will likely depend on injuries. we lost a lot in preseason, but if we stay fairly healthy regular season (plus add in 2 defensive guys off suspension for fresno who will be in 2 deep) we have more depth last year but enough talent this year, if not too many more big injuries.

BYU could be a big game. Remember, last year we spent 5 weeks in the top 25. those are the same voters. by the 3rd and 4th week if we are undefeated and playing well, and other teams are taking a loss or two, we will get votes. BYU has the highest profile early season schedule in the country. 2 national tv games in pro stadiums. huge rivalry game with a good utah program. huge home game vs UCLA and Chosen Rosen. They are a bigger name than a lot of P5 programs to begin with and will be all over everyone's radar if keep beating some PAC12 type teams like Arizona. Win at BYU to go 4-0 and UT will be among the top 3 high profile G5 teams.

Who knows how Houston will play out. When they got dinged up last year they became very beatable- squeaked by CIncy, got miracle win vs memphis, lost to UCONN. Also, what happens if Houston goes 13-0 and is top 4 for playoff? if UT or Boise was 13-0 and top 10 do they still get that G5 new years day bowl game?

(09-04-2016 09:43 PM)pono Wrote:  Also, what happens if Houston goes 13-0 and is top 4 for playoff? if UT or Boise was 13-0 and top 10 do they still get that G5 new years day bowl game?

In that unlikely case, I think it probably equally unlikely the P5 would allow two G5 teams to crash their BIG Bucks Bowl Party unless they could figure out some way to let them thru to door but keep the normal BIG buck payouts for the P5.

So far, the MAC is 1-3 against P5, 2-2 against G5, and 3-1 against FCS. Hopefully there will be no more FCS losses and improvement against the other two categories. OOC victories by any MAC team against P5 and G5 add to our prestige. I think CMU, BSU, Akron and Ohio all have legitimate shots at a P5 win this weekend, although at least one of them will probably get crushed.

cmu will have to defend really well and hope to take advantage of some breaks, unlikely, but last years game w ok st in mount pleasant was pretty close

bsu is a mystery team. not a lot expected but they had a solid opener and Lembo was an underrated coach there. i don't know about talent but I think a lot of their players are better coached than people realize.

akron's best hope is a wisconsin let down after the giant LSU win. akron has some good defensive talent and wisconsin is not a offensive powerhouse so this could stay interesting for a while. not sure akron can get up enough points against that wisconsin d to pull an upset.

ohio vs kansas is a toss up. if ohio comes out pissed off and ready to make a statement after blowing their opener. they could get the win. kansas only really knows losing.

NIU vs S Fla is a big game too. That's an upper level AAC team against a capable MAC team. An NIU road win there would be huge in MAC vs AAC comparisons.

Akron's scheduled a home-and-home with Troy.

http://www.fbschedules.com/2016/09/akron...2017-2019/

I think this is a big weekend for the MAC to avoid looking like garbage. I see some FCS/MAC match-ups that could go either way, except Toledo's. Eastern Illinois vs Miami, North Carolina A&T at Kent, North Dakota at BG. I also see some MAC versus not so good teams that could go either way: Ball State at Indiana, NIU at South Florida, and Ohio at Kansas. Hopefully things turnout well.

CMU just took the lead over OSU with under 10 minutes left.

CMU just got screwed on a bogus interference call.

CMU intercepts OSU in the end zone. Still up by 4 with about 6 minutes left.

and CMU turns it right back over. uggh.

So, ref throws a flag for holding on OSU TD run on 4th down. Officials confer and decide that MAC teams don't deserve to win, so there is no holding call after all.

CMU starting to drive again... Side note - some of the CMU helmets are shiny and some are matte. Is this annoying anyone else?

aaaaaand CMU throws the pick.

and Rush throws an INT. That will probably do it.

IN other news, OU is destroying Kansas. 22-0 at the start of the 2nd. OU with over 270 yards of offense.

Holy @&*#$^%&^ CMU wins! Craziest ending to a game I have ever seen.

OH MY GOSH. CMU gets an untimed down, throws a hail mary, catches it, then laterals to a teammate for the score! Under review... Looked good to me.

Commentators now saying the officials screwed up and CMU should never have gotten a down that resulted in a touchdown. Is it actually possible that a MAC team gets the benefit of a bad ref call playing at a P5 team? Apparently.

(09-10-2016 02:48 PM)northcoastRocket Wrote:  Commentators now saying the officials screwed up and CMU should never have gotten a down that resulted in a touchdown. Is it actually possible that a MAC team gets the benefit of a bad ref call playing at a B1G team? Apparently.

I really don't feel bad about that...

(09-10-2016 02:48 PM)Carolina Rocket Wrote:  

(09-10-2016 02:48 PM)northcoastRocket Wrote:  Commentators now saying the officials screwed up and CMU should never have gotten a down that resulted in a touchdown. Is it actually possible that a MAC team gets the benefit of a bad ref call playing at a B1G team? Apparently.

I really don't feel bad about that...

Me either. Would be nice if it happened to UT once in a while though. I assume that was a BIIX referee, and that he will be severely disciplined, because you know, it was NOT in their favor.