NIU has to show up, this will not be an easy game. Western Michigan will be ready for us. We need to throw and run well to win this one. I watched WM against Akron, they looked like they were clicking on both sides of the ball.... this game scares me....

There is no such thing as an easy road game.

Definitely no such thing as an easy road game. That being said, I wouldn't put too much stock in their dismantling of Akron, probably the worst FBS football team in the nation this year. WMU was beaten soundly by Toledo, Idaho and Notre Dame. Both the Toledo and Idaho games were in Waldo Stadium.

Western has beaten Nicholls State, Ball State and Akron. This is an accomplishment the Our Lady of Peace JV squad could pull off. Having said that, their offense does seem to move the football pretty well. Should be a great game next week.

WMU has an experienced OLINE and a nice QB. WMU & Toledo are elimination games like CMU today. If they do not win they are eliminated. WMU will be eliminated.

WMU is a much more serious threat than CMU this year.

This maybe JK first win over the CHips, however WMU has only 1 MAC loss and Toledo has zero.
Ball State and EMU are out of the race for MAC WEst champions as is CMU.
WMU is improving by leaps and bounds. Both WMU and Toledo have a week East Mac schedule.
Two wins in the next two weeks will seal the MAC WEST for NIU.
A win against Toledo is critical. If we lose to WMU and beat Toledo and have 3 teams win the MAC west who goes to Detroit?

The MAC has the tiebreakers spelled out on their website:

http://mac-sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?D...ID=1148024

It would come down to the winning percentages of the non-divisional opponents.

NIU played Temple, Akron, and Buffalo
Toledo got Kent, BGSU, and Ohio
WMU gets Kent, BGSU, and Akron

We have to wait until the end of the year, but it would basically play out to Ohio (who is 4-1 in the MAC right now) and Temple (who is 3-1)

(10-23-2010 09:49 PM)DeKalb098 Wrote:  It would come down to the winning percentages of the non-divisional opponents.

NIU played Temple, Akron, and Buffalo
Toledo got Kent, BGSU, and Ohio
WMU gets Kent, BGSU, and Akron

We have to wait until the end of the year, but it would basically play out to Ohio (who is 4-1 in the MAC right now) and Temple (who is 3-1)

Looks like you might be correct!

Divisional Champions
The divisional championship shall be decided on conference winning percentage. If two or more teams are tied for the championship, they shall be considered divisional co-champions. The following tie-breaking formula shall be used to determine which team will represent that division in the MAC Championship game:

1. Head-to-head competition
a. In the event of a multiple-team (two or more teams) tie, the team with the best head-to-head record amongst the tied teams wins the tie-breaker;

b. In a two-team tie, head-to-head competition will be the first criteria;

c. If two teams did not play, the second criteria is used to break the tie;

2. Record of tied teams within the division [versus rank order, highest to lowest, of division teams]
a. The above tie-breaker procedure is used to determine rank order in the division;

b. Team(s) eliminated in the second tie-breaker criterion are not included in further consideration in the tie- breaking formula;

c. Head-to-head competition is again used to break the tie between the remaining tied teams.

3. Comparison of conference winning percentage of cross-over opponents of tied teams;
a. Tie-breaker is awarded to the team whose cross-division opponents had the best cumulative conference winning percentage;

b. Head-to-head competition is used to break the tie between the two tied teams.

4. If multiple teams remain tied, the final tie-breaker is as follows:
a. Record of tied teams versus cross-division opponents in rank order;

b. Head-to-head competition is used to break the tie between the two tied teams.

1. Head-to-head competition
a. In the event of a multiple-team (two or more teams) tie, the team with the best head-to-head record amongst the tied teams wins the tie-breaker;

Does this not mean total wins versus losses?
NIU would win on these grounds.

Holy crap. Quit worrying about a 3 way tie scenario. WMU is not even in the discussion. The MAC West will be decided on Tuesday, November 9 even if we lose to WMU on Saturday, which we won't.

We should beat WMU.
Their stats are inflated by lopsided wins over easy teams.
(Ball State was a shocker though, although they have lost so many games.)
I would agree with Brad that the Toledo game will most likely decide the MAC West.
Barring injuries, I think that NIU should win out!

(10-23-2010 10:04 PM)niubrad00 Wrote:  Holy crap. Quit worrying about a 3 way tie scenario. WMU is not even in the discussion. The MAC West will be decided on Tuesday, November 9 even if we lose to WMU on Saturday, which we won't.

How can you make that statement? WMU's only remaining game against a team with a winning record is NIU next week. If they somehow beat NIU, it would be very easy for them to finish 7-1 in the MAC. I'm more confident in WMU winning their remaining MAC games, outside of the WMU/NIU game, than Toledo winning their remaining MAC games, outside of the UT/NIU game. It is quite possible that a WMU win over NIU would have both teams tied at 7-1 with Toledo 6-2 in the MAC. We keep winning, but have yet to play a full game.

I tried telling you guys 2 weeks ago that WMU has a soft schedule remaining in the MAC and is not out of it yet.

(10-23-2010 11:14 PM)BrianNowicki Wrote:  

(10-23-2010 10:04 PM)niubrad00 Wrote:  Holy crap. Quit worrying about a 3 way tie scenario. WMU is not even in the discussion. The MAC West will be decided on Tuesday, November 9 even if we lose to WMU on Saturday, which we won't.

How can you make that statement? WMU's only remaining game against a team with a winning record is NIU next week. If they somehow beat NIU, it would be very easy for them to finish 7-1 in the MAC. I'm more confident in WMU winning their remaining MAC games, outside of the WMU/NIU game, than Toledo winning their remaining MAC games, outside of the UT/NIU game. It is quite possible that a WMU win over NIU would have both teams tied at 7-1 with Toledo 6-2 in the MAC. We keep winning, but have yet to play a full game.

I tried telling you guys 2 weeks ago that WMU has a soft schedule remaining in the MAC and is not out of it yet.

I think WMU will lose at least one more conference game. The MAC is bad, I'm sure you can say "they only have one more game against a winning team" for a lot of MAC teams. All of WMU's remaining games are winnable, but they're also all losable. Anything can happen week to week. WMU hasn't proven that they can beat, or even play with, anyone with a pulse.

Cubit get his guys ready for big games. They have beat a few BCS teams like -3- years in a row. Iowa , IL....and they lost s tight one FL State. They are at home and will be ready. Tough game, but we will win. Vegas streak should come to a close.

WMU can score points fast. This will be tough game on the road

(10-23-2010 10:04 PM)niubrad00 Wrote:  Holy crap. Quit worrying about a 3 way tie scenario. WMU is not even in the discussion. The MAC West will be decided on Tuesday, November 9 even if we lose to WMU on Saturday, which we won't.

Yeah! Stop worrying about the team we play on the road this week that has only 1 conference loss! You idiots!

NIU has outscored MAC teams 159-52 this year

(10-24-2010 11:29 AM)7 Wrote:  

(10-23-2010 10:04 PM)niubrad00 Wrote:  Holy crap. Quit worrying about a 3 way tie scenario. WMU is not even in the discussion. The MAC West will be decided on Tuesday, November 9 even if we lose to WMU on Saturday, which we won't.

Yeah! Stop worrying about the team we play on the road this week that has only 1 conference loss! You idiots!

WMU and Toledo will be the two hardest fought games of the year imo .. WMU on the road won't be easy.

With Toledo knocking on our back door we can't slip up even once

Obviously I'm a bit biased, and I know BSU/Akron aren't great measuring sticks, but from what I've seen the Broncos have edged up their game since the awful Toledo and Idaho growing-pain debacles in September. Even the Notre Dame final wasn't quite as indicative of how we played them.

That said, whether this means we'll beat NIU next week is still highly questionable, as you're riding a better streak and will obviously be favored. And to be honest, Waldo Stadium hasn't been that 'intimidating' to opponents for the past 2+ years, sad to say. We've been manhandled quite a bit in our own house the past couple seasons.