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# Toledo Arizona ; at Purdue; Wyoming; at Boise State

Hugh props for getting the #2 team in the Pac10 to come to Toledo: ncaabbs: and scheduling the #3 team in the nation from last year. Here's hoping you can make it Back to Back years with MAC wins over Purdue(NIU 09)

Eastern Michigan: Army; at Ohio State; at Vanderbilt; at Virginia
some might say a bit too agressive but VA has been in a tailspin the last 5 years I will not rule out a win there and getting Army at home is a draw which is tough to do in Ypsi.

Temple: Villanova; UConn; at Penn State; at Army
Will have to win the City Game with Nova eventhough they were the FCS national champ last year, a 2nd loss would be a blow. Getting a BE bowl winner at home and playing Army are big pluses.

Central Michigan: Hampton; at Northwestern; at Virginia Tech; at Navy
Strong agressive schedule. Navy was the nation's top Indy last year coming off a comvincing bowl win and VaTech looks to be the class of the ACC this year.

Western Michigan at Michigan State; Nichols State; Idaho; at Notre Dame

MSU & ND in the same year, wow! CMU beat MSU last year can WMU make it 2 MAC teams in 2 years. Has ND played a MAC team in football before and would't it be amazing if WMU took it!

Akron Syracuse ; Gardner Webb; at Kentucky; at Indiana

Getting a BE team at home is a huge plus and the Indiana game is definitely winnable.

# Buffalo Rhode Island ; at Baylor; UCF; at UConn

Two BCS teams plus a former MAC member at home, I like it.

# NIU at Iowa State; North Dakota; at Illinois; at Minnesota

Illinois and Minny had flat 2nd halves of last year and have several positions to replace. This could be an epic year in DeKalb with a Purdue victory last year.
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# Toledo Arizona ; at Purdue; Wyoming; at Boise State

Hugh props for getting the #2 team in the Pac10 to come to Toledo: ncaabbs: and scheduling the #3 team in the nation from last year. Here's hoping you can make it Back to Back years with MAC wins over Purdue(NIU 09)

Eastern Michigan: Army; at Ohio State; at Vanderbilt; at Virginia
some might say a bit too agressive but VA has been in a tailspin the last 5 years I will not rule out a win there and getting Army at home is a draw which is tough to do in Ypsi.

Temple: Villanova; UConn; at Penn State; at Army
Will have to win the City Game with Nova eventhough they were the FCS national champ last year, a 2nd loss would be a blow. Getting a BE bowl winner at home and playing Army are big pluses.

Central Michigan: Hampton; at Northwestern; at Virginia Tech; at Navy
Strong agressive schedule. Navy was the nation's top Indy last year coming off a comvincing bowl win and VaTech looks to be the class of the ACC this year.

Western Michigan at Michigan State; Nichols State; Idaho; at Notre Dame

MSU & ND in the same year, wow! CMU beat MSU last year can WMU make it 2 MAC teams in 2 years. Has ND played a MAC team in football before and would't it be amazing if WMU took it!

Akron Syracuse ; Gardner Webb; at Kentucky; at Indiana

Getting a BE team at home is a huge plus and the Indiana game is definitely winnable.

# Buffalo Rhode Island ; at Baylor; UCF; at UConn

Two BCS teams plus a former MAC member at home, I like it.

# NIU at Iowa State; North Dakota; at Illinois; at Minnesota

Illinois and Minny had flat 2nd halves of last year and have several positions to replace. This could be an epic year in DeKalb with a Purdue victory last year.
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Rockets are scheduled to be @OSU and entertain Boise State in the Glass Bowl on consecutive Saturdays in 2011.
NIU vs Minnesota is a W for NIU. NIU vs Illinois is a W for NIU. NIU vs Iowa State is a W for NIU. I fear NoDak the most on the OOC schedule because we often lose ugly to teams we are supposed to beat.

We'll then lose to Toledo and a lower division West team, probably in a blowout at DeKalb, but limp into the MAC West title.

Then, considering all things that are NIU, we'll lose on re-dickk-u-lose conservative play calling late in the 4th quarter of the MAC Championship. Preferably we'll be within 6 points with a few seconds to play, most likely on the 12 yard line, at which point we'll run our 3rd string RB right up the middle for a 3 yard loss or a fumble.

Later, we'll be invited to a bowl to play the 3rd place SBC team, (televised on a combination of ESPNU and ESPN360,) whose QB will have a career day. Later, that SBC team coach will be promoted over a MAC coach to a BCS school.

I am almost always 100% wrong in my predictions. Maybe this year I'll turn the corner.....

OOC comments are serious. No seriously, we'll beat Minnesota basd on the sheer will of Lord Stanley being an NIU alum in Goofer Town.
A few thoughts about BCS OOC opponents that may have to take MAC teams very seriously this year ...

BGSU at Michigan is interesting. Michigan is going through all kinds of off the field criticism that could certainly transcend to the field. Add to that the first two games Michigan plays are UConn and at ND. If they lose one or both, they could be seriously rattled when hosting BG. If BG's defense gels fast and the offense remains explosive, things could get interesting. And given Michigan's record the past two years under RichRod, they have to take everybody seriously.

NIU is playing three very beatable OOC BCS opponents. No, they won't beat all three, and they may not beat any, but unlike most MAC OOC schedules, all are beatable. And considering NIU toppled Purdue last year in a game that was nowhere nearly as close as the final score made it look, I'd say ISU, Illinois, and Minny all have to take the Huskies very seriously.

Temple could be favored against UConn. We'll see on that one. UConn is terribly inconsistent and has problems in close games, but Temple this past season showed serious grit in close games. And considering both of their games in 07-08 came down to the last play (and Temple should have won in 07), UConn better be ready for a serious fight.

MSU, like Michigan, is facing serious off the field troubles. I really don't think WMU has the team this year to beat them, but you never know. With all the arrests State is dealing with, the team could show up rattled and WMU may very well be good enough to make things interesting.

Akron could be surprisingly good with the new coach. I like the hire out of superstition if for no other reason - the last MAC coach to hire an ND recruiting coordinator was BG hiring Urban Meyer, and that turned out alright I guess. Ianello is a coach that intrigues me, and given that he inherits the best stadium in the conference, some of the best facilities, and Patrick Nicely (who has really impressed me BTW - reminds me a lot of Chad Henne's arm and release), you never know how good they could turn out to be. 'Cuse and Indiana may very well have battles on their hands.
excellent replies people, keep them coming
Quick addition to my previous post -

Buffalo at UConn. UConn last year got diced to pieces by Cincinnati's offense for 700+ yards, coordinated by Jeff Quinn, now the head coach at UB. I don't think the receivers or spread offensive linemen are there for the offense to hum yet. If Jeff Quinn's record holds true, anybody on this board could step in at QB and succeed so I wouldn't worry too much about the lack of experienced quarterbacks. The transition from a pro-style offense to a pass heavy spread is generally at least two years. Ask Nebraska, Minnesota, and Michigan on that one. I don't think UB has the horses to do it this year but I at least find the game intriguing.
(04-06-2010 08:13 PM)Nick in Cleveland Wrote: [ -> ]Provide your thoughts below...

http://www.vandelaysports.com/football/a...eview.html

FWIW I did a full comparison some time ago 03-wink

http://bull-run.blogspot.com/2010/03/mac...-look.html

http://bull-run.blogspot.com/2010/03/mac...-look.html
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