MAC ATTACK: WEEK 3
There is nothing good to report, save Marshall's valiant effort to upset our beloved Buckeyes. Only 3 wins this week (BGSU, Kent, NIU), all versus I-AA, and Northern Illinois only managed a 1 point win. Looks to be Bowling Green and Marshall...and everyone else, though Northern Illinois is a player right now. Akron made the MAC 0-2 versus the Sun Belt, losing to a squad that finished 4-8 last year and are regarded as one of the 3 worst teams in the 9 team league. Buffalo, Ohio, and Central Michigan all had respectable losses, and everyone else was blown out. Toledo, the favorite at the beginning of the year, gave up over 60 points for the second consecutive week, and were down 35-0 in the first quarter. The MAC teams were the darlings of the college football world last year...this year, after 2 weeks, the entire 14 team league has exactly 1 single I-A win...and yes, you guessed it...it was a conference game (EMU over Buffalo). The only logical conclusion is that these guys, top to bottom, are currently atrocious, and that the gap between BCS conferences and the MAC is most obvious when the conferences are trying to replace talent that leaves...sometimes the MAC falls way behind, and must "rebuild, not reload".
Overall conference grade: F
Team rankings:
1 (-) Bowling Green (1-1): A win is a win, no matter who it is against right now.
2 (-) Northern Illinois (1-1): Says something about the conference when a one point win over a I-AA team keeps you #2
3 (+4) Marshall (0-2): Showed a lot of heart last week, and nearly pulled off the monumental upset. Probably a better team than NIU, but on the way to 0-3, they can't move above them.
4 (+7) Ohio (1-1): Yes, they lost 24-3 to Pittsburgh, but they stuck with them, and let's face it, this conference is horrible this year.
5 (+3) Central Florida (0-2): Overmatched against WVU, but showed some signs of life that could carry them against a lackluster Lions squad.
6 (+6) Central Michigan (0-2): 2 losses to the Big Ten, but the Indiana loss doesn't look as bad, and they played the Spartans tough.
7 (+7) Kent State (1-1): Yeah, they only beat a DI-AA school...but they're one of the few teams with a win, and the return of Cribbs breathes some life into the team. They aren't as good as 7th...but they are this week.
8 (-3) Miami (0-2): Have given up 40+ in 2 games, including to Cincinnati...ugh.
9 (-6) Toledo (0-2): This is based on supposed talent level...there is no way to adequately describe how horrible they've looked so far.
10 (-5) Ball State (0-2): Came crashing back to earth with monster loss to Purdue.
11 (-5) Western Michigan (1-1): Guess I was turned off by that little 63 spot Virginia Tech dropped on them.
12 (-3) Akron (0-2): Last year at this time, the MAC was gaining wins against the Big 12, SEC, and ACC. Akron sent them to 0-2 versus the Sun Belt this year.
13 (-3) Eastern Michigan (1-1): Blown out by Florida...could quickly move back up with a better showing this week.
14 (-1) Buffalo (0-2): Depressing loss to Syracuse. They are more competitive, but they need to learn how to get that win.
This week's games:
(note: upset alert is from 0-10, with 10 being "Red Alert" and 0 being "Here's your 400 grand for an ass-whuppin', thanks for coming"
Last week: 12-2 (SU), 6-5 (VL)
All games are on Saturday this week.
Ohio (1-1) at Miami (1-2)
Line: Miami -20
Upset alert: 7
Synopsis: Ohio's new offense was exposed by Pitt last week, but the defense was respectable. Miami was humbled by Cincinnati, displaying how far they've fallen without Big Ben running the show. The Redhawk D has been especially vulnerable. Miami is the pick here, but this game will be closer than many thought at the beginning of the year.
Prediction: Miami 31, Ohio 24
Marshall (0-2) at Georgia (2-0)
Line: Georgia -19.5
Upset alert: 3
Synopsis: Nice guts displayed by Marshall last week, and the football was pretty good in spots, too. Georgia looked tired and jittery against South Carolina, but still pulled off the tough road win. Don't look for Marshall to win this game, but they will make a respectable showing for the second consecutive week.
Prediction: Georgia 31, Marshall 20
Central Florida (0-2) at Penn State (1-1)
Line: Penn State -21
Upset alert: 4.5
Synopsis: UCF hasn't been close to a win, but coach O'Leary liked some of what he saw last week. Penn State reverted directly back to 2003 form after an impressive opening week, so which Penn State team will show up? In this case, it probably won't matter, as Penn State can probably win regardless.
Prediction: Penn State 35, UCF 21
Akron (0-2) at Virginia (2-0)
Line: Virginia -29
Upset alert: 0
Synopsis: One word for this game: yuck. Akron comes off a loss to a middle-of-the-pack Sun Belt team, Virginia has annihilated 2 opponents, including ACC foe UNC. Whatever the spread is, it won't be big enough to demonstrate the discrepancy between these 2 teams. Al Groh could hang a huge number on them.
Prediction: Virginia 56, Akron 3
Kent State (1-1) at Rutgers (1-1)
Line: Rutgers -10
Upset alert: 6.5
Synopsis: Definitely one of the more intriguing matchups this week. Kent comes off a win over I-AA Liberty, and Joshua Cribbs is back. Rutgers, straight off their "program-turning win" over Michigan State promptly lost at home to I-AA New Hampshire 35-24. This is a good matchup for Kent State, but in the end, it looks like Rutgers will bounce back.
Prediction: Rutgers 21, Kent State 17
Buffalo (0-2) at Nevada (1-1)
Line: Nevada -13
Upset alert: 0
Synopsis: Buffalo lost a disappointing game to Syracuse 37-17 at home last week. Now they get to travel across the country and face a high-octane Wolfpack offense. Bye bye.
Prediction: Nevada 42, Buffalo 8
Toledo (0-2) at Eastern Michigan (1-1)
Line: Toledo -10
Upset alert: 7
Synopsis: There are no words to describe how horrible Toledo has been 2 weeks in a row. Minnesota put over 60 on them, then only beat I-AA Illinois State by 16. Kansas beat Tulsa 21-3 in week 1, then were ahead 35-0 in the first quarter over Toledo en route to scoring 60+. This is no gimmie of a conference game for the Rockets, who are short on confidence, let alone defense. Eastern Michigan can score, and they will, en route to the upset.
Prediction: Eastern Michigan 35, Toledo 28
Bowling Green (1-1): Idle
Northern Illinois (1-1) at Iowa State (1-1)
Line: Iowa State -2.5
Upset alert: 5
Synopsis: Hmmm...this is a tricky one too. Both teams have wins over I-AA teams, and have narrowly lost to ranked foes in their other game. Iowa State was victimized last year, and that motivation will be the edge this week in a tough defensive matchup.
Prediction: Iowa State 17, NIU 13
Western Michigan (1-1) at Illinois (1-1)
Line: None
Upset alert: 3.5
Synopsis: This looked like an upset special...until the 63 spot the Broncos gave up last week while coming up with a goose egg themselves. Still, Illinois is a horrible football team with an identity crisis, and this game is ripe for the picking. Look for the Broncos to make a game of it, but fall in the end.
Prediction: Illinois 24, WMU 16
Ball State (0-2) at Missouri (1-1)
Line: Missouri -24.5
Upset alert: 1
Synopsis: Ball State regressed some at Purdue last week, and Missouri is PO'd something awful after losing at Troy State. Look for Smith to rack up the big numbers and take it all out on the Cardinals.
Prediction: Missouri 42, Ball State 14
SE Missouri State at Central Michigan (0-2)
Line: None
Upset alert: 0
Synopsis: Central was competitive at Michigan State last week, so they should be able to comfortably handle this I-AA foe at home.
Prediction: Central Michigan 35, SEMS 20
Season:
Record (SU): 21-3
Record (VL): 11-9
There is nothing good to report, save Marshall's valiant effort to upset our beloved Buckeyes. Only 3 wins this week (BGSU, Kent, NIU), all versus I-AA, and Northern Illinois only managed a 1 point win. Looks to be Bowling Green and Marshall...and everyone else, though Northern Illinois is a player right now. Akron made the MAC 0-2 versus the Sun Belt, losing to a squad that finished 4-8 last year and are regarded as one of the 3 worst teams in the 9 team league. Buffalo, Ohio, and Central Michigan all had respectable losses, and everyone else was blown out. Toledo, the favorite at the beginning of the year, gave up over 60 points for the second consecutive week, and were down 35-0 in the first quarter. The MAC teams were the darlings of the college football world last year...this year, after 2 weeks, the entire 14 team league has exactly 1 single I-A win...and yes, you guessed it...it was a conference game (EMU over Buffalo). The only logical conclusion is that these guys, top to bottom, are currently atrocious, and that the gap between BCS conferences and the MAC is most obvious when the conferences are trying to replace talent that leaves...sometimes the MAC falls way behind, and must "rebuild, not reload".
Overall conference grade: F
Team rankings:
1 (-) Bowling Green (1-1): A win is a win, no matter who it is against right now.
2 (-) Northern Illinois (1-1): Says something about the conference when a one point win over a I-AA team keeps you #2
3 (+4) Marshall (0-2): Showed a lot of heart last week, and nearly pulled off the monumental upset. Probably a better team than NIU, but on the way to 0-3, they can't move above them.
4 (+7) Ohio (1-1): Yes, they lost 24-3 to Pittsburgh, but they stuck with them, and let's face it, this conference is horrible this year.
5 (+3) Central Florida (0-2): Overmatched against WVU, but showed some signs of life that could carry them against a lackluster Lions squad.
6 (+6) Central Michigan (0-2): 2 losses to the Big Ten, but the Indiana loss doesn't look as bad, and they played the Spartans tough.
7 (+7) Kent State (1-1): Yeah, they only beat a DI-AA school...but they're one of the few teams with a win, and the return of Cribbs breathes some life into the team. They aren't as good as 7th...but they are this week.
8 (-3) Miami (0-2): Have given up 40+ in 2 games, including to Cincinnati...ugh.
9 (-6) Toledo (0-2): This is based on supposed talent level...there is no way to adequately describe how horrible they've looked so far.
10 (-5) Ball State (0-2): Came crashing back to earth with monster loss to Purdue.
11 (-5) Western Michigan (1-1): Guess I was turned off by that little 63 spot Virginia Tech dropped on them.
12 (-3) Akron (0-2): Last year at this time, the MAC was gaining wins against the Big 12, SEC, and ACC. Akron sent them to 0-2 versus the Sun Belt this year.
13 (-3) Eastern Michigan (1-1): Blown out by Florida...could quickly move back up with a better showing this week.
14 (-1) Buffalo (0-2): Depressing loss to Syracuse. They are more competitive, but they need to learn how to get that win.
This week's games:
(note: upset alert is from 0-10, with 10 being "Red Alert" and 0 being "Here's your 400 grand for an ass-whuppin', thanks for coming"
Last week: 12-2 (SU), 6-5 (VL)
All games are on Saturday this week.
Ohio (1-1) at Miami (1-2)
Line: Miami -20
Upset alert: 7
Synopsis: Ohio's new offense was exposed by Pitt last week, but the defense was respectable. Miami was humbled by Cincinnati, displaying how far they've fallen without Big Ben running the show. The Redhawk D has been especially vulnerable. Miami is the pick here, but this game will be closer than many thought at the beginning of the year.
Prediction: Miami 31, Ohio 24
Marshall (0-2) at Georgia (2-0)
Line: Georgia -19.5
Upset alert: 3
Synopsis: Nice guts displayed by Marshall last week, and the football was pretty good in spots, too. Georgia looked tired and jittery against South Carolina, but still pulled off the tough road win. Don't look for Marshall to win this game, but they will make a respectable showing for the second consecutive week.
Prediction: Georgia 31, Marshall 20
Central Florida (0-2) at Penn State (1-1)
Line: Penn State -21
Upset alert: 4.5
Synopsis: UCF hasn't been close to a win, but coach O'Leary liked some of what he saw last week. Penn State reverted directly back to 2003 form after an impressive opening week, so which Penn State team will show up? In this case, it probably won't matter, as Penn State can probably win regardless.
Prediction: Penn State 35, UCF 21
Akron (0-2) at Virginia (2-0)
Line: Virginia -29
Upset alert: 0
Synopsis: One word for this game: yuck. Akron comes off a loss to a middle-of-the-pack Sun Belt team, Virginia has annihilated 2 opponents, including ACC foe UNC. Whatever the spread is, it won't be big enough to demonstrate the discrepancy between these 2 teams. Al Groh could hang a huge number on them.
Prediction: Virginia 56, Akron 3
Kent State (1-1) at Rutgers (1-1)
Line: Rutgers -10
Upset alert: 6.5
Synopsis: Definitely one of the more intriguing matchups this week. Kent comes off a win over I-AA Liberty, and Joshua Cribbs is back. Rutgers, straight off their "program-turning win" over Michigan State promptly lost at home to I-AA New Hampshire 35-24. This is a good matchup for Kent State, but in the end, it looks like Rutgers will bounce back.
Prediction: Rutgers 21, Kent State 17
Buffalo (0-2) at Nevada (1-1)
Line: Nevada -13
Upset alert: 0
Synopsis: Buffalo lost a disappointing game to Syracuse 37-17 at home last week. Now they get to travel across the country and face a high-octane Wolfpack offense. Bye bye.
Prediction: Nevada 42, Buffalo 8
Toledo (0-2) at Eastern Michigan (1-1)
Line: Toledo -10
Upset alert: 7
Synopsis: There are no words to describe how horrible Toledo has been 2 weeks in a row. Minnesota put over 60 on them, then only beat I-AA Illinois State by 16. Kansas beat Tulsa 21-3 in week 1, then were ahead 35-0 in the first quarter over Toledo en route to scoring 60+. This is no gimmie of a conference game for the Rockets, who are short on confidence, let alone defense. Eastern Michigan can score, and they will, en route to the upset.
Prediction: Eastern Michigan 35, Toledo 28
Bowling Green (1-1): Idle
Northern Illinois (1-1) at Iowa State (1-1)
Line: Iowa State -2.5
Upset alert: 5
Synopsis: Hmmm...this is a tricky one too. Both teams have wins over I-AA teams, and have narrowly lost to ranked foes in their other game. Iowa State was victimized last year, and that motivation will be the edge this week in a tough defensive matchup.
Prediction: Iowa State 17, NIU 13
Western Michigan (1-1) at Illinois (1-1)
Line: None
Upset alert: 3.5
Synopsis: This looked like an upset special...until the 63 spot the Broncos gave up last week while coming up with a goose egg themselves. Still, Illinois is a horrible football team with an identity crisis, and this game is ripe for the picking. Look for the Broncos to make a game of it, but fall in the end.
Prediction: Illinois 24, WMU 16
Ball State (0-2) at Missouri (1-1)
Line: Missouri -24.5
Upset alert: 1
Synopsis: Ball State regressed some at Purdue last week, and Missouri is PO'd something awful after losing at Troy State. Look for Smith to rack up the big numbers and take it all out on the Cardinals.
Prediction: Missouri 42, Ball State 14
SE Missouri State at Central Michigan (0-2)
Line: None
Upset alert: 0
Synopsis: Central was competitive at Michigan State last week, so they should be able to comfortably handle this I-AA foe at home.
Prediction: Central Michigan 35, SEMS 20
Season:
Record (SU): 21-3
Record (VL): 11-9
