MAC Attack: 2006

[Eric]

Here are a couple games I have my eye on for the MAC to get back to where it was in 2003. A lot of teams like Eastern or Ball State didn't make the list because I'm only sticking the big games with teams that have a realistic shot, not that they're at all likely. I'll bold the ones where I think the MAC gets a victory.

Akron at NC State
Akron at Cincinnati
Wisconsin at Bowling Green
Bowling Green (won't be that good this year) at Ohio State
Northwestern at Miami OH (won't be that good this year but gets this upset)
Miami OH at Purdue
Miami OH at Cincinnati
Miami OH at Syracuse
Boston College at Central Michigan
Central Michigan at Michigan
Central Michigan at Kentucky
Northern Illinois at Ohio State
Toledo at Iowa State
Kansas at Toledo
Toledo at Pitt
Western Michigan at Virginia

[Jason G]

No Akron at Penn State on the list? Not that I think they'll pull off the upset but it is a battle of last year's conference champs. Isn't that worthy of at least making the list?

Other than the obvious games I'll be tuned into, I'm also planning on paying close attention to the BC-CMU game and the WMU-Virginia game. I think those two will say a lot about where the conference stands.

I actually think Toledo may pick up more than just the one upset. I don't know why but I have a gut feeling that the Rockets at Pitt game could be quite interesting. I am not knocking Pitt, in fact they'll likely be the third best team in the Big East this year.

Also I know you explained leaving schools like Ball State and EMU off the list but I wouldn't be stunned if a second division MAC team pulled off an upset somewhere either since those are the teams that often get taken for granted.

[Eric]

Right, I glanced over that one.

You could be right about the 2nd tier MAC teams. Just ask Pittsburgh about Ohio...

[Eric]

I also take back what I said about Northwestern and Miami OH. I made this list before I heard the news about Randy Walker. I'm changing my mind about Northwestern because they will be playing with a purpose this season.

[colorado_loves_football]

Right, I glanced over that one.

You could be right about the 2nd tier MAC teams. Just ask Pittsburgh about Ohio...

Tha'ts a good point, but I thought in general Pittsburgh was a pretty sorry team, overall. They played well at times, and by the end of the year, weren't that bad, but losing to Ohio, suggested they weren't very good. Even so, I think it could be the 'beginning' of the MAC being competitive outside their conference.
I thought N. Illinios was pretty good, didn't they give Michigan a game?
Seems to me they did.
Then Akron comes along and beats them twice to capture the MAC title.

[Spence]

Northern Illinois has been pretty good the last 3 or 4 years. They can be giant killers at times.

[Jason G]

So Spence do you think Northern Illinois can pull off the gargantuan upset this year? It seems to me that they have a really high profile team on their non-conf schedule this year.

[Spence]

No

[Jason G]

In all honesty, I wouldn't bet on it either. Even if the teams were equal in talent (which they certainly aren't), it is awfully hard for teams used to playing in front of 18,000 fans to keep their composure in a hostile environment with six times as many fans in attendance as they are used to.

[Eric]

Wow, feel good for yourself, Spence. I had a severe case of paranoia of Northern Illinois for the opening game. I thought it would be a lot like those struggles we've had in the past with San Diego State and Utah.

Yeah, CLF, they gave us a bit of a ballgame. Michigan was pretty much in control.

[Spence]

In the first game of the season, with Texas looming in week two, anything is possible. Ohio State will be feeling their way on defense and trying to see how different players react. There are enough veterans on the team to keep the Buckeye's from looking ahead to Texas, but I think that NI will give them a little scare in the first or second quarter. After that it will be all Ohio State. Unless Tressel decides to button down the offense and put some heat on the defense to show their stuff. He will be trying to win the game without showing too much of the offense, and it's my feeling that they will be out to feature the defense with more blitzing this year. I think that they will try and use the veteran line to hide the weaknesses in the secondary.

[Eric]

I agree with that. Conservative Tressell won't want to put the hurt on anybody and will do what you say about pressure on the defense. He knows Ohio State will win the game. They'll be in control from the opening kickoff.

I do think NIU will have the lead after the first quarter, then see their lead dissolve in the second, then see themselves down by 13 by the third quarter, and then losing by 20 when the game ends. It'll be slow and steady domination.

[Spence]

That is Tressel's MO. It will work like that unless Ginn gets loose a couple of times. I think that Tressel will do his level best to put as much pressure on our defense as he can against NI. He will want to test them to see how they handle it. I think you will see Ohio State run out of the I most of the game. They will run a lot of two back sets in the first game. Tress will want to see how Chris Wells handles the college boys. Look for Wells to get at least 20 carries. Maybe more if the game isn't close. Pittman will run the ball early, then it will be the Chris Wells show from then on.

[colorado_loves_football]

Wow, feel good for yourself, Spence. I had a severe case of paranoia of Northern Illinois for the opening game. I thought it would be a lot like those struggles we've had in the past with San Diego State and Utah.

Yeah, CLF, they gave us a bit of a ballgame. Michigan was pretty much in control.

It wasn't a 'knock' on your team, Eric, after I posted it I thought you might take offense to it.
I was interested, in part because I like N. Illinois. I think they gave Northwestern an even better game, and Northwestern wasn't a bad team, overall, so it was just a way of making an argument on behalf of the MAC.
Akron is the team that took everyone by surprise. I will be interested in seeing how they do this year. But, they might have been 'one-time-wonders'.

[Eric]

I like Northern Illinois too. I was hoping that they'd give us a bit of a ballgame. I hoped the same for Eastern Michigan when they came to the Big House, that they didn't get embarassed. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case (55-0 )