2015 MAC Football Thread

Post by **brian** » Wed Sep 02, 2015 6:20 pm

Hey, we probably have more MAC alumni here than any other conference (seriously, tho -- I think it's like 8 or 9 of us who post regularly).

Realized I'm biased but thought this was a really interesting piece about CMU's new coach and his fight with cancer while he prepares for the season opener tomorrow.

Post by **brian** » Wed Sep 02, 2015 6:21 pm

And give me Toledo vs. Bowling Green in the MAC title game with BGSU taking down the crown.

Post by **Sabo** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 8:37 am

brian wrote:Hey, we probably have more MAC alumni here than any other conference (seriously, tho -- I think it's like 8 or 9 of us who post regularly).

CMU: Brian
Ohio: Sabo, Mulligan (pretty much a lurker these days)
Miami: HDO, GoodKarma
Ball State: BSF21, Duff (sorry!)
Buffalo: The Sybian

If I missed anyone, I apologize.

The Bobcats open the season tonight at Idaho in the Kibbie Dome. Hopefully I can stay awake long enough tonight to watch it.

I tend to agree with Brian's prediction. The Bobcats should be decent, but I'm still not convinced they have a QB that can do enough to lead them to a division title, let alone a conference championship.

duff · Post by **duff** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 9:34 am

BSU here also. No love.

Post by **brian** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 10:41 am

Pretty sure ZMan went to SUNY-B even though he's mostly a lurker (if that) these days.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 11:09 am

brian wrote:Pretty sure ZMan went to SUNY-B even though he's mostly a lurker (if that) these days.

Suny-B is Binghamton, at least before they Changed to Binghamton University. Buffalo has always been University at Buffalo, so as not to be confused with Buffalo State. Even more so since UB joined DI and moved to become the center jewel state school sportswise, like UMich, Ohio State, Wisconsin...

Pedantics aside, Diamond is a UB grad, and yes, ZMan is too.

Post by **brian** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 11:11 am

Woo hoo, that gives us 10. What do we win?

Post by **brian** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 11:13 am

The Sybian wrote:
brian wrote:Pretty sure ZMan went to SUNY-B even though he's mostly a lurker (if that) these days.
Suny-B is Binghamton, at least before they Changed to Binghamton University. Buffalo has always been University at Buffalo, so as not to be confused with Buffalo State. Even more so since UB joined DI and moved to become the center jewel state school sportswise, like UMich, Ohio State, Wisconsin...

Pedantics aside, Diamond is a UB grad, and yes, ZMan is too.

Also, if that's true, might want to tell whomever makes your uniforms....

GoodKarma · Post by **GoodKarma** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 2:56 pm

I do like BG in the East as well; however there is no telling how many Toledo players will miss games due to suspensions this season, so my sleeper pick from the West is Western Mich (sorry Brian). PJ Fleck will be the media darling of the season.

All I want for Miami is to finish not last. It's been a rough several years; hopefully Chuck Martin can show some improvement over last season. i can't believe how much this team has fallen since the 90's.

Post by **brian** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 11:22 am

Of the 14 FBS schools to never have a major NCAA violation, five are in the MAC:

Air Force
Boston College
Bowling Green
Central Michigan
Colorado State
Florida Atlantic
Kent State
North Texas
Northwestern
Ohio
Rice
Stanford
Troy
Western Michigan

Post by **brian** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 11:22 am

(And when it's all said and done I'm thinking PJ Fleck probably gets Western Michigan off that list.)

tennbengal · Post by **tennbengal** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 11:39 am

In fairness, if they had all cheated, they would probably be a power conference by now.

Post by **brian** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:06 pm

As mediocre as CMU has been, that's 11 straight wins against the MAC East. Funny how the MACE is garbage in football but it's completely reversed in basketball.

Post by **brian** » Sun Nov 01, 2015 4:55 pm

I'll be in Mexico for the game (hopefully my resort gets ESPN2...not betting on that though), but I'm talking myself into thinking Central has a decent chance of actually winning the MAC West. Follow me here.

Western would have to lose twice, but has games left against Toledo, Northern Illinois and Bowling Green. They could definitely lose two out of those three. They'll probably be dogs to BG and Toledo. If CMU:

-Beats Toledo in Mount Pleasant and wins out against Kent and EMU
-Western loses two of three

...then CMU would be guaranteed to win the West because it holds tiebreakers over Toledo and Northern Illinois.

At which point Bowling Green would probably pound the Chippewas into oblivion in Detroit, but still....

Post by **brian** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 12:03 pm

Biggest game in Mount Pleasant since 2009 and I am in a country where ESPN2 is not gonna happen. Fly back tomorrow morning so my options are follow what little I can on the phone or total social media blackout (even after I return to the US) and watch on DVR tomorrow night. Not psyched about either.

Keg · Post by **Keg** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 1:05 pm

Does the WatchESPN app work in Mexico?

Post by **brian** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 1:25 pm

Keg wrote:Does the WatchESPN app work in Mexico?

Paradoxically, yes. But I get the WatchESPN access through Cox internet which causes ESPN and ESPN2 events to be blocked for some reason.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 8:58 am

MAC football folks...keep it down..you are making too much noise
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/11/referee ... o-be-quiet" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post by **brian** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 11:49 am

Considering the crazy offseason we had I'm good with playing meaningful games in November and hopefully 7 wins and a bowl game. With a senior QB poised to break most MAC passing records and most of the best defense in the MAC coming back should be a top competitor for the title next year.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 9:48 pm

I have watched a lot of MAC football the last two nights to get an idea of what potential head coaches at Syracuse do at their current gigs.

Post by **brian** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:47 pm

DSafetyGuy wrote:I have watched a lot of MAC football the last two nights to get an idea of what potential head coaches at Syracuse do at their current gigs.

Babers is your guy. He's going to be a great catch for a P5 school.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 11:39 am

brian wrote:
DSafetyGuy wrote:I have watched a lot of MAC football the last two nights to get an idea of what potential head coaches at Syracuse do at their current gigs.
Babers is your guy. He's going to be a great catch for a P5 school.

He is my first choice right now. Like Campbell, too.

Post by **brian** » Wed Nov 25, 2015 11:41 am

Ohio beat NIU last night and it was the first time since November 2009 that NIU lost a MAC regular season game to a team other than Central (which has beat them three times since then).

Post by **Sabo** » Wed Nov 25, 2015 12:01 pm

brian wrote:Ohio beat NIU last night and it was the first time since November 2009 that NIU lost a MAC regular season game to a team other than Central (which has beat them three times since then).

I only got to watch part of the second half, so I didn't get to see much of the excitement. By the time I turned on the game, both teams were using their third-string quarterbacks. NIU's third stringer had never taken an NCAA snap before.

I learned three things from the game:

1. Apparently white men CAN jump.

https://vine.co/v/izU5KEivwr5

2. If you're kicking a field goal and it's blocked, the kicking team can advance it if they recover the ball before it passes the line of scrimmage.

3. When attempting an onside kick, the kicker can fake the kick, pick it up, and then kick it like a drop kick. (It didn't work.)

Post by **brian** » Wed Nov 25, 2015 12:22 pm

Yeah, I knew #2, but I had never seen #3 before.

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri Dec 04, 2015 7:09 am

Local (to me) kid named MAC freshman of the year.

Go Broncs, you guys?

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Fri Dec 04, 2015 7:52 am

Pretty sure Brian won't agree.

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri Dec 04, 2015 8:04 am

Oh. Really?

Post by **brian** » Fri Dec 04, 2015 9:55 am

Fuck Western.

Post by **brian** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 12:35 pm

Lotsa action in the MAC this week. Went 2-1 in first three bowl games and should have been 3-0 but for Ohio's choke against Appalachian State.

Also, BSU's coach quit his job to be an assistant at Maryland.

Having gone through that last year, I'll just say....ouch. That's where things are now though. It's financially better to be an assistant at a B1G/SEC school than a head coach at most G5 schools.

If I were Ball State, I'd see what the chances are of getting Brady Hoke to come back. Not as crazy as it sounds since he's an alum. He might be ready to consider staying for the rest of his career at this point too.

duff · Post by **duff** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 1:43 pm

brian wrote:Lotsa action in the MAC this week. Went 2-1 in first three bowl games and should have been 3-0 but for Ohio's choke against Appalachian State.

Also, BSU's coach quit his job to be an assistant at Maryland.

Having gone through that last year, I'll just say....ouch. That's where things are now though. It's financially better to be an assistant at a B1G/SEC school than a head coach at most G5 schools.

If I were Ball State, I'd see what the chances are of getting Brady Hoke to come back. Not as crazy as it sounds since he's an alum. He might be ready to consider staying for the rest of his career at this point too.

Hoke wouldn't be that bad of choice. BSU had their best years during his tenure in Muncie.

Post by **brian** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 11:52 am

It's gameday! MAC is 3-3 this bowl season and today's game is it, so CMU has to beat Minnesota to have a winning bowl season for the MAC. Interestingly, 5-7 teams are unbeaten so far and if Minnesota wins then the 5-7 teams will go three for three for the bowl season.

rass · Post by **rass** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 11:56 am

rass wrote:Local (to me) kid named MAC freshman of the year.

Go Broncs, you guys?

Go Broncs!

Post by **Sabo** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 10:10 am

Eastern Michigan feels pressure to drop out of Division I football

Post by **brian** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 10:32 am

Eastern's an interesting case for sure. They're one of those schools where you know they obviously have alumni, but despite living in Michigan for most of my life I don't think I actually know any Eastern grads. When you're out and about around the country I see people wearing CMU shirts -- WMU, Ohio, Miami -- I see probably all of the MAC schools from time to time in airports or walking around Las Vegas to varying degrees. I don't know if I've ever seen an EMU shirt. Like literally, ever. The level of apathy is pretty insane.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 10:38 am

My wife's cousin's husband is a professor at EMU. Maybe I should ask him to send me a school sweatshirt.

Post by **brian** » Thu May 26, 2016 4:08 pm

Didn't see the need to create a new thread yet, especially since this is technically about 2017 MAC football, but check out what Western and Central are doing on the recruiting trail. This is unprecedented in the MAC.

They are setting up for some epic battles over the next few years. And it's even better as a CMU fan since our head coach isn't going anywhere for the rest of his career (unless his cancer comes back, god forbid) while WMU's head douchebag will be rowing his boat somewhere else here very shortly (in fact, it's doubtful this WMU class will stay together after Fleck leaves Kalamazoo this fall).

Post by **brian** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 3:21 pm

This sucks...

Really nice kid. Had a cup of coffee in the NFL with the Colts and maybe another team or two. Not sure what happened or if we'll ever find out, but fuckin' guns, man....

ETA: Looks like he was carrying it in a duffel bag and it discharged into him.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 3:38 pm

brian wrote:This sucks...

Really nice kid. Had a cup of coffee in the NFL with the Colts and maybe another team or two. Not sure what happened or if we'll ever find out, but fuckin' guns, man....

ETA: Looks like he was carrying it in a duffel bag and it discharged into him.

Guns don't kill people, duffel bags kill people.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 4:19 pm

If this happened in Florida or Ohio, it'd be in another thread.