MAC Football Power Rankings
Temple is running towards the No. 1 spot.
By Matt Sussman
TMD Columnist
(1) Central Michigan, 7-2, 5-0 MAC: Loss vs. Boston College 31-10; Last week: 1 -- I think most MAC enthusiasts expected a better showing against a middle-of-the-road ACC team. Perhaps even a win. With the loss also goes their chance at getting ranked anytime soon.
Next game: Idle
(2) Temple, 6-2, 4-0 MAC: Win vs. Navy 27-24; Last week: 2 -- Meanwhile, the Owls snuggle up even closer to the top spot. A win over the Midshipmen is their second straight "best win of the season." There's no reason they can't easily win two more, perhaps three.
Next game: vs Miami
(3) Ohio, 6-3, 4-1 MAC: Win vs. Ball State, 20-17; Last week: 3 -- Yet another close but successful game gives the Bobcats four straight games in which the opponent couldn't score more than 20 points. The way Temple is playing, Ohio can still control their destiny by winning out.
Next game: at Buffalo
(4) Northern Illinois, 5-3, 3-1 MAC: Win vs. Akron 27-10; Last week: 4 -- And much like the Bobcats must keep pace, so must the Huskies against Central Michigan for their final week showdown. The problem is that both scenarios can't play out: NIU plays Ohio in three weeks.
Next game: vs. Eastern Michigan
(5) Kent State, 5-4, 4-1 MAC: Win vs. Western Michigan 26-14; Last week: 6 -- And here's another team being overshadowed by Temple's dominance. The Golden Flashes are still very much in the hunt, rattling off three wins in a row, two of them considered unlikely. Their defense continues to emerge as one of the strongest.
Next game: at Akron
(6) Western Michigan, 4-5, 3-3 MAC: Loss vs. Kent State 26-14; Last week: 5 -- It looks like the best this team can salvage is a 6-6 record, perhaps sneaking into a bowl. But their seesaw season is proving they might not get there. Or they might surprise some faces in East Lansing.
Next game: at Michigan State
(7) Bowling Green, 4-5, 3-2 MAC: Win vs. Buffalo 30-29; Last week: 8 -- The schedule from here on out looks moderately soft, so their bowl chances remain alive. Meanwhile, Freddie Barnes only (only!) had eight catches for 122 yards and one touchdown, albeit the winning one.
Next game: at Miami
(8) Toledo, 4-5, 2-3 MAC: Loss vs. Miami 31-24; Last week: 7 -- The ticking time bomb of Miami's inevitable first win had to land in some unfortunate team's lap, and with Aaron Opelt bowing out again to an injury.
Next game: at Central Michigan
(9) Buffalo, 3-6, 1-4 MAC: Loss vs Bowling Green 30-29; Last week: 9 -- Technically there were no turnovers in this game. But two blocked punts were enough momentum to blow a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter. And so it is written for Buffalo's season.
Next game: vs. Ohio
(10) Ball State, 1-8, 1-4 MAC: Loss vs. Ohio 20-17; Last week: 10 -- While we're on the subject of lost leads, the Cardinals had a shot at upsetting the Bobcats in the fourth quarter. On the plus side? Of their eight losses, this makes their fifth such one by one touchdown or less.
Next game: at Northern Illinois
(11) Miami, 1-7, 1-4 MAC: Win vs. Toledo 31-24; Last week: 12 -- The Zac Dysert Era finally sees its first victory. Hey, it can only get better from here.
Next game: November 5 at Temple
(12) Akron, 1-7, 0-4 MAC: Loss vs. Northern Illinois 27-10; Last week: 11 -- There appears to be a theme of struggling teams taking leads into the fourth quarter and not keeping them. Buffalo, Ball State, and now the Zips. Perhaps there's a reason for that.
Next game: vs. Kent State
(13) Eastern Michigan, 0-7, 0-3 MAC: Loss vs. Arkansas 63-27; Last week: 13 -- If only they were so lucky to have a fourth-quarter lead. Try not being down 49-0 at any point in the game.
Next game: at Northern Illinois
It's like the Heisman for the MAC, only it's awarded to the top conference football player. If the player wants a printout of this crude Photoshop, I suppose they can have it.
1. Dan LeFevour, CMU QB: 176-257, 1,848 yards, 16 TD, 5 INT; 548 rushing yards, 9 TD
2. Freddie Barnes, Bowling Green WR: 107 receptions, 1,179 yards, 10 TD; 1 rush TD
3. Bernard Pierce, Temple RB: 164 carries, 1,033 yards, 11 TD
4. Chad Spann, Northern Illinois RB: 109 carries, 593 yards, 13 TD
5. Antonio Brown, CMU WR: 1,592 all-purpose yards (605 receiving), 11 total TD
6. Brandon West, WMU RB: 1,775 all-purpose yards (824 rushing), 8 total TD
7. Brian Lainhart, Kent State FS: 44 solo tackles, 5 INT, 4 FF
8. Aaron Opelt, Toledo QB: 176-257, 1,863 yards, 15 TD, 6 INT; 141 rushing yards, 3 TD
9. Tyler Sheehan, Bowling Green QB: 277-432, 2,990 yards, 16 TD, 6 INT; 4 rush TD
10. Tim Hiller, WMU QB: 240-384, 17 TD, 8 INT
