-7, 5-3 MAC) registered its best season since 2015 when the Falcons went 10-4, won the conference championship, and reached a bowl game. As much as BGSU improved last year in nearly matching its win total from the previous three seasons combined (7-22), the Falcons have their sights set on bigger accomplishments.

“It’s MAC championship or bust for us, so I feel like that’s the goal. That’s where we’ve got to get to,” BGSU defensive lineman Anthony Hawkins said.

Added tight end Levi Gazarek: “That’s been what we’ve been thinking all offseason. I can’t see any other goal than a MAC championship.”

To get in a position to play for a MAC title in Detroit later this year, BGSU will continue to focus on getting better each day and not looking too far ahead in a schedule that has several big names, including Michigan and Georgia Tech, and a handful of matchups away from home in the opening two months. Loeffler and his squad’s focus is on their next practice and their Week 1 opponent.

“As players, we take it one week at a time. Right now, we’ve got Liberty, so we can’t look for next week,” BGSU cornerback Davon Ferguson said. “Obviously, we know what the schedule is, but we’ve kind of got to focus on the task at hand, which is right now, this week is Liberty.”

The Falcons have a new starting quarterback under center to replace three-year starter Matt McDonald, but Loeffler on Monday declined to announce who it would be, adding he would announce the starter on Friday. Indiana transfer Connor Bazelak, who was the Southeastern Conference co-freshman of the year in 2020 with Missouri, and Camden Orth, who appeared in 10 games for BGSU last year, have been competing for the starting spot this year.

“Our team knows exactly who’s starting, and it doesn’t give us any advantage whatsoever to say who’s starting and who’s not right now,” Loeffler said.

Bazelak and Orth are the lone quarterbacks on BGSU’s roster who have experience playing in college. Their teammates have had positive things to say about them throughout the year as the two players have helped each other out in numerous ways.

“It’s always good when you have two guys that are as talented as they are. They both have done a great job this camp,” Gazarek said. “I think they both bring somewhat different things to the table.

“I think Cam does a little bit more with his legs, but Connor brings really good experience to the table. He’s played in a lot of big games, and they both lead in their own way. Cam does a lot of great things, and so does Connor.”

First Published August 28, 2023, 10:52 p.m.