</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> Yes, but the teams you mention - NIU & BSU - return nearly as many starters that already had more experience than your returnees, plus they both beat you. Sorry, this won't be the year... </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You still lack experience at QB and WR, which could make your offense a tad one-dimensional. If that happens, experience at other positions will be hard-pressed to make up the difference. I'll also remind you that we lost our starting QB, Vickers, in the third quarter against you last season (bad ankle bruise). Those last couple drives, he could have made a difference, as he's the more accurate passer.

As for BSU, they've beaten us by a combined eight points the last two seasons. It's not going out on a limb to say that it's a toss-up game, with home field advantage to CMU. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" />

The MAC West will be at its most jumbled mess since the conference split into divisions. Aside from eemoo, I wouldn't be surprised at whoever wound up winning the West.

For the Broncos to win it, our starting QB (whoever that will be) will have to perform well, our young O-Line will need to step up, and our JUCO transfers in the secondary will have to succeed. At this point, our major strengths are in our D-Line (I'd love to see Lee Suggs held below 100 yards) and wide receivers. Our special teams and rushing were mediocre last year, but I sense both areas will be improved.

I tend to fall in line with most of what the publications are stating for the MAC East... It'll be down to Marshall and UCF, with Miami as a possible party crasher.

BG was lucky with turnovers last yr? Or was part of the reason because of a very agressive D?

BG will get handled by toledo as the rockets have revenge on their minds? After getting thrashed by ut 51-17 in 2000, BG was gonna win that game last yr no matter what. This year's game in ut should be a great one...

I am biased (like everyone else here) so I like BG to squeak by WMU, ut and NIU for the West title (although CMU could very well win the West too) and Marshall to win the East although I think they will be pushed to the limit by Miami and UCF. My darkhorse in the East is Kent...just a feeling everyone will overlook them and the Flashes will jump up and bite some teams...hopefully BG won't be one of them.

At any rate, there are a lot of solid teams in the MAC and any number of them could win it all...

GO BG! GO MAC! <img border="0" alt="[Cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/cheers.gif" />

I've been reading Phil Steele's mag this football season and he picks BG third in the east. I tend to agree becasue of what he said about BG's turnovers last season (+17) when compared to opponents. That was a high of a ratio as anyone in the country, and Phil says "Turnovers=turnarounds".

Teams with high turnover ratio one year, tend to take a step back the next season, when things don't go their way. Teams with negative ratios are poised for improvement with better breaks.

I guess you could say BG's success was the result of an agressive defense, but I was at that Toledo-BG game, and the only thing I noticed was the lethargic start from the rockets, and bad breaks for the blue and gold. BG won with big plays, not domination.

KC

One problem, KC: BG is no longer in the East.