How do you think the MAC will fare this year?

UMASS - PSU
BGSU - Indy and Wisky
Miami - Michigan
Akron - PSU
Kent - OSU
BSU - Iowa
CMU - Purdue
EMU - MSU
NIU - NW
WMU - Purdue

Looks like another rough year for the MAC. To me, the only shots are CMU-Purdue, BGSU-Indy, NIU-NW, and maybe BSU-Iowa. Thoughts?

(08-21-2014 12:53 PM)george14 Wrote:  How do you think the MAC will fare this year?

UMASS - PSU
BGSU - Indy and Wisky
Miami - Michigan
Akron - PSU
Kent - OSU
BSU - Iowa
CMU - Purdue
EMU - MSU
NIU - NW
WMU - Purdue

Looks like another rough year for the MAC. To me, the only shots are CMU-Purdue, BGSU-Indy, NIU-NW, and maybe BSU-Iowa. Thoughts?

I'd give WMU v Purdue a 'maybe'. But, it looks rough.

Sure there are no easy victories this year against the Big 10. But the games you mentioned are 50-50 toss-ups. What most people fail to realize is, this year the MAC has four very real chances to beat a Big 10 team. It wasn't that long ago when Toledo beat Purdue (and then Michigan) that it was the leading story for ESPN.

This year when BGSU beats Indiana and Northern beats Northwestern it will be swept "under the rug" not because the talent level as narrowed but the national media wants to create this divide between the "Power Conferences" and the rest of us.

(08-21-2014 12:53 PM)george14 Wrote:  How do you think the MAC will fare this year?

UMASS - PSU
BGSU - Indy and Wisky
Miami - Michigan
Akron - PSU
Kent - OSU
BSU - Iowa
CMU - Purdue
EMU - MSU
NIU - NW
WMU - Purdue

Looks like another rough year for the MAC. To me, the only shots are CMU-Purdue, BGSU-Indy, NIU-NW, and maybe BSU-Iowa. Thoughts?

I can see 3-8..seems reasonable and fairly standard.

(08-21-2014 01:13 PM)All Dukes_All Day Wrote:  

(08-21-2014 12:53 PM)george14 Wrote:  How do you think the MAC will fare this year?

UMASS - PSU
BGSU - Indy and Wisky
Miami - Michigan
Akron - PSU
Kent - OSU
BSU - Iowa
CMU - Purdue
EMU - MSU
NIU - NW
WMU - Purdue

Looks like another rough year for the MAC. To me, the only shots are CMU-Purdue, BGSU-Indy, NIU-NW, and maybe BSU-Iowa. Thoughts?

I can see 3-8..seems reasonable and fairly standard.

CMU and BGSU should win in my opinion. I actually think they will be the favorites unless there are blowouts beforehand. I don't know how NIU will be without Lynch, but I assume they will still be solid. Purdue was terrible, so it wouldn't even surprise me if they lost to WMU. Then again I guess I wouldn't be surprised to see them be 6-6 this year. The MAC knows a thing or two about turnarounds.

and how many of those games will be played in MAC stadiums?

The circumstances around the Akron-PSU game couldn't be more ideal. PSU is coming off an international trip, Akron has two extra days of rest. PSU is at the worst point in their sanctions and will start coming back out of them next season. Akron now knows they can compete with and beat a Big Ten team. PSU has their conference opener next week against Rutgers. It's the ultimate trap game.

George 14 wrote: To me, the only shots are CMU-Purdue, BGSU-Indy, NIU-NW, and maybe BSU-Iowa. Thoughts?

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eCK:I' d put WMU over Purdue on the possible list!

(08-21-2014 01:39 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  and how many of those games will be played in MAC stadiums?

Is it 1? Indiana at Bowling Green?

MSU plays at WMU next year, and then fulfills the last of its 3-1's, against EMU, sometime in the hazy future, and those could be the only Big Ten games at MAC schools for the balance of the decade.

This is always a ridiculous discussion since almost all if these games are away games for us. Lord how I hate the Pig10.

(08-21-2014 03:58 PM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  This is always a ridiculous discussion since almost all if these games are away games for us. Lord how I hate the Pig10.

One of the many ways in which college football is dysfunctional.

Missouri plays AT Toledo this season. Will there ever be another SEC team that plays at a MAC school? When Toledo had its "home" game v Ohio State a couple years back, it was played in Cleveland.

Yes, when you consider the MAC's record against the power conferences, it is certainly fair to note that the vast majority of these games are played away.....I don't have the stats at my fingertips, but I've seen them before,a nd when the B10 guys play each other I think the visitor only wins about 33% of the time.

My heart says we'll be Purdue. But then my head remembers we lost to FCS bottom-feeder Nicholls State at home last year.

It's a new season, yes, but I'd still consider it a decent upset if we beat a B1G team on the road (even a bad one).

I actually think Purdue will have a big turnaround season and win 4 or 5. Two being vs. WMU and CMU. They are winnable games though.
Akron vs. PSU could be a shocker if Akron is a team to beat in the East. Or if BSU can keep it going this season and take down Iowa. I always thought it was weird how NIU was so good but never played well offensively vs. Iowa to beat em up. To me Iowa isn't top tier big10. I know they should be good this year, but BSU may be tough. I'd give em as good of a shot as Toledo did going into Arizona in 2012. That went to OT.

(08-22-2014 12:20 AM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  I actually think Purdue will have a big turnaround season and win 4 or 5. Two being vs. WMU and CMU. They are winnable games though.
Akron vs. PSU could be a shocker if Akron is a team to beat in the East. Or if BSU can keep it going this season and take down Iowa. I always thought it was weird how NIU was so good but never played well offensively vs. Iowa to beat em up. To me Iowa isn't top tier big10. I know they should be good this year, but BSU may be tough. I'd give em as good of a shot as Toledo did going into Arizona in 2012. That went to OT.

It's tough to say how teams will be when they come off a terrible season. As a CMU fan, we know. 12-2 #23 in 2009, 3-9 in 2010 and 2012, then back to 7-6 in 2012. Last year we played UNLV who was I believe 3-9 in 2012, we were hammering them 21-0, they made a QB change and ended the season 7-6 and a bowl game. You never know.

Anyhow, we return more starters than anyone in the country and have a returning QB which is huge. I expect to beat Purdue and that is without the kool-aid. WMU was awful last year, so I guess we will see how both teams are week 1 which should give CMU a decent meter reading.

(08-21-2014 12:53 PM)george14 Wrote:  How do you think the MAC will fare this year?

UMASS - PSU
BGSU - Indy and Wisky BGSU wins both. Wisky replacing a lot of talent
Miami - Michigan
Akron - PSU
Kent - OSU
BSU - Iowa Should be close, Iowa returns QB, slight Iowa edge
CMU - Purdue CMU favored
EMU - MSU
NIU - NW With Marc transferred and WR Jones out, NIU favorite
WMU - Purdue

Strong possibility of 4, possibly 5

(08-22-2014 12:20 AM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  I actually think Purdue will have a big turnaround season and win 4 or 5. Two being vs. WMU and CMU. They are winnable games though.
Akron vs. PSU could be a shocker if Akron is a team to beat in the East. Or if BSU can keep it going this season and take down Iowa. I always thought it was weird how NIU was so good but never played well offensively vs. Iowa to beat em up. To me Iowa isn't top tier big10. I know they should be good this year, but BSU may be tough. I'd give em as good of a shot as Toledo did going into Arizona in 2012. That went to OT.

Iowa had a fairly good defense. Not great but solid. It was their offense that was mediocre, and they had a new QB last year so not too surprising. In 2012 we played very conservatively and it was Lynch's first start.

In my opinion, Iowa is typically the same every year. They just win the close games instead of losing them. Their last 3 games against the MAC (not including 1-11 WMU):

2012
W 18-17 NIU
L 32-31 CMU

2013
L 30-27

To me, that is one inch which could have made those games different for Iowa. Maybe experience puts them over the edge. BSU lost their 2 studs so it's hard to predict what will happen because Wenning was a beast and experience at QB seems to be key in beating BIG10 teams.

How long has it been since MAC football has failed to win a least one game against the Big 10?