WMU, CMU, N. Illinois

[WoVeU]

I still say, getting better all the time. NCAA Socialism is ahead of the pace of the country, "the have's" and "the have not's" steadily get closer.

[WoVeU]

Oh, and Ball State too.

Bad week for the Big Easy!!!

[Eric]

I was pretty happy with my conference today. As you pointed out, Western, NIU, Central, and Ball State all knocked off BCS conference teams. Eastern Michigan wasn't as horrendous as they have been earlier this year in East Lansing. While that game was more of what Michigan State wasn't doing, the Akron/Tennessee game was actually Akron playing above their heads for 3 quarters as far as I could tell. They were making their own breaks and playing well offensively.

I still think if I were to rank non-BCS conferences:

1. MWC
2. Sun Belt
3. C-USA
4. MAC
5. WAC

Two through four are pretty interchangeable, but I've really been impressed with the Sun Belt. I think C-USA and the MAC are pretty much on par. Going forward, I think Kent State, NIU, Ohio, Ball State, Western Michigan, and Toledo are going to be the ones competing for a bowl berth. Kent State has the best defense in the conference and a good rushing attack, so they should finish second in the MAC East. Northern Illinois has a weak defense but some explosive playmakers. Ball State was a sleeper that I had pegged as being one of the best in the conference in the preseason just due to Pete Lembo's system sinking in and the offensive guys being more experienced (Jahwan Edwards at RB, Keith Wenning at QB). Western still has some kinks they need to work out, but a 7 win season is definitely possible. Toledo should be the favorites in the West right now due to their offense. Ohio is the best team going right now and should run the table the rest of the way, their only possible losses coming to Ball State or Kent State.

[WoVeU]

I'd like to see more games from these conferences NOT form the family ESPN offerings. I make a determined effort to choose an alternative to any game on ESPN...not easy. But those guys have drank far too much of their own Kool-Aid, I think they are at a point where they wield more REAL power than the NCAA when it comes to Football and likely basketball. I have always liked MWC and MAC games, but I think the quality has improved even more, and you still get some unique brands of football with these guys.

[donovan]

The MAC is being a rock start this year.