Northern is by far the best team in the MAC so far and should win it all...mark it down...Akron is an unknown but they gave Purdue everything they wanted and are looking strong...UT is still an unknown and I just don't see BG winning it because their defense.
Thats my top four...anyone else??
BG has been adapting to a new Defensive coordinator and a new defensive scheme. It's premature to say that our D will remain a problem for the entire year. Granted, Temple is Temple and to limit them to 7 points isn't saying much but, then again, the only other team to hold them to less was Wisconsin.
This Saturday will be more of an indicator as to how far the D has come.
I disagree about NIU being the best in the MAC by far. NIU beat Miami, but it was on the Huskies home turf. Betts played terrible and didn't throw a really good looking pass all game, yet Miami still scored 27 points on NIU's home field.
NIU has to play at Central Michigan and at Toledo. Those will be two very tough games for NIU. NIU has outscored opponents 80-30 at home in two games, of course one was against a I-AA school. That is an average score of 40-15. However, on the road NIU has been outscored 120-92 in three games. That is an average score of 40-30. NIU is 2-0 at home and 0-3 on the road.
Giving up 40 ppg on the road and being 0-3 on the road tells me that NIU will have all they can handle against CMU and UT on the road. And playing Western Michigan at the end of the season isn't a cake walk either. That is a young team at WMU, but a very talented group of young kids and they will essentially have a full year of experience by that game.
My honest predictions is that NIU will lose at CMU and at UT and finish 5-3 in the MAC. The winner of the West will have at least 1 loss.
In the East, Bowling Green is going to run away with it. However, I think they lose in the MACC.
Conclusion, there is no clear cut team above the rest in the MAC. Right now Toledo, NIU, CMU, and Bowling Green seem to have the best shot at being the best in the MAC at year's end but I don't see any of them as being clear cut above the others.
I like NIU because they play fundamental hard nosed football. They are built around a good offensive line that can run block. Most MAC teams have gone to gimmick football and the linemen are non agressive. They can only stand up and pass block. It helps to have a Wolfe. He is the best. I wished that we had Joe Novak. Congrats to NIU.
Alarming stat of the day:
NIU Fumbles Lost
2004 - 1
2005 - 7
In just 5 games NIU has 7 fumbles compared to 1 all of last year. If they can clear up their turnover problems and Hurd and Powers stay healthy, they will be one unbelievably hard team to stop.
GFlash68 Wrote:I like NIU because they play fundamental hard nosed football. They are built around a good offensive line that can run block. Most MAC teams have gone to gimmick football and the linemen are non agressive. They can only stand up and pass block.
Did I just trip into a Bucknuts thread?
Three yards in a cloud of dust!!!!!!
NIU's D finally played a decent game and I really have to give it to our young guys, they stepped up and played pretty well. Against Akron the tackling was the worst I have seen from NIU since the streak. If NIU can hold their opponents to 27 points per game they should win their remaining games, not that 27 points is great but it should be good enough. NIU definitely has to hold onto the damn ball and the defense has to play decent.
i think this year you cant really single out one team. all the top teams are a little bit down and the lower teams are a little bit better. this year is one of those one game anything can happen type years for everyone
We have the best QB in the MAC(at least he is playing the best) the best RB in the MAC, one of the best WR's in the MAC (Hurd), the best O- line in the MAC, and an improving defense. We should win the MAC this year.
G-FORCE Wrote:We have the best QB in the MAC(at least he is playing the best) the best RB in the MAC, one of the best WR's in the MAC (Hurd), the best O- line in the MAC, and an improving defense. We should win the MAC this year.
You obviously have the best crack in the MAC, as well. :eek:
G-FORCE Wrote:We have the best QB in the MAC(at least he is playing the best) the best RB in the MAC, one of the best WR's in the MAC (Hurd), the best O- line in the MAC, and an improving defense. We should win the MAC this year.
Sorry G-FORCE. Seven words:
The Toledo Rockets in the Glass Bowl.
G-FORCE Wrote:We have the best QB in the MAC(at least he is playing the best) the best RB in the MAC, one of the best WR's in the MAC (Hurd), the best O- line in the MAC, and an improving defense. We should win the MAC this year.
Oh I'm waiting for BG fans to read this one. Sorry, but Omar Jacobs is much better than Horvath and I believe that Gradkowski is much better as well when he is healthy.
Nothing against Horvath as I think he is the best QB that NIU has had since they rejoined the MAC in 1997, but take your red and black colored glasses off for a minute G-FORCE.
Hurd is playing great at WR, and Powers looks good. However, I question the depth at WR for NIU after those two. Your defense played much better, but they were also at home. It doesn't change the fact that they are giving up 40 ppg on the road through the first 3 games of the season and you have to play at Central Michigan and at Toledo. If you only hold Miami to 27 points on your own home field when Betts can't throw a pass with his feet planted and as a tight spiral if his life depended on it, then you are going to give up more than 27 points on the road against Central Michigan and Toledo.
I am not saying that NIU won't beat CMU or Toledo, but it will be a tough task no doubt and they are in back to back games in November.
I enjoy the "Woody's three yards and a cloud of dust" banter. I believe that if you look at the stats, you will see that NIU is pretty balanced and uses the pass very frequently. It is just that they are the first MAC that I have seen this year that has an O line that can block for a running play. Most are now using running as a diversion only. There are times when it is nice to be able to pick up 2 or three yards.
RangerRocket Wrote:G-FORCE Wrote:We have the best QB in the MAC(at least he is playing the best) the best RB in the MAC, one of the best WR's in the MAC (Hurd), the best O- line in the MAC, and an improving defense. We should win the MAC this year.
Sorry G-FORCE. Seven words:
The Toledo Rockets in the Glass Bowl.
Oddball & Rocket Ranger:
Well, if he is on crack, Toledo is the place to go. Just got to be aware of those carjackings.
rockettefootball:
So is Jacobs in the top 10 qb's statistically in the country? He may have better "skills" but does that make him better? I am not saying he is not good or not one of the best, but Jacobs is not CLEARLY the best. Gradkowski had similar stats to Horvath before he got hurt(of course, to that point Horvath had a tougher schedule). Although he may have run a little more than Horvath, Horvath had a few more passing yards so it was probably close. In other words, there may not be a clear winner but you can't honestly say Horvath is DEFINATELY NOT the best.
here's a discussion that'll get ugly quick. I'll stay out of it
As far as points we've given up on the road, that's a little deceptive. We really haven't stopped anybody all year, whether at home or on the road (except Tennessee Tech, and I don't really count that). However, although Miami scored 27 points on us at home, they had a short field twice due to an interception and a fumble on a punt return. So the defense did a little better than the score showed. Also, we finally started tackling people instead of bouncing off. If that keeps up, our defense won't look as bad the rest of the year.
Not that we can look past ANYBODY on our schedule. Nobody has stopped our 'O' yet, but with our D, who knows what can happen?
RobertN Wrote:In other words, there may not be a clear winner but you can't honestly say Horvath is DEFINATELY NOT the best.
Yes, yes I can. :angel:
RobertN Wrote:RangerRocket Wrote:G-FORCE Wrote:We have the best QB in the MAC(at least he is playing the best) the best RB in the MAC, one of the best WR's in the MAC (Hurd), the best O- line in the MAC, and an improving defense. We should win the MAC this year.
Sorry G-FORCE. Seven words:
The Toledo Rockets in the Glass Bowl.
Oddball & Rocket Ranger:
Well, if he is on crack, Toledo is the place to go. Just got to be aware of those carjackings.
rockettefootball:
So is Jacobs in the top 10 qb's statistically in the country? He may have better "skills" but does that make him better? I am not saying he is not good or not one of the best, but Jacobs is not CLEARLY the best. Gradkowski had similar stats to Horvath before he got hurt(of course, to that point Horvath had a tougher schedule). Although he may have run a little more than Horvath, Horvath had a few more passing yards so it was probably close. In other words, there may not be a clear winner but you can't honestly say Horvath is DEFINATELY NOT the best.
Yes...
<a href='http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegefootball/stats/playersort/NCAAF/QB' target='_blank'>http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegefootball/...ersort/NCAAF/QB</a>
FWIW, Horvath is doing well but it's still fairly early. To me the best stats on there are the number of touchdowns and the number of interceptions. Throwing the ball away hurts a QB's completion percentage, but a lot of times it's the smartest thing to do as opposed to throwing it up for grabs. 17 tds, 2 ints compared to 13 tds, 5 ints. Those 17 tds have come in 1 less game, also.
![[Image: OSU_We2.jpg]](http://www.clevelandskyline.com/OSU_We2.jpg)