(12-30-2022 08:29 AM)Sellers dweller Wrote:  

(12-29-2022 07:23 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  

(12-29-2022 08:24 AM)Sellers dweller Wrote:  

(12-28-2022 07:45 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  

(12-28-2022 08:07 AM)Sellers dweller Wrote:  Yeah, I was really happy for Q as well!

Another entertaining game yesterday. I wasn't really impressed with either year, some sloppy play and bad throws, but a it was a fun game to watch. As you pointed out Jerry, this is one of the better bowl season performances for the MAC! We we are 3-2 but could easily be 4-1 if not 5-0. Also, other than our game, every game have been very competitive and entertaining which is really what you want out of a bowl game.

The MAC will wrap it up with Ohio play Wyoming at 4:30 on Friday. Ohio had a 9-3 regular season while Wyoming was 7-5. Ohio is a 1.5 favorite, however I know Rourke was hurt and missed the end of the regular season and MAC title game and I assume won't play Friday? With him I would really like Ohio's chances, without him they still have a good chance to win but should be a good one!

Honestly SD, Ohio was the best team in the MAC this year. QB is the most important position in today's football game, and they lost Rourke, who by the way, was the MAC offensive POY. With Rourke they easily beat Toledo and Wyoming as well, but of course, injuries are part of the game.

I would posit that the most disappointing performance for the MAC this season was displayed by Toledo, even in a win. I don't think, and correct me if I am wrong, but did ANY interim coach win a bowl game this season? Toledo got Liberty who lost to the same NMSU team that barely beat BGSU by 35 freaking points with Hugh Freeze. Then they "drilled" Liberty and their interim coach by just TWO points!

Toledo is the gold standard of the MAC, they always have the best attendance and players as evidenced by the All-MAC selections. They are what we all want to be.

I'm not going to dog Austin Smith, he is our future and has acquitted himself well. Yet I still wonder what Taylor Powell does against the Rockets. Just me, wondering.

I agree with all these points, Jerry. I wasn't too impressed with the way Toledo played in the MAC title game.

To your point about the interim coach; Wisconsin did win but they had a weird situation. Jim Leonard is the interim coach, but he had been in place for half the season, plus the new coach (Fickell) was there kind of coaching in the bowl game...but to your larger point yeah those teams don't seem to be playing well.

I knew someone would catch me on the "interim coach" issue, and yes you are correct about Leonard as you are a sharp guy. I was, of course, referring to those teams like Liberty who lost their coach just prior to the bowl game. Then again, one could also point out the Fenway Bowl where BOTH coaches were leading their teams for the very first time, one interim did indeed have to win.

I kinda think I am just an old geezer that suddenly realized how close EMU was to a MAC title this year and am obsessively whining about it. Toledo was not very good, they lost their last two conference games, beat Ohio without the best player in the MAC and eked out a win vs Liberty without their head coach. Never mind me, I still think we missed a huge opportunity this year.

100%. I'm still kind of riding the high of our bowl win and great recruiting class, but after that wears off I think I'll always look back at this season and it'll be hard not to think about what could have been.

The memories of this year as a prelude will just sweeten the Eagles' undefeated 2023 season.