Facts are facts.

(07-13-2017 02:57 PM)BobcatEngineer Wrote:  

(07-13-2017 02:28 PM)Slinkin Street Flash Wrote:  

(07-13-2017 02:12 PM)george14 Wrote:  Fun fact:

The MAC has won 3 straight against the B12. The first MAC game this season against a B12 team is CMU vs. Kansas. Could go to 4-0.

Maybe the MAC should look at accepting some B12 teams into the conference

If Oklahoma State was in the MAC, they would claim to have gone undefeated every year in MAC play...

We all know how they can't take a loss to a MAC school with dignity.

The fans would be unbearable. "If it wasn't for that one holding call, we'd be 13-0 and national champs instead of 8-4.

(07-13-2017 02:12 PM)george14 Wrote:  Fun fact:

The MAC has won 3 straight against the B12. The first MAC game this season against a B12 team is CMU vs. Kansas. Could go to 4-0.

the very next week its Kansas @ Ohio, make it 5-0.

I think we give Miami (FL) all they can handle. An upset is possible. But, I also think Rocket nation represents well there. I'm expecting over 5,000 wearing the midnight blue and gold at this one...

Kansas finished last year with an upset of TExas and they'll be in year 3 of their new coach. Surely they will take a step forward (?)

Or not. I have no idea.

(07-13-2017 10:19 PM)Rocket_Fanatic Wrote:  I think we give Miami (FL) all they can handle. An upset is possible. But, I also think Rocket nation represents well there. I'm expecting over 5,000 wearing the midnight blue and gold at this one...

I think Miami is headed back up under Richt, tough spot for Rockets. Love to see Miami beat ND. Kelly is losing the team.

I don't see Illinois letting WKU and Ball State whoop 'em. One or the other. Not both. And yeah we play the Cardinals in BG so on paper we have the advantage, but new coaching staff so who knows.

Kansas is not the same team now it was during and right after the charlie weiss debacle. probably, comparable to a good MAC team this year which means both the CMU and Ohio games should be close, but I wouldn't consider Kansas a gimme anymore.

(07-15-2017 02:16 AM)pono Wrote:  Kansas is not the same team now it was during and right after the charlie weiss debacle. probably, comparable to a good MAC team this year which means both the CMU and Ohio games should be close, but I wouldn't consider Kansas a gimme anymore.

Should still be winnable. If you're looking for a possible MAC beating a Power 5, I'd watch both those games.

(07-11-2017 05:30 PM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote:  Upset of the year - Miami (Oh) over Notre Dame
Runner-up - Toledo over Miami (Fl)

If either of these were to happen, Miami and/or Toledo has a pretty decent chance to run the table into November and be right in the middle of the NY6 discussion around that time. (As a Bronco, I'm not conceding anything to either one beyond early November.) I don't see either of those upsets happening, but I give Miami a better chance of pulling out the win in South Bend.

As for my choice, IIRC a MAC school has beaten a B1G school something like 11 seasons in a row. I don't see that streak ending this fall. Here are all the MAC-B1G matchups, listed in order from, IMO, most likely to least likely upset:

1) Ohio at Purdue (not really an upset; Ohio also has a chance to run the table into November and be in the NY6 mix)
2) WMU at MSU
3) EMU at Rutgers
4) BSU at Illinois
5) Buffalo at Minnesota
6) BG at MSU
7) BG at NW
8) NIU at Nebraska
9) Akron at PSU

(07-13-2017 10:06 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  

(07-13-2017 02:12 PM)george14 Wrote:  Fun fact:

The MAC has won 3 straight against the B12. The first MAC game this season against a B12 team is CMU vs. Kansas. Could go to 4-0.

the very next week its Kansas @ Ohio, make it 5-0.

Go Zips! Beat the Cyclones!

NOTE: I do NOT think MSU is going to be as bad as last year -- they'll be bowl bound. They had talent last year, but they were out of sync, had lots of injuries, and kind of a mess -- even though they took Ohio State to the wire & gave UM a close one, among others. I think Notre Dame will be a step up from last year, but not much more, as far as onlookers are concerned, given a tough schedule. Like MSU, they'll squeeze into a bowl. I think Iowa State will be better, with Toledo's former coach getting them to step up a bit.

In the order of Higher-to-Lower Probability -- but still REALISTIC (ex: Kent State @Clemson wouldn't even be considered):

20. Kansas @Ohio
19. Ohio @Purdue
18. Cincinnati @Miami-OH
17. Boston College @NIU
16. EMU @Rutgers
15. Kent State @Marshall
14. CMU @Kansas
13. Ball State @Illinois
12. CMU @Boston College
11. Iowa State @Akron
10. CMU @Syracuse
9. EMU @Kentucky
8. NIU @San Diego State
7. Miami-OH @Notre Dame
6. Ball State @Western Kentucky
5. WMU @MSU
4. Toledo @Miami-FL
3. BGSU @Northwestern
2. BGSU @MSU
1. NIU @Nebraska

The ones in hold are ones that would be Great, and, like the others, could happen.

I will go with BGSU over Michigan State, followed by Miami of Ohio over Cincinnati with my EMU Eagles over Rutgers as a sleeper pick.

If we take care of business against Marshall and blow Austin Peay out of the water while UC struggles a little against AP and gets killed by Michigan, would Miami enter the Victory Bell game as a Vegas favorite? A 2-0 MAC team coming off a bowl season with a lot of returning starters playing at home versus a 1-1 AAC team with not as much experience after a four-win 2016 doesn't automatically scream hot money on the Bearcats. Of course, losing however many games in a row to them makes us a de facto underdog in reality.

Quote:If we take care of business against Marshall and blow Austin Peay out of the water while UC struggles a little against AP and gets killed by Michigan, would Miami enter the Victory Bell game as a Vegas favorite?

After last year where Cinci wasn't impressive -- I'd say it'd be around Even (but yeah, Miami could be the slight favorite then).

KSU released their 2019 OOC schedule and will get lots of opportunities to pull that P5 upset: at Auburn, at Arizona St., and at Wisconsin. Ought to be quite a challenge for Coach Phil N. Dublank.

(07-29-2017 12:39 PM)toddjnsn Wrote:  NOTE: I do NOT think MSU is going to be as bad as last year -- they'll be bowl bound. They had talent last year, but they were out of sync, had lots of injuries, and kind of a mess -- even though they took Ohio State to the wire & gave UM a close one, among others. I think Notre Dame will be a step up from last year, but not much more, as far as onlookers are concerned, given a tough schedule. Like MSU, they'll squeeze into a bowl. I think Iowa State will be better, with Toledo's former coach getting them to step up a bit.

In the order of Higher-to-Lower Improbability -- but still REALISTIC (ex: Kent State @Clemson wouldn't even be considered):

20. Kansas @Ohio
19. Ohio @Purdue
18. Cincinnati @Miami-OH
17. Boston College @NIU
16. EMU @Rutgers
15. Kent State @Marshall
14. CMU @Kansas
13. Ball State @Illinois
12. CMU @Boston College
11. Iowa State @Akron
10. CMU @Syracuse
9. EMU @Kentucky
8. NIU @San Diego State
7. Miami-OH @Notre Dame
6. Ball State @Western Kentucky
5. WMU @MSU
4. Toledo @Miami-FL
3. BGSU @Northwestern
2. BGSU @MSU
1. NIU @Nebraska

The ones in hold are ones that would be Great, and, like the others, could happen.

Not bad. As a BGSU homer (graduate degree), I don't believe the Northwestern game is as low a probability to win. I would flip the Miami, O/Notre Dame game with that one. So, my upset of the year is the RedHawks over the Golden Showers and the runner-up Falcons over the Wildcats.

RedHawks over Notre Dame, Toledo over Miami and WMU over MSU would be a stellar OOC year for the MAC. Lots of other good matchups to raise the stature of the league this season, as well.

I think Notre Dame will be much improved this year and we won't really hit our stride until next season, but lord knows that I'd love to see us take down the Irish in South Bend. They have new OC and DCs this season so that'll help determine how well they bounce back, it'll be interesting to see the Kelly vs Martin dynamic since Kelly has never coached or played against a Martin team while Martin spent years coaching under Kelly. Given how we're sandwiched between road games against Michigan State and UNC, we could be a trap.