Anthony Wells celebrates NIU’s MAC Championship Game win with an orange. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
(WSCR) Since news broke than Northern Illinois University would play in the Orange Bowl after a 12-1 season that saw them on top of the Mid-American Conference, fans and analysts have criticized the Huskies for being undeserving of their BCS bowl bid.
One of the most outspoken critics was ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit, who called NIU’s bid a “joke” and that it was a reflection of a “sad state for college football.”
David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune joined The Mully and Hanley Show on Tuesday to address Herbstreit’s comments.
“Lament the plight of Georgia and Oklahoma,” Haugh explained,” and leave it at that. Criticize the BCS formula, because it is flawed. If it wasn’t broken, they wouldn’t have tried to fix it in 2014. Where (Herbstreit) got off the rails, and I have tremendous respect for him – I like him on television, I like when he goes to a game. I think he brings something to each broadcast that is very good and solid as an analyst – but leave Northern Illinois alone. It’s inappropriate. It was not an absolute joke that they got there. These are the rules that every major college program understands, going in and coming out. So, (NIU) played within the rules. They qualified based on a loop hole. It doesn’t matter.
LISTEN: David Haugh on The Mully and Hanley Show
For the rest of this interview and other 670 The Score interviews click here.
“You want to talk about an absolute joke, look at the state of college football coaching. Looking at the state of college football scandals. You want to talk about an absolute joke, talk about the graduation rate of teams in the BCS. You want to bring attention to Northern Illinois? How about bringing attention to how they do things the right way? How about bringing attention to the Mid-American Conference?”
