MAC vs. AAC: Toledo (home) vs. Tulsa, Miami (home) vs. Cincinnati
Two of the MAC's projected upper-echelon teams with tough, but winnable matchups at home. Would be great to get both and see the MAC sweep the AAC in 2017.

MAC vs. MW: Toledo @ Nevada, NIU @ SDSU
I'm not optimistic about NIU winning in San Diego. I like Toledo's chances, but at Nevada is not a gimme (especially if Toledo gets caught looking ahead). A MAC sweep here would also be great. A split seems more realistic IMO.

MAC vs. C-USA: EMU (home) vs. Charlotte, BSU (home) vs. UAB, BSU @ WKU, Miami @ Marshall, BG @ MTSU, KSU @ Marshall, Buffalo (home) vs. FAU
By far we have more matchups with C-USA than any other G5 conference in 2017. Taking at least four of seven would be terrific. I like the chances of EMU, and BSU vs. UAB. Don't see BSU winning @ WKU. If Miami is going to live up to anything close to the 2017 hype, they need to win at Marshall. KSU, BG, and Buffalo will have tough matchups, but chances to make statements, both for themselves and the MAC.

MAC vs. SB: WMU (home) vs. Idaho, Akron @ Troy
Not nearly as many MAC matchups vs. the SB compared to years past. WMU should be able to handle Idaho at home. Akron has a tough matchup, but also a great opportunity. Anything less than a split here would be a big disappointment.

We have stunk up the field every time we've played in San Diego in the last 10 years. I highly doubt NIU wins either. I'd be surprised if we can beat Boston College at home in 2 weeks.

Good test for the MAC across the board. Decent chance to represent and come out even or ahead against each G5 conference.
Really hope we represent well given there likely won't be a Western type season of last year to boost the overall image.
I'd be happy with just an AAC sweep.

I do think NIU has a good chance against BC at home in the opener. Lots of good opportunities for many MAC schools to get quality wins over both G5 opponents and lesser P5 foes this season.

Would love to see every team in the conference step up and win most of their OOC games, and for the love of first downs and touchdowns, everyone needs to stop losing to their FCS opponent!

This Husky will be rooting for your Huskies in your home opener vs BC.

(08-17-2017 09:03 AM)HuskyU Wrote:  This Husky will be rooting for your Huskies in your home opener vs BC.

Nice! We huskies gotta stick together. If we play well I think we'll win but we can't afford much in the way of stupid stuff - dumb penalties, turnovers, dropped passes, etc.

oddly, Ohio plays zero G5 teams.

(08-17-2017 06:58 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  oddly, Ohio plays zero G5 teams.

is umass independent still?

This may be the year Miami wins one against my Bearcats. Miami was pretty tough last year and improved as the season wore on.

(08-17-2017 07:55 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  This may be the year Miami wins one against my Bearcats. Miami was pretty tough last year and improved as the season wore on.

I would say that if we don't get one this year, with us at home coming off our best season in a while and most starters returning against a UC team with four wins and a new head coach, we'd be blowing our shot. But we're a junior-heavy team that looks to be towards the top of the MAC for a while now (we'll see for sure in a few weeks). I'd look for the Victory Bell games to be classics for the next few years, not just close games that Miami hung around in when we were the inferior team like the last few seasons.

Marshall will be a huge game for us. Playing in Huntington is never easy and they'll be refocused after an offseason spent around removing the bad taste of last fall, we want to extend our regular season win streak to seven and show we're here to stay as a good team. And it'd be nice to shut up the C-USA and Herd fans on this board.

(08-17-2017 08:56 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  

(08-17-2017 07:55 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  This may be the year Miami wins one against my Bearcats. Miami was pretty tough last year and improved as the season wore on.

I would say that if we don't get one this year, with us at home coming off our best season in a while and most starters returning against a UC team with four wins and a new head coach, we'd be blowing our shot. But we're a junior-heavy team that looks to be towards the top of the MAC for a while now (we'll see for sure in a few weeks). I'd look for the Victory Bell games to be classics for the next few years, not just close games that Miami hung around in when we were the inferior team like the last few seasons.

Marshall will be a huge game for us. Playing in Huntington is never easy and they'll be refocused after an offseason spent around removing the bad taste of last fall, we want to extend our regular season win streak to seven and show we're here to stay as a good team. And it'd be nice to shut up the C-USA and Herd fans on this board.

You never want to be overconfident but I don't see the Herd beating Miami this year even in Huntington. Heck, you guys might even have a decent shot at taking down the imploding South Bend Golden Domers. Now that would be something.

Early morning MACsters...

Reports out of camp have the Herd being vastly improved at the offensive skill positions, but a lot of concerns around both the offensive lines and defensive interior lines. It's hard to win football games if you don't win the line of scrimmage on either side of the ball, and that's where we find ourselves this year (and last).

I feel like the Miami @ Marshall game is a virtual toss-up this year in Huntington, with the X-factor being Marshall's o-line and how well it holds up to game situations. Given our lack and depth, quality, experience, I actually believe Miami enters as a slight, marginal favorite, but I think its essentially a coin-flip type game.

And in the spirit of Marshall vs. MACsters, that was clearly running up the 66-6 score, and it was clearly pass interference and pressbox destruction and fan punching....

MACsters.... after three years of C-USA 3.0, I do miss some aspects of the MAC... We've scheduled multiple deals with Ohio and Miami in football... and Ohio, Akron, and Toledo in basketball... but I don't know how we haven't found a way to find a home-and-home with Toledo in football after 12 years on top of the MAC East (minus Buffalo) deals we've done over the years.)

(08-17-2017 09:17 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(08-17-2017 08:56 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  

(08-17-2017 07:55 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  This may be the year Miami wins one against my Bearcats. Miami was pretty tough last year and improved as the season wore on.

I would say that if we don't get one this year, with us at home coming off our best season in a while and most starters returning against a UC team with four wins and a new head coach, we'd be blowing our shot. But we're a junior-heavy team that looks to be towards the top of the MAC for a while now (we'll see for sure in a few weeks). I'd look for the Victory Bell games to be classics for the next few years, not just close games that Miami hung around in when we were the inferior team like the last few seasons.

Marshall will be a huge game for us. Playing in Huntington is never easy and they'll be refocused after an offseason spent around removing the bad taste of last fall, we want to extend our regular season win streak to seven and show we're here to stay as a good team. And it'd be nice to shut up the C-USA and Herd fans on this board.

You never want to be overconfident but I don't see the Herd beating Miami this year even in Huntington. Heck, you guys might even have a decent shot at taking down the imploding South Bend Golden Domers. Now that would be something.

[Oh please oh please oh please]. That would be beautiful.

(08-18-2017 02:58 AM)CoachMaclid Wrote:  Early morning MACsters...

Reports out of camp have the Herd being vastly improved at the offensive skill positions, but a lot of concerns around both the offensive lines and defensive interior lines. It's hard to win football games if you don't win the line of scrimmage on either side of the ball, and that's where we find ourselves this year (and last).

I feel like the Miami @ Marshall game is a virtual toss-up this year in Huntington, with the X-factor being Marshall's o-line and how well it holds up to game situations. Given our lack and depth, quality, experience, I actually believe Miami enters as a slight, marginal favorite, but I think its essentially a coin-flip type game.

And in the spirit of Marshall vs. MACsters, that was clearly running up the 66-6 score, and it was clearly pass interference and pressbox destruction and fan punching....

MACsters.... after three years of C-USA 3.0, I do miss some aspects of the MAC... We've scheduled multiple deals with Ohio and Miami in football... and Ohio, Akron, and Toledo in basketball... but I don't know how we haven't found a way to find a home-and-home with Toledo in football after 12 years on top of the MAC East (minus Buffalo) deals we've done over the years.)

And in the same spirit, there was clear evidence of cheating, including bugging the opponent locker room...man, it is almost like old times around here.

(08-18-2017 02:58 AM)CoachMaclid Wrote:  Early morning MACsters...

Reports out of camp have the Herd being vastly improved at the offensive skill positions, but a lot of concerns around both the offensive lines and defensive interior lines. It's hard to win football games if you don't win the line of scrimmage on either side of the ball, and that's where we find ourselves this year (and last).

I feel like the Miami @ Marshall game is a virtual toss-up this year in Huntington, with the X-factor being Marshall's o-line and how well it holds up to game situations. Given our lack and depth, quality, experience, I actually believe Miami enters as a slight, marginal favorite, but I think its essentially a coin-flip type game.

Your defense may be in for a world of hurt if your d-line is a weakness, this is by far the best o-line we've had since winning the MAC in 2010 and probably one of our top three since the Big Ben years (thought that's not very good competition). We return all our skill positions except for WR 2, so we'll have weapons.

D-line is one of our weaknesses, we graduated a couple solid players. We have some great DBs, so that'll be an interesting matchup.

(08-17-2017 07:55 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  This may be the year Miami wins one against my Bearcats. Miami was pretty tough last year and improved as the season wore on.

I think Cincinnati will surprise a lot of people and be good. AAC sweep vs the MAC this year

(08-19-2017 02:26 AM)grapes Wrote:  

(08-17-2017 07:55 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  This may be the year Miami wins one against my Bearcats. Miami was pretty tough last year and improved as the season wore on.

I think Cincinnati will surprise a lot of people and be good. AAC sweep vs the MAC this year

Tulsa, which Steele's picks as the AAC West's top team along with Houston, will have a tough time in the Glass Bowl. Cincinnati(10-3) came to Toledo ranked #21 in 2012 leaving with a 29-23 loss. 2015, AAC East Winner Temple was #24, lost to the Rockets 32 -17 in the Boca Raton Bowl. This year Toledo will have one of its better teams so the AAC might not get its sweep.

(08-19-2017 06:40 AM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(08-19-2017 02:26 AM)grapes Wrote:  

(08-17-2017 07:55 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  This may be the year Miami wins one against my Bearcats. Miami was pretty tough last year and improved as the season wore on.

I think Cincinnati will surprise a lot of people and be good. AAC sweep vs the MAC this year

Tulsa, which Steele's picks as the AAC West's top team along with Houston, will have a tough time in the Glass Bowl. Cincinnati(10-3) came to Toledo ranked #21 in 2012 leaving with a 29-23 loss. 2015, AAC East Winner Temple was #24, lost to the Rockets 32 -17 in the Boca Raton Bowl. This year Toledo will have one of its better teams so the AAC might not get its sweep.

I remember that game in 2012. I also remember the game at Paul Brown Stadium in 2014. I was there and after we had built a comfortable lead Toledo stormed back and made it a close game until late. The Rockets are a good, consistent, solid football program.

side note- Ohio has no G5 teams on OOC schedule.