CSNbbs

If the MAC is to continue its place in the national spotlight in football, we need at least 1 team to finish in the top 25 next year. Which teams (not counting Marshall and UCF) have the best chance to do this?

I think there are 5 teams that have the best chance--Toledo, Northern Illinois, Miami, Bowling Green, and Western Michigan.

Looking at early games, the team that has the best chance to make a quick, impressive start is Toledo. They have winnable games at Minnesota, at Kansas, and home to Temple. Their conference divisional schedule also looks hopeful. If Toledo opens 3-0 and loses no more than 2 MAC games, surely they'll finish in the top 25.

Northern Illinois also could start fast but has a more difficult task. I believe they open at Maryland and also play Iowa St. away. Someone help me with the rest of their out of conference games. They could imitate Miami's scheme of last year by losing their opening game and then winning most if not all of their remaining games. Their divisional schedule is very winnable with Toledo and BG at home.

Miami also might imitate its last year's results, losing their opener at Michigan and then winning most of their games after that. Talk is that they will play at Marshall and that will be tough. Also, of last year's front runners, it looks like Miami loses the most key players, especially on offense.

Bowling Green opens at Oklahoma and also plays away at Temple. They too could do a Miami imitation, losing their first game and winning most of their remaining games. Playing Toledo and Northern Illinois on the road, though, will be tough. A lot of fans don't realize that BG has a lot of returnees and a highly touted QB replacement, Omar Jacobs.

I couldn't find Western Michigan's out of conference schedule, but many people think Western could return to prominence next year.

I'm hoping the MAC can at least keep one top 25 birth next year. That should keep us in the spotlight. Can we hope for a repeat of last year and get 2 teams in the top 25? And remember that Northern Illinois finished 26th last year.

To begin with, let's hope Toledo gets fast out of the gate and puts the MAC in the headlines early. I'm not sure how Minnesota looks for next year. If the Rockets can control the Gopher's running game, I predict a win. I did hear Minnesota had a disappointing recruiting class.

The Gophers run the ball well and UT is replacing their Dline. That could be the key. It will be a struggle, but the Rockettes are primed for revenge for the screwjob they took against Minny a couple of years ago.

I hope they kick the gopher's butts...

Western plays Verginia Tech and Ill. I think we will beat Ill. but tech is a long shot. We are still rebuilding but we should be a lot better this year - I would say 05 and 06 that we will be powerhouses.

UT is already ranked in the top 25 and see them going much higher.

I also believe has Miami good returning talent and will also be ranked.

Finally, I believe that we are witnessing the turning point in MAC football. Politics play a big role in rankings and they have left meany deserving MAC teams unranked in the past, but the public perception has turned and the Mighty MAC may very well see 3 teems ranked this year.

Flipper Wrote:The Gophers run the ball well and UT is replacing their Dline.

We are very glad that our D-Line is gone......can't be any worse, believe me. The last couple of years we had no pass rush and teams were able to run the ball against us.


That said, Minnesota has one of the best running games in the country. They do have a new QB that will start this fall though, so hopefully we can key on the run against them.

I like our chances in every game we play because of our offense.


I know ESPN has us ranked #25 right now, but when the first preseason polls come out I wouldn't expect to see us in the Top 25. I would guess that if we win the first 2 games we will be ranked, but it might take the first 3.

We do have BG at home, but have to play at NIU and at Miami University in conference play. Those will be 3 tough games. At WMU will also be a tough one.

As good as the MAC has been the last couple of years I have to think that we will have at least 1 if not 2 teams ranked going into the Bowl season.

To add to my last post-

Over the last couple of years, a new phenomenon has accured in Kalamazoo - People are waring black and gold with WMU insignias. And it is not just 445,000 residents in the Kazoo metro area. 50 miles north, in Grand Rapids (metro area over 1 million) I have been seeing intrest and support for Western. Further, it used to be that if you wanted a bronco hat, shirt, or flag you had to go to the WMU bookstore and then the selection was limited to say the least - Now, most area retail stores stock these goods with a huge selection ( my sister works for the largest clothing wholesaler in the midwest and she says the demand has gone from 0 to through the roof in just 2 years for local stores). Being the fact that WMU has not been that good the last few years, IMO I think the boom is from the media attention the MAC in general is getting.

Of all the people I see supporting WMU in garp, most important are the kids. When I was growing up here in Michigan, ever one wore UM, ND (S. Bend is just 50 miles south of Kazoo) with the occasional out cast waring MSU stuff, but now I am seeing A LOT of area kids waring the black and gold. Unlike my generation, these kids are going to grow up to Bronco fans and when the day comes that they can stay at home and watch the UofM play ND on TV or go to a home Western game - IMO they will be in a stadium.(IMO give 10 to 15 years and WMU will have to do some major exspansion in seating at Waldo).

BGSU, UT, Miami and NIU all have the chance to get ranked.

Santa Fe Falcon Wrote:Northern Illinois also could start fast but has a more difficult task.  I believe they open at Maryland and also play Iowa St. away.  Someone help me with the rest of their out of conference games.

Our only other OOC game is at home vs a very good Southern Illinois. Although they are 1aa, a win over the Salukies would be a very respectable win for us. But a loss would look very bad as far as rankings go.