I no longer keep up the VanDelay site due to other professinal interests now along with work and family obligations. Below are my predictions for the MAC football season and much like the past ten or twelve years, the strength continues to be in the west division.

The top half of the west really should be a meat grinder and I’ve certainly learned my lesson the hard way on NIU. Until someone beats the Huskies, I will continue to pick them as the MAC champ even though I do believe Western and Toledo may have more talented rosters this year.

I’m also sad to see UMass leave as this program should be very good with their current coaching staff for the next few years. How nice would it have been for the MAC office to land Army as a MAC football only member along with the Minutemen and put the Black Knights in the east division and move BG over to the west? A solid 14-team conference with further exposure in the eastern marketplace. Sadly, that didn’t get done.


MAC WEST
1. NIU The coaches and QBs change but the championships do not
2. Toledo Loaded team with top-25 potential
3. Western Easily would win division if they were in the east
4. Ball St Possibly the best coached team in the league
5. Eastern Expect a much better product in year two of this coaching staff
6. Central In the long run the coaching change will be beneficial for the Chips; they have the QB to be the surprise team of the league

MAC EAST
1. Akron Defense will carry this team to the MACC
2. Ohio U. Has by far the easiest non-conference schedule
3. BG Has by far the most difficult schedule in the MAC which will be the cause of this team not returning to Detroit
4. UMass Will go as far as their star QB can take them
5. Buffalo New coaching staff will get this program to be a consistent winner quickly
6. Miami One year away from being a true contender in the league; too young this fall
7. Kent St Lacks the QB and offense firepower to be any sort of factor

MACC – NIU over Akron

Overall
1. NIU
2. Toledo
3. Western
4. Ball St
5. Akron
6. Ohio
7. BG
8. UMass
9. Buffalo
10. Eastern
11. Central
12. Miami
13. Kent St

Holy smokes!!!! The East Division winner is ranked 5th??? The East must be really down...

(08-31-2015 11:57 AM)Nick in Cleveland Wrote:  I no longer keep up the VanDelay site due to other professinal interests now along with work and family obligations. Below are my predictions for the MAC football season and much like the past ten or twelve years, the strength continues to be in the west division.

The top half of the west really should be a meat grinder and I’ve certainly learned my lesson the hard way on NIU. Until someone beats the Huskies, I will continue to pick them as the MAC champ even though I do believe Western and Toledo may have more talented rosters this year.

I’m also sad to see UMass leave as this program should be very good with their current coaching staff for the next few years. How nice would it have been for the MAC office to land Army as a MAC football only member along with the Minutemen and put the Black Knights in the east division and move BG over to the west? A solid 14-team conference with further exposure in the eastern marketplace. Sadly, that didn’t get done.


MAC WEST
1. NIU The coaches and QBs change but the championships do not
2. Toledo Loaded team with top-25 potential
3. Western Easily would win division if they were in the east
4. Ball St Possibly the best coached team in the league
5. Eastern Expect a much better product in year two of this coaching staff
6. Central In the long run the coaching change will be beneficial for the Chips; they have the QB to be the surprise team of the league

MAC EAST
1. Akron Defense will carry this team to the MACC
2. Ohio U. Has by far the easiest non-conference schedule
3. BG Has by far the most difficult schedule in the MAC which will be the cause of this team not returning to Detroit
4. UMass Will go as far as their star QB can take them
5. Buffalo New coaching staff will get this program to be a consistent winner quickly
6. Miami One year away from being a true contender in the league; too young this fall
7. Kent St Lacks the QB and offense firepower to be any sort of factor

MACC – NIU over Akron
Overall
1. NIU
2. Toledo
3. Western
4. Ball St
5. Akron
6. Ohio
7. BG
8. UMass
9. Buffalo
10. Eastern
11. Central
12. Miami
13. Kent St

That would be sweet!

You're lamenting how great the West has been for 10-12 years but wanted a scenario to also move BG over there?

(08-31-2015 01:12 PM)Redwingtom Wrote:  You're lamenting how great the West has been for 10-12 years but wanted a scenario to also move BG over there?

More that it would have been great to have Army in the MAC.

Thanks for the post - have enjoyed your recruiting rankings and weekly picks forever.

Not sure East is that week. BG & UMASS 3rd & 4th don;t know about that.

(08-31-2015 09:34 PM)NIU05 Wrote:  Not sure East is that week. BG & UMASS 3rd & 4th don;t know about that.

Well see, actually thinking of going to that game. A friend called with an initial plan to drive stopping at the Rock-N-Roll hall of fame on the way to BG and in Canton on the way back. Now thinking of flying into Detriot SW Airlines and renting a car. Time will tell.

Speaking of BG's schedule...can anyone explain why their last three games are against teams from the other division?

That just seems so ridiculous to start with 5 division games and then play 3 against the other.

because the West Teams are better overall and BG is relatively the only good one to watch in the East in their eyes. so the matchups against the west are going to garner more viewers than say a BG-Miami.

(09-01-2015 08:56 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  Speaking of BG's schedule...can anyone explain why their last three games are against teams from the other division?

That just seems so ridiculous to start with 5 division games and then play 3 against the other.

The one year Toledo probably deserves to be number 1 preseason pick, Nick picks the Huskies hah.