ON CAMPUS IN OHIO: WEEK 9
By Bucklion
Week 8 Synopsis: Well, if you saw “Ohio” on the scoreboard Saturday, you probably saw a nice victory. The Buckeyes trounced Indiana, The Bobcats had a nice home win against Ball State to even their conference mark, and Miami (Ohio) got a road win at Eastern Michigan. In sharp contrast, if you didn’t you probably saw a bad loss, with the exception of Toledo, who handled their business against Buffalo. Bowling Green took one of the most inexplicable losses in the MAC in the last 25 years when they got trounced at home by hapless Western Michigan. Akron was shut out at home by winless Army, Cincinnati was blown out by Louisville, and Kent was thumped by Northern Illinois. The loss by Bowling Green detonated their cruise to the MAC East crown, and suddenly puts all of the Ohio schools in the East right in the thick of it (except Kent), with Akron having a chance to tie it all up with a win over the Falcons this weekend. All 8 teams see important action, between the MAC East teams all thinking they have a chance, to Toledo traveling to Central Michigan for a critical West game, to the Buckeyes having a must win to stay in first in the Big 10, to Cincinnati with a winnable conference game at Syracuse. No doubt about it, it is a huge week for Ohio football.
Week 9 State Rankings:
1 (-) Ohio State (5-2, 3-1): Buckeyes are looking good…the Gophers ground attack awaits in a tough road game for the Buckeyes to remain in first.
2 (-) Toledo (6-1, 4-0): Easily the class of the MAC, and head and shoulders above the other 6 teams in Ohio below them. The Rockets travel to enigmatic Central Michigan in a big, big MAC West game this week.
3 (+1) Miami (4-3, 3-2): Eked out a good road win at Eastern Michigan. A relatively easy contest against Temple this week...and they’ll be cheering for Akron.
4 (-1) Bowling Green (4-3, 3-1): Took one of the most inexplicable losses in recent MAC history last week. Must win at home against Akron this week to maintain East lead, or else there could be a 4-way tie for first.
5 (+2) Ohio (3-4, 2-2): Got the win over Ball State this week, and the Bobcats are in decent shape right now. Another huge chance for the Bobcats this week at winless Buffalo to fins themselves with a winning conference record, and possibly tied for 1st after 5 games…who would have thought?
6 (-1) Cincinnati (3-4, 1-2): Bearcats got trounced by Louisville. A chance for a win at Syracuse this week, if they want to establish themselves in their new conference.
7 (-1) Akron (3-4, 2-2): All of a sudden everyone is back in the MAC East race, despite pitiful showing against Army last week and a losing overall record. A win at Bowling Green, and the Zips are tied for 1st.
8 (-) Kent State (1-6, 0-4): Another week, another bad loss. This week, they travel to Western Michigan, who just trounced Bowling Green.
Head-To-Head Matchups: Week 9
(NOTE: Upset alert is from 0-10, with 10 being "Red Alert…better concentrate on these guys" and 0 being "Here’s your 400 thousand for an ass-whuppin’….thanks for coming")
Prediction record: 36-11 SU, 18-27 VL
Saturday
Ohio State (5-2, 3-1) at Minnesota (5-2, 2-2)
Line: Ohio State -4
Upset Alert: 5
Synopsis: Well, what a surprise…another must-win Big Ten game for 2 teams. In this case, Ohio State remains tied for first, and must win to keep it that way. Minnesota must win to maintain any chance at a conference crown. The key here will be how well the Buckeyes can stop the run, and how well the Buckeye offense can execute against the undersized Gopher defense. In both counts, Ohio State has a significant advantage. Penn State exposed Minnesota early in the season, and Ohio State has strengths at all the same spots Penn State did, so there is no reason the believe that the Buckeyes will not win up there this weekend.
Prediction: Ohio State 31, Minnesota 21
Cincinnati (3-4, 1-2) at Syracuse (1-6, 0-4)
Line: Syracuse -5
Upset Alert: 9
Synopsis: Think anyone takes the Bearcats seriously? Apparently not, if a team that is 1-6 gets a 5 point spread over them. Still, it is notoriously difficult for young teams to win at the Carrier Dome, and even veteran teams often consider themselves lucky to escape by a narrow margin. That said, Syracuse is mired in their worst season in recent memory, and if they lose this game, it could be a free fall from there. This will be a huge challenge for the Bearcats, but unlike some of the others they’ve had, they could overcome this one. Look for the upset special, as the spirited Bearcats take the underdog label personally and even their record at the expense of the desolate Orangemen.
Prediction: Cincinnati 24, Syracuse 22
Miami (4-3, 3-2) at Temple (0-8)
Line: Miami -22
Upset Alert: 0
Synopsis: If you are a college football fan, you should feel bad about the implosion of Temple, a once proud (OK, at least decent) program that turned in a couple of huge upsets of Virginia Tech in their Big East days. The Owls just have no resources or fan base to compete in I-A right now, and not even a move to the MAC can save them, at least in the near future. Bobby Wallace should be given a medal for working with this team as hard and as long as he has. All that said, Temple hasn’t scored in double digits since September, Miami will spend more time worrying about rooting for Akron this week to get them a first place tie in the MAC East than they will about the Owls, and sadly for Temple, that won’t cost them a thing.
Prediction: Miami 51, Temple 7
Toledo (6-1, 4-0) at Central Michigan (4-3, 3-1)
Line: Toledo -10
Upset Alert: 4
Synopsis: This game is a big showdown in the MAC West. If not for a hard-luck 3 point loss to Eastern Michigan, the Chippewas would be undefeated in conference play coming in. The road to the MAC title game may go through the Glass Bowl, but it makes a firm stop in Mount Pleasant, MI this weekend. The defense will be key for Central, because they have given up less than 20 points in their last 3 games (all wins), and they must find a way to stall the Toledo spread so they can control the clock and have a chance at the end. In the end, Toledo will be too much for the Chippewas, but they will know they were in a fierce battle, and then Northern Illinois looms as their final challenge.
Prediction: Toledo 31, Central Michigan 28
Ohio (3-4, 2-2) at Buffalo (0-7, 0-4)
Line: Ohio -3 ½
Upset Alert: 3
Synopsis: With a win over winless Buffalo, and a Bowling Green loss, the Bearcats would be tied for the MAC East after 5 conference games…what kind of odds would anyone have given on that happening? The Bearcats should be able to hold up their end of that bargain, as Buffalo looks headed for being DI-A’s second winless team (with Temple). Certainly, the Bearcats can’t take anyone lightly, and this week is no different…the Bulls scored in double digits last week against Toledo for only the second time this year. Still, the Bobcats got 38 last week against Ball State, and there is no reason they shouldn’t be able to score enough points to handle the Bulls. A win evens their record at 4-4…their final 3 games are tough, but a 5 win season wouldn’t be out of the question (giving them an even 4-4 conference mark) which in any circle would have to be considered a rousing success for Frank Solich in year 1. All that said, this week’s game is like last week’s…a loss would set the program significantly, and coach Solich will be working diligently to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Prediction: Ohio 27, Buffalo 10
Kent State (1-6, 0-4) at Western Michigan (4-3, 2-2)
Line: Western Michigan -4
Upset Alert: 3
Synopsis: A week ago, this looked like a good chance for Kent to get their first win over a I-A foe. Then, Western went on the road and trounced Bowling Green in one of the more difficult to believe results in recent memory. Was it an anomaly? The betters seem to think so, as Western has only a 4 point edge on a Kent team that really hasn’t been too close too often this season. Western has won 2 conference games in a row, and has scored 105 points doing it. Look for the Broncos in a rout.
Prediction: Western Michigan 42, Kent State 17
Akron (3-4, 2-2) at Bowling Green (4-3, 3-1)
Line: Bowling Green -16 ½
Upset Alert: 6
Synopsis: Before last week’s game, the Falcons looked in cruise control for the MAC East crown…it even looked like they might have a game to play with going in to the final two weekends, where they have to play Miami and Toledo back-to-back. Now, the Falcons must lick their wounds from last week’s devastating loss and face a must-win against pesky Akron to even remain in the MAC East lead at all, or else face a potential 4-way tie, with easily the most difficult remaining schedule of all the teams in the race. If they lose this game, they could be on the outside looking in. Akron, on the other hand, has their own problems, having been shut out at home by winless Army, in a game that the Zips really should have been able to win. The good news: if they somehow manage to beat Bowling Green, they have Ball State, Ohio, and Kent State to finish the year, so they could actually hop into the driver’s seat with a win this week, for a run at what would have to be considered one of the most unexpected division or conference wins in history. Will they be able to do it? The smart money says no, but don’t count the Zips out. Look for Bowling Green to be too much on Saturday, but even with 3 losses, the Zips aren’t out of a shot at a division share.
Prediction: Bowling Green 35, Akron 24
By Bucklion
Week 8 Synopsis: Well, if you saw “Ohio” on the scoreboard Saturday, you probably saw a nice victory. The Buckeyes trounced Indiana, The Bobcats had a nice home win against Ball State to even their conference mark, and Miami (Ohio) got a road win at Eastern Michigan. In sharp contrast, if you didn’t you probably saw a bad loss, with the exception of Toledo, who handled their business against Buffalo. Bowling Green took one of the most inexplicable losses in the MAC in the last 25 years when they got trounced at home by hapless Western Michigan. Akron was shut out at home by winless Army, Cincinnati was blown out by Louisville, and Kent was thumped by Northern Illinois. The loss by Bowling Green detonated their cruise to the MAC East crown, and suddenly puts all of the Ohio schools in the East right in the thick of it (except Kent), with Akron having a chance to tie it all up with a win over the Falcons this weekend. All 8 teams see important action, between the MAC East teams all thinking they have a chance, to Toledo traveling to Central Michigan for a critical West game, to the Buckeyes having a must win to stay in first in the Big 10, to Cincinnati with a winnable conference game at Syracuse. No doubt about it, it is a huge week for Ohio football.
Week 9 State Rankings:
1 (-) Ohio State (5-2, 3-1): Buckeyes are looking good…the Gophers ground attack awaits in a tough road game for the Buckeyes to remain in first.
2 (-) Toledo (6-1, 4-0): Easily the class of the MAC, and head and shoulders above the other 6 teams in Ohio below them. The Rockets travel to enigmatic Central Michigan in a big, big MAC West game this week.
3 (+1) Miami (4-3, 3-2): Eked out a good road win at Eastern Michigan. A relatively easy contest against Temple this week...and they’ll be cheering for Akron.
4 (-1) Bowling Green (4-3, 3-1): Took one of the most inexplicable losses in recent MAC history last week. Must win at home against Akron this week to maintain East lead, or else there could be a 4-way tie for first.
5 (+2) Ohio (3-4, 2-2): Got the win over Ball State this week, and the Bobcats are in decent shape right now. Another huge chance for the Bobcats this week at winless Buffalo to fins themselves with a winning conference record, and possibly tied for 1st after 5 games…who would have thought?
6 (-1) Cincinnati (3-4, 1-2): Bearcats got trounced by Louisville. A chance for a win at Syracuse this week, if they want to establish themselves in their new conference.
7 (-1) Akron (3-4, 2-2): All of a sudden everyone is back in the MAC East race, despite pitiful showing against Army last week and a losing overall record. A win at Bowling Green, and the Zips are tied for 1st.
8 (-) Kent State (1-6, 0-4): Another week, another bad loss. This week, they travel to Western Michigan, who just trounced Bowling Green.
Head-To-Head Matchups: Week 9
(NOTE: Upset alert is from 0-10, with 10 being "Red Alert…better concentrate on these guys" and 0 being "Here’s your 400 thousand for an ass-whuppin’….thanks for coming")
Prediction record: 36-11 SU, 18-27 VL
Saturday
Ohio State (5-2, 3-1) at Minnesota (5-2, 2-2)
Line: Ohio State -4
Upset Alert: 5
Synopsis: Well, what a surprise…another must-win Big Ten game for 2 teams. In this case, Ohio State remains tied for first, and must win to keep it that way. Minnesota must win to maintain any chance at a conference crown. The key here will be how well the Buckeyes can stop the run, and how well the Buckeye offense can execute against the undersized Gopher defense. In both counts, Ohio State has a significant advantage. Penn State exposed Minnesota early in the season, and Ohio State has strengths at all the same spots Penn State did, so there is no reason the believe that the Buckeyes will not win up there this weekend.
Prediction: Ohio State 31, Minnesota 21
Cincinnati (3-4, 1-2) at Syracuse (1-6, 0-4)
Line: Syracuse -5
Upset Alert: 9
Synopsis: Think anyone takes the Bearcats seriously? Apparently not, if a team that is 1-6 gets a 5 point spread over them. Still, it is notoriously difficult for young teams to win at the Carrier Dome, and even veteran teams often consider themselves lucky to escape by a narrow margin. That said, Syracuse is mired in their worst season in recent memory, and if they lose this game, it could be a free fall from there. This will be a huge challenge for the Bearcats, but unlike some of the others they’ve had, they could overcome this one. Look for the upset special, as the spirited Bearcats take the underdog label personally and even their record at the expense of the desolate Orangemen.
Prediction: Cincinnati 24, Syracuse 22
Miami (4-3, 3-2) at Temple (0-8)
Line: Miami -22
Upset Alert: 0
Synopsis: If you are a college football fan, you should feel bad about the implosion of Temple, a once proud (OK, at least decent) program that turned in a couple of huge upsets of Virginia Tech in their Big East days. The Owls just have no resources or fan base to compete in I-A right now, and not even a move to the MAC can save them, at least in the near future. Bobby Wallace should be given a medal for working with this team as hard and as long as he has. All that said, Temple hasn’t scored in double digits since September, Miami will spend more time worrying about rooting for Akron this week to get them a first place tie in the MAC East than they will about the Owls, and sadly for Temple, that won’t cost them a thing.
Prediction: Miami 51, Temple 7
Toledo (6-1, 4-0) at Central Michigan (4-3, 3-1)
Line: Toledo -10
Upset Alert: 4
Synopsis: This game is a big showdown in the MAC West. If not for a hard-luck 3 point loss to Eastern Michigan, the Chippewas would be undefeated in conference play coming in. The road to the MAC title game may go through the Glass Bowl, but it makes a firm stop in Mount Pleasant, MI this weekend. The defense will be key for Central, because they have given up less than 20 points in their last 3 games (all wins), and they must find a way to stall the Toledo spread so they can control the clock and have a chance at the end. In the end, Toledo will be too much for the Chippewas, but they will know they were in a fierce battle, and then Northern Illinois looms as their final challenge.
Prediction: Toledo 31, Central Michigan 28
Ohio (3-4, 2-2) at Buffalo (0-7, 0-4)
Line: Ohio -3 ½
Upset Alert: 3
Synopsis: With a win over winless Buffalo, and a Bowling Green loss, the Bearcats would be tied for the MAC East after 5 conference games…what kind of odds would anyone have given on that happening? The Bearcats should be able to hold up their end of that bargain, as Buffalo looks headed for being DI-A’s second winless team (with Temple). Certainly, the Bearcats can’t take anyone lightly, and this week is no different…the Bulls scored in double digits last week against Toledo for only the second time this year. Still, the Bobcats got 38 last week against Ball State, and there is no reason they shouldn’t be able to score enough points to handle the Bulls. A win evens their record at 4-4…their final 3 games are tough, but a 5 win season wouldn’t be out of the question (giving them an even 4-4 conference mark) which in any circle would have to be considered a rousing success for Frank Solich in year 1. All that said, this week’s game is like last week’s…a loss would set the program significantly, and coach Solich will be working diligently to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Prediction: Ohio 27, Buffalo 10
Kent State (1-6, 0-4) at Western Michigan (4-3, 2-2)
Line: Western Michigan -4
Upset Alert: 3
Synopsis: A week ago, this looked like a good chance for Kent to get their first win over a I-A foe. Then, Western went on the road and trounced Bowling Green in one of the more difficult to believe results in recent memory. Was it an anomaly? The betters seem to think so, as Western has only a 4 point edge on a Kent team that really hasn’t been too close too often this season. Western has won 2 conference games in a row, and has scored 105 points doing it. Look for the Broncos in a rout.
Prediction: Western Michigan 42, Kent State 17
Akron (3-4, 2-2) at Bowling Green (4-3, 3-1)
Line: Bowling Green -16 ½
Upset Alert: 6
Synopsis: Before last week’s game, the Falcons looked in cruise control for the MAC East crown…it even looked like they might have a game to play with going in to the final two weekends, where they have to play Miami and Toledo back-to-back. Now, the Falcons must lick their wounds from last week’s devastating loss and face a must-win against pesky Akron to even remain in the MAC East lead at all, or else face a potential 4-way tie, with easily the most difficult remaining schedule of all the teams in the race. If they lose this game, they could be on the outside looking in. Akron, on the other hand, has their own problems, having been shut out at home by winless Army, in a game that the Zips really should have been able to win. The good news: if they somehow manage to beat Bowling Green, they have Ball State, Ohio, and Kent State to finish the year, so they could actually hop into the driver’s seat with a win this week, for a run at what would have to be considered one of the most unexpected division or conference wins in history. Will they be able to do it? The smart money says no, but don’t count the Zips out. Look for Bowling Green to be too much on Saturday, but even with 3 losses, the Zips aren’t out of a shot at a division share.
Prediction: Bowling Green 35, Akron 24
