http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/preview07/...id=2957159
Apparently the MAC is NOT.
From the article:
Quote:MAC. The league that once prided itself on being a pack of giant-killers has fallen behind the Mountain West, WAC and Conference USA in overall strength. Former upstarts Miami (Ohio), Ohio and Bowling Green have fallen off the map, and the league is home to three of the country's worst teams: Buffalo, Eastern Michigan and Temple.
Yes, it shows some ignorance, but at the same time it shows a need to make some noise when it comes to non-conference games. We need to schedule weak BCS teams like Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Vanderbilt, ect. Teams with we are evenly matched or better than, while being perceived as less than due to our conference affiliation. The MAC should also strike up a deal with a conference like C-USA or the WAC instead of throwing themselves to the wolves by playing so many games against the Big 10. More wins means more respect, even if it's against lesser competition. We all know the upsets can happen because we've seen them happen before. The MAC should definetly try to set up their schedules to create more opportunities for wins and upsets. The Big 10 games kill us in terms of bowl eligibility and respect. Sure, the paychecks are nice, but exposure from a bowl game and boosted attendance is even nicer. I am not saying that we should cut off ties to the Big 10, but we should try to schedule teams like Northwestern, Indiana, Illinois, and teams like them. You'll still get a nice paycheck, but you might also come away with a win, as well.
uakronkid Wrote:http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/preview07/...id=2957159
Apparently the MAC is NOT.
From the article:
Quote:MAC. The league that once prided itself on being a pack of giant-killers has fallen behind the Mountain West, WAC and Conference USA in overall strength. Former upstarts Miami (Ohio), Ohio and Bowling Green have fallen off the map, and the league is home to three of the country's worst teams: Buffalo, Eastern Michigan and Temple.
Yes, it shows some ignorance, but at the same time it shows a need to make some noise when it comes to non-conference games. We need to schedule weak BCS teams like Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Vanderbilt, ect. Teams with we are evenly matched or better than, while being perceived as less than due to our conference affiliation. The MAC should also strike up a deal with a conference like C-USA or the WAC instead of throwing themselves to the wolves by playing so many games against the Big 10. More wins means more respect, even if it's against lesser competition. We all know the upsets can happen because we've seen them happen before. The MAC should definetly try to set up their schedules to create more opportunities for wins and upsets. The Big 10 games kill us in terms of bowl eligibility and respect. Sure, the paychecks are nice, but exposure from a bowl game and boosted attendance is even nicer. I am not saying that we should cut off ties to the Big 10, but we should try to schedule teams like Northwestern, Indiana, Illinois, and teams like them. You'll still get a nice paycheck, but you might also come away with a win, as well.
I agree with what you're saying. It has been harder for NIU to get wins over BCS teams when we have set up games with BCS juggernauts like Ohio State, Michigan, Tennessee, Iowa, Alabama, Wisconsin, etc. The one year we got to play Northwestern in 2005 was one of the rare times they had a good team with a very potent offense and we lost by 1 point going for the win on a 2-point conversion. Boise State played a weak non-conference schedule last season and will play a weak one this season as well. Hawaii will also play a weak non-conference schedule. Boise State and Utah showed that you don't need to play the big BCS programs to get a BCS bowl bid. NIU and other MAC teams need to schedule similar non-conference schedules if we want to have a better chance of going to a BCS bid and gaining back our respect.
the MAC has to get some big wins this year. Sure would be nice if the MAC had a Marketing department getting pro-MAC propaganda to any outlet who would run with it.
SeaWaBronc Wrote:the MAC has to get some big wins this year. Sure would be nice if the MAC had a Marketing department getting pro-MAC propaganda to any outlet who would run with it.
The two would go hand-in-hand, though. I mean, what sort of propaganda should they be churning out? MAC football teams have not been posting many big wins to speak of. When MAC teams pull big upsets, ESPN is all over it.
If MAC teams get it done on the field, the press will follow, that simple.
epasnoopy Wrote:uakronkid Wrote:http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/preview07/...id=2957159
Apparently the MAC is NOT.
From the article:
Quote:MAC. The league that once prided itself on being a pack of giant-killers has fallen behind the Mountain West, WAC and Conference USA in overall strength. Former upstarts Miami (Ohio), Ohio and Bowling Green have fallen off the map, and the league is home to three of the country's worst teams: Buffalo, Eastern Michigan and Temple.
Yes, it shows some ignorance, but at the same time it shows a need to make some noise when it comes to non-conference games. We need to schedule weak BCS teams like Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Vanderbilt, ect. Teams with we are evenly matched or better than, while being perceived as less than due to our conference affiliation. The MAC should also strike up a deal with a conference like C-USA or the WAC instead of throwing themselves to the wolves by playing so many games against the Big 10. More wins means more respect, even if it's against lesser competition. We all know the upsets can happen because we've seen them happen before. The MAC should definetly try to set up their schedules to create more opportunities for wins and upsets. The Big 10 games kill us in terms of bowl eligibility and respect. Sure, the paychecks are nice, but exposure from a bowl game and boosted attendance is even nicer. I am not saying that we should cut off ties to the Big 10, but we should try to schedule teams like Northwestern, Indiana, Illinois, and teams like them. You'll still get a nice paycheck, but you might also come away with a win, as well.
Hawaii will also play a weak non-conference schedule. Boise State and Utah showed that you don't need to play the big BCS programs to get a BCS bowl bid.
The OOC schedule that UTAH played for their BCS bid featured 3 BCS opponents in Texas A&M, Arizona, and North Carolina. Which is a lot tougher than what Boise faced last season or what Hawaii has lined up for this year. Non of those teams were that good when Utah played them, but all three teams were good in the late 90s when the games were probably agreed to.
tcufrog86 Wrote:epasnoopy Wrote:uakronkid Wrote:http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/preview07/...id=2957159
Apparently the MAC is NOT.
From the article:
Quote:MAC. The league that once prided itself on being a pack of giant-killers has fallen behind the Mountain West, WAC and Conference USA in overall strength. Former upstarts Miami (Ohio), Ohio and Bowling Green have fallen off the map, and the league is home to three of the country's worst teams: Buffalo, Eastern Michigan and Temple.
Yes, it shows some ignorance, but at the same time it shows a need to make some noise when it comes to non-conference games. We need to schedule weak BCS teams like Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Vanderbilt, ect. Teams with we are evenly matched or better than, while being perceived as less than due to our conference affiliation. The MAC should also strike up a deal with a conference like C-USA or the WAC instead of throwing themselves to the wolves by playing so many games against the Big 10. More wins means more respect, even if it's against lesser competition. We all know the upsets can happen because we've seen them happen before. The MAC should definetly try to set up their schedules to create more opportunities for wins and upsets. The Big 10 games kill us in terms of bowl eligibility and respect. Sure, the paychecks are nice, but exposure from a bowl game and boosted attendance is even nicer. I am not saying that we should cut off ties to the Big 10, but we should try to schedule teams like Northwestern, Indiana, Illinois, and teams like them. You'll still get a nice paycheck, but you might also come away with a win, as well.
Hawaii will also play a weak non-conference schedule. Boise State and Utah showed that you don't need to play the big BCS programs to get a BCS bowl bid.
The OOC schedule that UTAH played for their BCS bid featured 3 BCS opponents in Texas A&M, Arizona, and North Carolina. Which is a lot tougher than what Boise faced last season or what Hawaii has lined up for this year. Non of those teams were that good when Utah played them, but all three teams were good in the late 90s when the games were probably agreed to.
Actually I think Texas A&M was pretty good that year.....they played in the Cotton Bowl.
Utah made a BCS game not by finishing in the top 12......but finishing in the top 6 under the old rules, pretty amazing.
I was confusing 05 TAMU with 04 TAMU. The 04 team was pretty good, they went 7-4 in the regular season and played Tennessee in the Cotton Bowl. They ended 7-5 with losses to OU, Utah, Texas, Tennessee, and only one loss to a bad team, Baylor.
That Utah team is IMO one of the best teams in post 2000 college football. It is just too bad that they did not get a shot at either the national title, or a better opponent than Pitt.
Screw ESPN. According to Phil Steele, the MAC, on a down year, had more road non-conf. wins vs. BCS teams in 2006 than the ACC did.
The MAC does well considering its budget and the fact 80% of its games are on the road. F all of its detractors.
How is Ohio fallen. 9 wins, including one at Illinois and we reached a bowl game just last year. GMAC bowl was bad, but Southern Miss had a lot to do with that.
OUBOBCATJOHN Wrote:How is Ohio fallen. 9 wins, including one at Illinois and we reached a bowl game just last year. GMAC bowl was bad, but Southern Miss had a lot to do with that.
Seriously. We just got ON the map by winning the MAC East and only won 4 games the previous year. First bowl game in 38 years and beating a BCS team for the third year in a row makes me wonder what ESPN needs to call us a team on the rise.
bobcatgrad Wrote:OUBOBCATJOHN Wrote:How is Ohio fallen. 9 wins, including one at Illinois and we reached a bowl game just last year. GMAC bowl was bad, but Southern Miss had a lot to do with that.
Seriously. We just got ON the map by winning the MAC East and only won 4 games the previous year. First bowl game in 38 years and beating a BCS team for the third year in a row makes me wonder what ESPN needs to call us a team on the rise.
More than one year of success?
BGDrew Wrote:bobcatgrad Wrote:OUBOBCATJOHN Wrote:How is Ohio fallen. 9 wins, including one at Illinois and we reached a bowl game just last year. GMAC bowl was bad, but Southern Miss had a lot to do with that.
Seriously. We just got ON the map by winning the MAC East and only won 4 games the previous year. First bowl game in 38 years and beating a BCS team for the third year in a row makes me wonder what ESPN needs to call us a team on the rise.
More than one year of success?
I was talking about being "rising team" as opposed to a "falling team" which is what ESPN is suggesting. Granted it is still early and we have to establish ourselves as a legitimate contender this season, but if you had to label us as one you have to admit that the former label makes more sense than the latter.
Ohio as a falling team doesn't make sense. Maybe the writer meant Toledo because, similar to MU and BGSU, Toledo has had a strong program but was down in 2006.
BGSUalum1987 Wrote:The two would go hand-in-hand, though. I mean, what sort of propaganda should they be churning out? MAC football teams have not been posting many big wins to speak of. When MAC teams pull big upsets, ESPN is all over it.
If MAC teams get it done on the field, the press will follow, that simple.
I think the above post says it all, no need for discussion. The only way the MAC gets any national respect and good press is by earning it on the field. The MAC was in prime position to gain some well deserved long term goodwill after the big wins in 2003, but the conference has laid an egg for the past few seasons.
delflash Wrote:Ohio as a falling team doesn't make sense. Maybe the writer meant Toledo because, similar to MU and BGSU, Toledo has had a strong program but was down in 2006.
Delflash, I agree with you that I think Mark (the author) meant to say Toledo instead of Ohio. In fact, I wrote him an e-mail yesterday pointing out this exact situation. I'm waiting to see if he'll respond to me, but I'm not holding my breath. I was polite to him so maybe he will!
As for what he said, he's not wrong about the MAC falling recently. Let's be honest, what BIG OOC wins have we had in the past few years since that big day in 2003? Not many and there are a lot of reasons for it. But, honestly, we need to start winning some OOC games of note before we can be taken seriously again.