DETROIT – The men in the orange vests were easy to pick out.

Walking the sidelines at Ford Field during the Mid-American Conference Championship game, the three spectators – representatives from the BCS Orange Bowl – had better than a front-row seat for Northern Illinois’ 44-37 double-overtime victory over Kent State on Friday.

It was an unusual sight. BCS bowl representatives don’t usually have Detroit circled on their list of must-see games during college football’s championship week. Usually they’re headed to Indianapolis, Atlanta or somewhere more exotic.