2005 mac football previews ........

[gman2]

Looking at the Bowling Green defense

Because the Falcons score points at such an impressive rate on offense, the BG defense often gets overlooked. They're not a dominant unit, but
they certainly are above average and probably don't get the recognition they deserve. They only gave up 23 points per game in 2004, and in the
offensively-heavy MAC, that's a pretty good defensive effort. The defensive line returns pretty much intact, and they were pretty formidable
against the run last year. Where Bowling Green loses a lot to graduation, though, is at linebacker. They bring back Teddy Piepkow for his senior
year, but will be plugging in some new guys this fall. Jamien Johnson should have a good year as he steps into a starting position now. The
Falcons do a lot of blitzing, so the linebackers need to be aggressive so as to not leave the secondary out on an island.

The defensive backfield for Bowling Green is loaded with experience. Jelani Jordan is back, and he was one of the best in the MAC last year. The
key loss here is Keon Newson, who was a bigtime player for them the last two years and always had a knack for making a big play or coming up
with a key interception. But overall, the secondary is in good shape. They were solid last year statistically and should be even better this year.

Looking at the overall numbers from the whole season, the Falcons defense was solid. But the defense gave up a lot of points and a lot of yards
in the final 3 weeks, and that proved costly in the Toledo game. Marshall had 461 of offense, Toledo had 517, and Memphis had 414. The Falcons
have such an explosive offense that they can normally outscore any opponent. But if any improvements need to be made for BG from '04 to
'05, its the overall play of the defense. Statistically they were solid. But the last 3 games of the season, despite their 2-1 record, were a red flag.

Summary

The Falcons are preseason favorites to win the MAC, and deservedly so, as they bring back almost
everyone from an offense that was 4th best in the nation last year. The non-conference schedule for
Bowling Green will be a good test -- they open up the season in Madison against the University of
Wisconsin, and then travel to Boise State two weeks later to play the Broncos on the Smurf Turf on
national television. You can almost make a case for the game in Wisconsin being more winnable than the
game in Boise. The Badgers rushing attack will certainly test Bowling Green's rushing defense right away,
but that's a game that Bowling Green has a very good shot of winning. The game in Boise might need
multiple sets of backup light bulbs for the scoreboard, because that game is likely going to be the total
points in the high 70s, maybe even 80s. Jacobs against Zabransky is going to be a great battle.

The conference part of Bowling Green's schedule is, quite frankly, a joke. They don't play a difficult game
in conference until November 15th, when they travel to Miami for an ESPN2 game against the Redhawks
on a Tuesday night. The following week, which is the last of the season, Bowling Green has their rematch
against rival Toledo, and that one is nationally televised as well.

Overall, the non-conference schedule makes it tough for the Falcons early on, but the Falcons could
realistically go undefeated in conference play if all things fall right. The only two games that will be a test
are the final two weeks against Miami and Toledo. It's likely the Falcons will be underdogs in Miami, but
its a game they can certainly win.
There's no reason Omar Jacobs shouldn't have another huge season at quarterback for Bowling Green. He's one of the top 10 guys in the
running for the Heisman Trophy, but any serious consideration for him would have to be contingent on a BG win at either Wisconsin or Boise
State. Neither game would be a huge upset, per se, but they'll be dogs in both games and both venues are very difficult places to play.
Regardless of what happens in non-conference, Bowling Green should put themselves in a position to be playing for a MAC Championship when
they take on Toledo in the final week of the regular season

 

[Sun Tzu]

This is all nice, but can we get back to what this board is all about -how would these guys stack up against USC??

 

[AR182]

gman,

thanks for posting this info......it is very informative.

 

[gman2]

ar182- thanks man. glad to help. sorry the format is all screwed up. i did a cut-n-paste and for whatever reason it doesnt transfer correctly and sorta is tough to read. but glad you found some value in the posts. best of luck this season my friend.

sun -- lmao. ill never say never, because ive seen relatively innocuous posts turn into mini-usc forums. but im pretty confident theres no way usc can find its way into this one, lol.

but im sure somehow, we'll have six degrees of usc involved, because:

usc plays hawaii this year
hawaii plays michigan state
michigan state plays kent state
kent state plays bowling green

so somehow, we'll end up setting a line for bg vs. usc and talking about the usc SOS vs. the bowling green SOS.

 

[hm23]

Excellent MAC previews gman. I luv the MAC...it's a fun alternative to the more stodgy offensive philosophy in the Big 10.

 

[gman2]

OHIO UNIVERSITY


Looking back at 2004

The 2004 season for the Ohio Bobcats was a year that started off with a bang, but then finished with
a whimper. Prior to the 2004 season, Ohio scrapped the ground-oriented option attack that had been
a staple of their program for so many years, and decided to open things up and become a pass-first
team. Ryan Hawk and Austen Everson split time at quarterback, and the Bobcats played well in the
month of September.

They started the season with a home win over VMI before heading to Pittsburgh to play the Panthers.
Ohio went in and more than held their own despite being on the losing end of the 24-3 final. The OU
defense was superb, holding Tyler Palko to just 6-19 passing for 49 yards. On the offensive end for
Ohio, they put the ball in the air 51 times -- an astounding number for a team that was running the
ball 50-60 times a game just a season earlier.

Ohio opened the MAC season in Oxford against Miami and played well in the first half (trailing 10-0 at
the break) but fell apart in the 3rd quarter on their way to a 40-20 loss. Miami actually built a 33-7
lead but Ohio scored a few late TDs to make the final respectable. The game was truly a tale of two
halves.

The Bobcats responded well the next week, however, and shut out Buffalo 34-0 at home. The win put
the Bobcats at 2-2, but considering their two early wins were against VMI and Buffalo, not too many
people expected them to travel to Kentucky the next week and come home with a win. But OU went to Lexington and pulled off a 28-16 upset of Kentucky. While UK certainly isn't an elite SEC team, it was still a very big win for the OU
football program, and was the 4th time in 5 games that Ohio's defense played well above average. The win at Kentucky gave OU reason to
believe they might be able to compete in the MAC East.

Ohio lost to Marshall the following week in heartbreaking fashion. Trailing 16-13 with 0:25 to go, Brooks Rossman missed a 32-yard field goal
try that would have sent the game into overtime. The Bobcats had a very good shot winning in regulation when they took over after a
Marshall fumble on the Thundering Herd's 17 yard line with 2:00 to go. But not only did Ohio go nowhere with the ball, they missed a short FG
to tie it up. Another good defensive effort was wasted, and Ohio dropped to 3-3.

The next game for Ohio is really where the season turned south. They traveled to Toledo for a national TV game against the Rockets are
were thoroughly dominated in a game that really wasn't as close as the 31-13 final. Toledo outgained Ohio 400-230 in total offense, and if
not for two defensive safeties and a late meaningless touchdown, the game could have been a shutout. Both Hawk and Everson saw time at
quarterback, but neither was effective.

The wheels really came off the next week at home when Bowling Green laid a 41-16 beating on Ohio. Omar Jacobs scored from 1 yard out on
the opening possession and BG never looked back. They outgained Ohio 481-265 in total offense and Jacobs threw for 389 yards in barely 3
quarters of action before sitting out most of the 4th quarter. The Ohio defense that had played so well in the first month and a half of the
season had been torched for 881 yards and 72 in just two weeks.

Things went from bad to worse for the Bobcats, because Kent State rang up 428 yards and 42 points the next week in a 42-16 rout. Kent QB
Josh Cribbs destroyed OU's defense with more than just his arm, rushing for an amazing 223 yards on 20 carries. The loss put Ohio at 3-6
and from there, they simply went through the motions in the final two weeks of the season, sleepwalking to a 17-16 win against winless
Central Florida, and then laying down at home in a 31-19 loss to Akron.

In the end, it was a 4-7 season that cost now former head coach Brian Knorr his job and paved the way for the Bobcats to offer the job to
Ohio-native Frank Solich this past offseason.

The one-year experiment with a pass-first offense looks to be done down in Athens, and rightfully so, because the Cats just don't have the
personnel to be running the kind of attack. Solich's coaching style should be a good fit for the type of players he has to work with.

 

[gman2]

Looking at the offense

With Ryan Hawk lost to graduation, the quarterback job is Austen Everson's to lose heading into the fall. The 6'2 junior has a good arm and
also has the ability to scramble around and make plays when his protection breaks down, but you've got to wonder how comfortable he is
learning his 3rd system in just 3 years. When he broke in as a freshman, he saw action as an option quarterback. Then last season, when OU
scrapped the option and went to a more pro-style offense, he had to adjust and become a drop back quarterback. He had his moments, but
there really was never a point in the season where he looked completely comfortable running the offense. The offense that OU will feature
this fall (a traditional 2-back look), however, should suit him well.

The Bobcats have a good group of backs that should collectively have a solid 2005 season. Sophomore Kalvin McRae is back after rushing for
559 yards last year as a true freshman. At 5'11 / 204, he's got the size the be a workhorse back if needed. JUCO transfer Voncarie Owens
missed the spring game after suffering a minor injury and should be ready to go as McRae's backup this fall. The running game will be the
focal point of the Bobcats offense, and as long as the offensive line holds up, the OU should be able to move the ball on the ground.

The receivers for Ohio are decent but nothing special. Scott Mayle is the best of a mediocre group, and he returns for his junior season after
catching 33 passes last season. He did average almost 18 yards per catch, and his track pedigree gives the Cats a nice athlete that can
stretch the field on the outside, but he's really the only guy that scares opponents. After Mayle, the leading returning receiver (Justin Riley)
had just 12 catches in 11 games.

The offensive line is a bit of a question mark, as OU lost 3 of their 5 starters up front. The two guys that are back (Matt Coppage and Matt
Miller) are both underclassmen. OU is going to have to find a way to protect the quarterback better. They allowed an absurd 52 sacks in 11
games last year. Their run blocking wasn't much better, as the OU running backs only averaged 2.9 yards a rush. The Bobcats have some
talent in the backfield, they just need the guys up front to do their job and open the holes. You would think a strong fundamental coach like
Frank Solich would be able to get the line to perform as a cohesive unit. This will be the key area on the offensive side of the ball.

The kicking game should be a bright spot for Ohio. This is a team that has traditionally had very good special teams (especially with Zastudil
now punting for the Ravens on Sundays), and this year is no different, at least at punter. Brooks Rossman was thrown into the fire as a true
freshman and hit only 7 of 14 field goals attempts, but looks to have a nice leg and should be OK now that he has a year of seasoning and
experience. Matthew Miller is the best punter in the conference, averaging 42.4 yards a kick last year. He only had two touchbacks, while
placing 20 kicks inside the opponent's 20 yard line.

 

[gman2]

Looking at the defense

The Bobcats will likely rely on the strength of their defense early on in 2005. Despite going through a brutal 3-game stretch in the middle of
October last year (giving up 114 points in 3 games), they still finished near the top of the MAC in a handful of defensive categories, most
notably overall passing defense, where they finished #2. Sometimes stats can lie, but they ranking is pretty representative in this case,
because OU has a very nice secondary, and that will be the strength of their defense. Overall, they return 7 of 11 defensive starters from
2004.

The defensive line will be adjusting from a 3-4 to a 4-3 set this season, and a handful of seniors return to ease the transition. Overall, the OU
defensive line did a pretty good job against the run last year, finishing 5th out of 14 MAC teams (130 ypg, 3.4 per rush).

Ohio brings back all 4 starting linebackers from last year, and that includes junior Matt Muncy, who is one of the best in the conference. He
was the Bobcats' leading tackler last year (78.0 total tackles) and also had 10.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, 5 sacks, and 2 fumble
recoveries.

The secondary returns both starting cornerbacks, and they're two good ones in senior Dion Bynum and T.J.Wright. Together, they helped lead
a secondary that barely allowed 200 yards a game through the air in 2004. Along with their experienced corners, the overall depth of the
secondary is what makes the group solid. There are a lot of guys who can step in and see significant playing time. The defense had its ups and
downs last year, but overall this was a solid group, and bringing back 7 of those 11 guys will only help. They'll be tested right away, though,
because OU plays a brutal non-conference schedule in September with games against Northwestern, Pittsburgh, and Virginia Tech.

Summary

This is a difficult team to project for a lot of reasons. You have to account for the change in offensive philosophy that will have quarterback
Austen Everson playing in his 3rd system in 3 years. There hasn't been a whole lot of stability for him. But he has the skills to be a pretty
good quarterback, and a viable run/pass threat. This system should be a good fit for him though, because he won't be counted on to win
games purely on the strength of his arm. Solich's offense should feature McRae in the running game, which will take some pressure off the
quarterback. Then you have to figure out which defense is the real OU defense -- the one that was abused by Toledo, Bowling Green, and
Kent State in 3 successive weeks? Or is it the defense that held Pittburgh to barely 200 yards of total offense on the road, and then held
Kentucky to just 10 points on the road before the Wildcats pushed across a TD with 1:00 to go to make the final 28-16 in favor of OU? Given
the players they have, it's more likely that the latter is the case. This is a pretty solid defense that should be very formidable in the MAC this
fall. The problem is that the offense doesn't frighten anyone. That's not a good thing when your first 3 games are against power conference
teams, two of whom (Pittburgh and Virginia Tech) are ranked in the Top 25. The X-factor, though, is Solich. He's going to demand a
disciplined football team that runs the ball well and plays good defense, and those are two strengths for this team. So it's entirely possible
that OU could overachieve and have a solid year in the conference. Their MAC schedule, aside from a road game at Bowling Green, is
favorable. They will have a tough time surviving that brutal triumvirate of power conference teams right off the bat, but that should
toughen them up for conference and might even add some line value to their games as they head into MAC play. Unlike Ball State, who plays
an incredibly brutal non-conference slate and has no chance of winning any of them, Ohio should at least be competitive in what will
probably be an 0-3 start to the season.

 

[Sun Tzu]

Come on man. How would the Bobcats match up with the Trojans. You are really get off topic here.

:topic: :lol:

 

[pt1gard]

thanx gman2, you are the tolstoy of the Mac

 

[The Judge]

Top-notch previews, GMan! I am assuming that this is your own work but I am wondering why there are gaps on the right hand side of some of the pages that look like those spaces my have contained a photo or advertisement at one time.

Were you able to get your previews published somewhere? If so, I would be interested in reading the publication.

Good luck on the upcoming season.

 

[gman2]

judge:

thanks man. yeah- every single word or every single preview is my own work. i take great pride in that. ive really been bustin ass to prepare for this football season.

since you asked specifically, ill address it briefly and succinctly as possible --- ive worked to develop a service and website for college football and basketball. out of consideration to jack, thats really all i can say on it. there was a thread pertaining to my decision in the general forum a few months ago that you can refer to if you really want to search for it.

i wanted to make a contribution, so ive chosen to post all my previews here as well. although ive chosen to develop a website and service, id like to think that the previews help guys out in some way, because there are a ton of guys here, yourself included, whom i respect and enjoy discussing games with, with no ulterior motives. the reason for the gaps is because when i did a cut and paste, it just didnt format correctly onto this posting forum.

 

[gman2]

MIAMI REDHAWKS


Looking back at 2004

For the last few seasons, expectations in Oxford have been very high each fall for the Miami Redhawks.
2004 was no different, and the Redhawks opened the season with a ho-hum 49-0 win over 1-AA Indiana
State, a game in which the Miami defense held ISU to just 12 first downs and 44 rushing yards on 31 carries.
The easy win, regardless of opposition, gave Miami fans reason to believe that they could compete with
Michigan in the Big House in week 2. Many felt it was a dangerous game for Michigan, and one in which the
Redhawks could hang around and maybe even pull an upset.

Miami played well in the early stages of the Michigan game, and the score was 0-0 midway through the 2nd
quarter. The Redhawks defense was holding up well, and Michigan was struggling to generate offense. The
Wolverines had two scoring drives right before half, and led only 10-0 at the break.

Unfortunately, Miami self-destructed in the 2nd half and allowed Michigan to blow them out of the water
43-10. For the game, Miami turned it over 7 times -- including five by QB Josh Betts (4 INTs and a fumble)
and that allowed Michigan to cruise to an easy win. The Miami defense, however, had little to be ashamed of.
They held Michigan to just 274 yards of total offense and made the Wolverines work for every point they
got. But the turnovers created great field position for the Michigan offense and the Miami defense couldn't
overcome the offense's mistakes. Overall, it was a disappointing effort for the 2nd season in a row against a
Big Ten team on the road. In 2003, Ben Roethlisberger threw 4 interceptions against Iowa in a 21-3 loss.
Miami had a chance to bounce back the following week against rival Cincinnati, but this time it was the defense's turn to put forth a subpar
effort. A week after holding Michigan to 274 yards of offense, the Redhawks defense allowed Cincinnati to ring up 599 yards of total
offense, including a preposterous 341 yards rushing on 43 Bearcat attempts. Miami QB Josh Betts threw for 416 yards and 4 TDs, but it
wasn't nearly enough to overcome a horrific defensive effort that resulted in a 45-26 loss.

Things got back on track the next week, with both units playing well in a 40-20 win over Ohio. The defense was dominant, holding Ohio to
only 9 yards on 34 carries, while the offense put up 414 yards of total offense and Betts turned in his second straight strong outing.

The Redhawks headed to Marshall for an ESPN game sitting at 2-2, but were soundly beaten by the Herd 33-25. Marshall dominated every
statistical category, and it was turnovers (once again) that hurt the Redhawks. Betts threw two INTS and lost two more fumbles along with
another fumble from Mike Smith, and that sealed the fate for Miami.

It was looking to be a Jekyl and Hyde start to the season for Miami, and their consistency was nowhere to be found through five weeks. But
to their credit, they really found their stride from that point on and put together a string of 6 straight victories, the last of which was a 37-27
win on the road in Akron that secured Miami a spot in the MAC Championship against the winner of the MAC West. In the regular season
finale against Akron, the Redhawks started slow but dominated the 2nd half, especially the 4th quarter and put away the Zips on a 35 yard
run by Brandon Murphy early on in the final quarter. Miami had no answer for Akron's Charlie Frye (26-43 for 436 yards) but they got the
defense stops when they needed them and advanced to the MAC title game.

The MAC Championship started off as a defensive struggle, with Miami taking a 14-7 lead on Toledo heading into halftime. But Toledo's Bruce
Gradkowski, as he seemed to do all season, took control in the 2nd half and turned a 14-7 deficit into a 35-27 Toledo win. He threw 3
touchdowns in the final 30:00 to his favorite target, Lance Moore, and Miami's late rally attempt failed when Toledo ran out the clock with
some solid late-game rushing by Scooter McDougle.

Despite the loss in the MAC Championship, Miami still earned a berth in the Independence Bowl against Iowa State, but lost 17-13 game to
the Cyclones in what turned out to be a pretty lethargic performance in coach Terry Hoeppner's final game on the Miami sidelines. When it
was all said and done, Miami finished the year 8-5 and claimed another MAC East title, but given the expectations the program now had,
especially with all the offensive talent on the roster in '04, the season was a bit of a disappointment.

 

[gman2]

Looking at the Miami offense

Quarterback Josh Betts returns for his senior season, and he might be the single most important player on any MAC team this fall. If he cuts
down on his turnovers, Miami has a chance to be very, very good. If he doesn't improve, however, Miami could fail to meet the expectations
a lot of people have for them. From game to game, it's tough to figure out which Josh Betts is going to show up. Physically, he has all the
tools to be one of the very best quarterbacks in the conference. He's got good size ( 6'3 / 225 ) and he moves well in the pocket. But his
decision making, as a whole, leaves a lot to be desired. He threw for 3495 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2004, but also threw 14 interceptions
and lost 6 fumbles. Suffice to say, he's got to take better care of the football if Miami is going to compete for another MAC East title. But
there's no doubt he's capable of being a solid player for Miami. To this point, though, the jury is still out.

Running back is the only offensive position where Miami took a hit to graduation. Luke Clemens and Mike Smith are both gone, and that
leaves Brandon Murphy as the Redhawks leading returning rusher with 248 yards in limited action. Murphy has terrific speed and showed
promising signs against Akron in the season finale, when he rushed for 90 yards on 8 carries. So despite losing two key guys, there's a
chance Murphy could adequately fill the void for Miami at running back.

While most teams would really be hurting after losing a receiver the caliber of Michael Larkin, Miami should be just fine despite Larkin's
graduation. Even though he caught 57 passes for 832 yards (and also set an NCAA record with a reception in 50 straight games), the
Redhawks still possess one of the most explosive receiving units in the MAC. Ryne Robinson is, dare we say, Ted Ginn-esque with his
game-breaking ability. The 5-10 junior receiver doubles as a punt returner, and he averaged 14.0 yards on 39 returns and took 2 of them to
the house (70 yards and 74 yards). In his 2 years at Miami, he has returned a total of 5 punts for TDs. As a receiver, he led Miami with 64
catches for 932 yards last year. Martin Nance flanks Robinson on the opposite side, and Nance is a huge target at 6'5 and 210. He's close to
breaking Miami's all-time receiving records for yardage and receptions. Josh Williams and RJ Corbin add a lot of depth, as both were solid
contributors in 2004. This is a very good group, and they're definitely on par with the terrific group of receivers that Omar Jacobs has to
throw to in Bowling Green. The only difference is that Jacobs has shown more consistency than Betts.

The offensive line is very stable for Miami. 4 of 5 linemen return, and they did a pretty good job of protecting Betts last year as well as
opening up holes in the running game. Not only does Miami have a lot of guys returning here, but almost all are upperclassmen, so really the
onus is now one of the running backs, and it'll probably be Murphy, to step up and claim the job of running behind a pretty good line. Todd
Londot is the anchor, and he's back for his senior season after being a starter for his first three years.

 

[gman2]

Looking at the Miami defense

Miami returns a lot of key guys from a defense that was #1 in the MAC in points per game allowed (19.8), and 2nd in total defense (310
yards allowed per game). At times, this group was dominant, but they also had some shaky moments. The defense was very solid during the
early stages of the MAC season, but allowed 436 yards passing to Akron's Charlie Frye in the regular season finale, and then couldn't stop
Toledo's Bruce Gradkowski in the 2nd half of the MAC Championship. But on the flip side, the turned in good performances against Michigan
and Iowa State when they matched up against the power conferences.

The defensive line lost some guys to graduation, but they've got experience ready to fill in. The guys upfront did a good job of getting
pressure on the quarterback last year (as a team, Miami had 38 sacks) and they did a good job of stopping the run, allowing only 14 rushing
TDs in 12 games. Marcus Johnson returns after having a solid 2004 season (7.5 sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss). He's a load at 6'3 / 260 and
should be a force in 2005.

The linebackers are collectively the best in the MAC. Terna Nande, John Busing, and Derek Rehage were all outstanding in 2004 as juniors,
and should be even better as seniors this fall. Rehage had 4.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss last year, but it's Nande who is probably the
best of the bunch. He just has a way of always being around the football and making a big stop when Miami needs it. Each of these guys
would likely be the #1 or #2 linebacker on any other MAC team.

The secondary is really the only defensive position with a question mark. Matt Pusateri and Alphonso Hodge are both gone, and they leave
big shoes to fill. The guys that are expected to fill in, Ryan Redd and Darrell Hunter, are both exceptional athletes and have the potential to
be solid players, but neither has a whole lot of experience.

The kicking game should be reliable for Miami. Todd Soderquist takes over for Jared Parseghian, and he made 6 of 8 tries in 2004. He was
mainly the kicker on long field goal tries, so he has a strong leg and proved to be pretty accurate. Punting is a question mark though.
Redshirt freshman Jacob Richardson has to replace Mike Wafzig, who was a 4-year starter and averaged 42-4 yards a kick last season.

Summary

This team has the potential to be very good, but it wouldn't be a huge shock if they underachieved a bit. They bring back a lot of starters on
both sides of the ball, but there is a significant void at running back to fill, and only time will tell if Betts can mature and prove to be one of
the top quarterbacks in the MAC. There's no excuses for Betts, because his line is solid and his receivers are outstanding. Having said that,
the Redhawks definitely need someone to step up in the rushing game and provide the offense with some balance. The defense should be
solid, with secondary being the only bit of weakness. Fortunately for Miami, they don't have to play Toledo during the regular season this
year and the Bowling Green game is late in the season (November 20th) so the secondary will have more than enough time to sort itself out.

The coaching change is also a variable thats worth mentioning. Obviously, Shane Montgomery has the pedigree to be a solid head coach. His
track record as an offensive coordinator speaks for itself. But Miami now has the youngest head coach in college football roaming the
sidelines, and thats a bit of a change from the experienced Terry Hoeppner, who's now at Indiana. The players were very happy that the
university promoted someone from within, so that's a good thing.

The schedule is very favorable to Miami this year. They open up with a very difficult game at Ohio State, but after that, they have a chance
to string together some wins before heading to Northern Illinois on October 5th. Again, no Toledo on the schedule is a huge luxury, and the
Bowling Green game is much later in the season this year. Their game against rival Cincinnati, normally a hard fought game, should be a
relatively easy win considering how much Cincinnati lost from last year in terms of personnel.

The opening game at Ohio State is very intriguing. The way it sets up, its a great spot for Miami. Ohio State is staring squarely at an
enormous game with Texas the following week, and Troy Smith won't be available for the Miami game due to suspension. The problem is,
Miami has been inexplicably lame against the Big Ten the last two years. Roethlisberger and the Redhawks were supposed to have a realistic
upset chance in 2003, but were dominated by Iowa. And then Betts and Miami were dominated by Michigan last year, although turnovers
certainly hurt the Miami cause. Ohio State's defense is going to be a very stiff test for Betts.

There's no reason Miami shouldn't be in contention for another MAC East title. But right now, they project as the 3rd best team in the
conference behind Bowling Green and Toledo simply because of the quarterback situation. Jacobs and Gradkowski have proven to be reliable
quarterbacks that make big plays while avoiding mistakes. If Betts has a breakthrough senior season, Miami could really give BG a run at
the MAC East.

 

[gman2]

sun:

for the record, usc defeats miami,ohio 34-13. matt leinary throws for 265 yards and a TD. carroll goes on to win coach of year for his win over the mac's 3rd best team.

 

[GOAT]

Hey G- Man Thanks nice post, We will talk i am sure. Good Luck my MAC man. :clap:

 

[gman2]

NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES


Looking back at the 2004 season

Despite the fact that Northern Illinois missed out on playing for a
MAC Championship, it was still a very successful year for the Huskies'
football program. They finished 9-3 and capped off the season with
their first bowl appearance -- and bowl win -- in over 20 years, a
34-21 victory over Troy in the Silicon Valley Classic. It was also a year
that saw Garrett Wolfe emerge as a star at running back after filling
in for the injured A.J.Harris early on in the season. The Huskies lost
two non-conference games to Maryland and Iowa State (both on the
road) by a combined 10 points.

2004 was very close to getting off to a quick start, much the same
way the 2003 NIU season had done. A year earlier, Northern Illinois
opened the campaign with a 20-13 home upset of Maryland. The prevailing sentiment heading into the 2004 season-opening rematch was that Maryland would remember the loss and have a dose of payback
waiting for Northern Illinois when they came to College Park. But once again, NIU played the Terps very tough and Maryland narrowly escaped
with a 23-20 win.

Northern Illinois was in a bit of an early-season sandwich spot after the Maryland game. They were coming off a tough loss at Maryland and had
a road trip to Iowa State up next, and the Huskies almost lost to 1-AA Southern Illinois at home but managed to hold on for a 23-22 that proved
to be much tougher than expected. A.J.Harris ran for for 139 yards and NIU had 400 yards of total offense as a team, but they had a tough
time shaking the Salukis.

The Iowa State game was a shootout right from the start. Northern Illinois took a 28-20 lead into halftime, and a 34-26 lead into the final
quarter, but Iowa State dominated the final 15:00 and won 48-41. Particularly of note in that game is that Phil Horvath threw 4 touchdowns and
led NIU to 41 points, but also threw 4 interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown in the 4th quarter. Even with all the turnovers,
Northern Illinois moved the ball effectively all afternoon. But in the end, ISU won by 7 in a crazy game.

Week 4 brought Bowling Green to town for a national TV game on ESPN to open the MAC season. It ended up being a game that launched
Garrett Wolfe into the national spotlight in a 34-17 Northern Illinois win. The game actually got off to an ominous start for NIU. Bowling Green
took the opening kickoff and went right down the field in 12 plays to take a 7-0 lead on Omar Jacobs' 1-yard TD run. Then in the 2nd quarter, the
Huskies starting running back, A.J.Harris, sprained his ankle and had to leave the game. In stepped Wolfe, and the rest is history. The
sophomore erupted for 202 yards and 3 touchdowns on 31 carries and Bowling Green had no answer for the Huskies dominating rushing game.

Northern Illinois then went on to win 5 more conference games in a row, with the offense scoring 30+ points in every game along the way and
Wolfe rushing for 100+ yards in each of them as well. In Northern Illinois 38-31 overtime victory at Ball State, Wolfe gashed the Ball State
defense for 280 yards and 3 TDs on 36 carries.

The win over Ball State setup a huge ESPN Tuesday Night game with Toledo at home. The Huskies came in 7-2 while Toledo came in at 6-3. The
Huskies were undefeated in MAC play at the time, while Toledo had lost just once, a week earlier to Miami on the road. The Huskies, however,
ended up having to play without Wolfe in the backfield. That bad news, combined with the past series history -- Toledo had won 10 straight
against Northern Illinois -- didn't bode well for the Huskies. When it was all said and done, the streak went to 11 straight Toledo wins in the
series, because the Rockets, after spotting Northern Illinois a 10-0 lead, came back to completely dominate the Huskies 31-17. Toledo won the
first down battle 30-10, held an amazing 512-180 advantage in total yards, and allowed Northern Illinois to only register 19 total yards in the
2nd half.

The disappointing loss crushed the MAC West title hopes for the Huskies, but they finished the regular season with a 34-16 win over Eastern
Michigan on the road. Garrett Wolfe returned from his injury and registered one of the best performances in all of college football for 2004. He
rushed 43 times for 325 yards and 2 scores, including a 70-yard TD run. Josh Haldi, though, had a game to forget at quaterback. He was 16 of 27
for 158 yards and two TDs, but he also threw 5 interceptions. But he could have thrown 10 interceptions that afternoon and it wouldnt have
mattered because Wolfe totally dominated the game, averaging 7.5 yards a rush on 43 carries.

The Huskies finished the regular season 8-3 and that was good enough to get them an invite to their first bowl game in over 2 decades. Northern
Illinois traveled out to California and beat Troy 34-21 in the Silicon Valley Classic. In an almost fitting twist to the season, Garrett Wolfe hurt his
hip early on in the 2nd quarter and gave way to A.J.Harris, the Huskies original starter at the beginning of the year, and Harris rushed for 120
yards on 23 carries. The Huskies defense played very well, limiting Troy's D.T.McDowell to only 6 of 20 passing.

Northern Illinois notched their first bowl win in almost a quarter century in '04, played two power conference teams right down to the wire, and
cemented themselves as a perennial MAC West football power. Now, all that is left is getting over the hump in conference play and finding a
way to win their side of the division and play for a conference championship.

Looking at the Northern Illinois offense

Junior Phil Horvath returns at quarterback for Northern Illinois after splitting time with Josh Haldi last season. The 6'2 / 200 lb junior saw
enough time to throw 123 passes (72 completions) for 954 yards and 6 touchdowns. His 7 interceptions are a bit glaring, but considering 5 of
those were in one forgettable game against Eastern Michigan, with a little maturity, he might just be alright. Zach Ulrich is 2nd on the depth
chart as a sophomore as could see some time this fall. Regardless of whom is under center, both will have the luxury of operating behind an
experienced offensive line, as well as handing the ball off to two of the best running backs in the country. The responsibility for an NIU
quarterback is simple: manage the offense well and don't feel the need to do too much in the passing game.

Only Toledo can come close to matching the overall depth that Northern Illinois has in the backfield. There's little doubt that A.J.Harris and
Garrett Wolfe form arguably the nation's best 1-2 rushing duo. What makes them such a force is they complement each other so well; Wolfe is
more of a speed back at 5'7 / 174 lbs, while Harris is a more of a physical power back at 6'1 / 221 lbs. Together, they contributed to an NIU
rushing attack that was #1 in the MAC by a landslide. The Huskies averaged 277 yards per game on the ground during MAC play. The next best
rushing attack was Kent State at 192 yards per game. Wolfe finished 5th in the nation in rushing yards per game (150.5). The only thing that
could potentially keep them from having another great season is injuries. After all, had it not been for Harris spraining his ankle against Bowling
Green, Wolfe still be on the sidelines and getting only 5 or 10 carries a game. Wolfe's hip injury in the bowl game allowed Harris to reclaim his
position, at least for one game. Although Wolfe is a bit undersized at only 5'7, he had no trouble being a workhorse back during conference play
last year so it doesn't appear durability will be an issue. The Huskies coaching staff has talked about finding ways to keep both Wolfe and Harris
on the field together this fall, with Wolfe lining up in the slot when Harris is in the backfield. Considering Wolfe is a capable receiver who
averaged 11.7 yards a reception last year to go with 3 scores, the idea isn't far fetched.

The receiving corps took a significant hit when Dan Sheldon graduated after last season. He was a big time playmaker who doubled as the
team's punt returner. In 2004, he caught 40 passes for 936 yards (a stellar 23.4 yards per catch) and 9 TDs. As a punt returner, he returned 24
kicks for a 16.4 yard average. He will certainly be missed. Their #2 receiver, Brad Ciesiak, is also gone. The two main returning receivers both
bring a lot of experience as seniors though. Sam Hurd will likely be Horvath's main target. At 6'2 and 187, he has the ability to be a reliable
possession receiver for the offense. Shatone Powers is the other senior and he caught 19 balls in 2004. Marcus Perez, a 5-10 / 170 slot receiver
caught 10 passes as a true freshman last year and should see a lot of time this season.

The offensive line is talented and big. Three of the five starters from last year are back, and they're all seniors now. Two juniors fill the other
two spots to give the Huskies a lot of experience upfront. Collectively, they allowed the Northern Illinois running backs to average 5.2 yards per
carry in 2004, and only gave up 16 sacks. There's no reason to think 2005 won't be more of the same.

 

[gman2]

Looking at the Northern Illinois defense

The defense loses their leading tackler from 2004, Brian Atkinson, who had 110 tackles and 6 sacks from his linebacker spot. He was a
three-time All-MAC performer and the heart of the NIU defense. Senior Javan Lee returns, and he was the Huskies' 2nd leading tackler last
season with 106, and he made a school-record 16 tackles for loss last year. He will be counted on in a big way, because he's the lone starting
linebacker that comes back. Jason Hutton returns for his senior season, but he's made only two starts in his career. Bottom line is there is a lot
of instability at the linebacker position. Lee is very good, but he has to get some help.

Northern Illinois is pretty well set on the defense line. The guys upfront were solid if unspectacular last year against the run, and should be
better now with another year of season. Defensive end Ken West is the leader upfront, and he led NIU with 8 sacks last year.

The secondary returns Ray Smith at safety, and he 4th on the team in tackles last year with 100 and he also had 2 INTs. The cornerback position
is set with identical twins Adriel and Alvah Hansbro lining up on opposite sides of the defensive backfield. Both saw significant time last season,
with Adriel starting at corner and recording 81 tackles. Alvah didn't start but played in all 12 games and made 38 tackles.

The Huskies have a lot of youth on special teams, but at least their placekicking looks to be in good hands. Chris Nendick had a very solid season
as a true freshman for NIU last year. He made 16-21 kicks and earned Freshman All-America honors. The punting job is a little up in the air, and
whomever wins will be very green -- the competition is between freshman Andy Dittbenner or sophomore transfer Jason Baez.

Summary

The MAC has earned a reputation, and deservedly so, for being a conference with wide-open offenses and outstanding passing attacks. Three
MAC schools (Bowling Green, Miami, and Toledo) ranked in the Top 11 in the country last year in passing offense. Eastern Michigan was not too
far behind with Matt Bohnet having a solid year. And Charlie Frye left Akron as the record holder in pretty much every passing category in
school history. But Northern Illinois is old school. They line up and smash you in the mouth and want to run the ball down your throat. It's been
that way for years, from Thomas Hammock to Michael Turner to A.J.Harris and now Garrett Wolfe. And even though NIU is a run-first team,
they have been terrific balance in recent years because of the talent at receiver. For four years, it was Justin McCareins, who is now playing on
Sundays. The it was P.J. Fleck, then Dan Sheldon. The Huskies certainly continue the tradition at running back this fall. But they might be lacking
a game-breaking wideout this year. When you have a duo like Harris and Wolfe in the backfield, however, you can make up for a lot of
inexperience elsewhere.

Northern Illinois will be a bit inexperienced at quarterback, so its likely that Wolfe and Harris will carry the brunt of the load early on in the
season. The Huskies open up at Michigan and then travel to Northwestern in week 2. The Wolverines will provide a very good test for the Huskies
running game. If history is any indication, NIU will be very competitive in both games. The Huskies haven't shied away from playing anybody,
and they've given a handful of power conference teams a lot of trouble.

The MAC schedule is moderately difficult. The Huskies get a break and don't have to play Bowling Green this year now that the Falcons have
moved over to the MAC East (due to Marshall and Central Florida leaving). They get Miami at home in early October, but do have an away game
with Toledo on November 16th. The Rockets have owned Northern Illinois, and they'll be looking for their 11th straight win in the series. There
could be a lot at stake in that game, especially considering they are expected to finish 1-2 in the MAC West. But it's gonna take a bigtime effort
for NIU to pull off a win in the Glass Bowl. It's fair to project them as the 2nd best team in the MAC West behind Toledo and it should be another
solid season for Northern Illinois. Returning to another bowl game, however, might be contingent upon exorcising some demons against Toledo
in November.

 

[gman2]

BUFFALO BULLS

Looking back at 2004

2004 was a breakthrough year for the Buffalo Bulls. They were one buzzer-beating shot away from winning
the MAC Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament, and they finished 23-10 on the season. They
boasted the conference player of the year in Turner Battle and he future looks bright for....... wait, that's
the Buffalo basketball program. The football program? That, unfortunately, is another story. The Bulls
finished just 2-9 last year and only Duke averaged less total yardage on offense in Division 1-A. Buffalo
quarterbacks threw for just 5 touchdowns combined last year, and the Bulls scored 7 points or less in 4 of
their 11 games.

It's scary to think how bad their offensive numbers would look had they not started off the season with a
pretty solid performance overall, albeit in a 37-34 loss at Eastern Michigan. The Bulls generated 399 yards
of total offense and took a 34-30 lead midway through the 4th quarter before allowing EMU to get a late
score and survive an opening day scare.

In week 2, the Bulls were blasted at home by Syracuse 37-17. Buffalo was thoroughly dominated and
actually scored both touchdowns on fumble returns. The offense was inept the entire game and Syracuse
was never threatened.

In a bit of a surprise, the Bulls traveled out to Nevada the next week and were pretty competitive against
the Wolfpack. Buffalo lost 38-13, but trailed only 21-13 heading into the final quarter before running out of
gas and letting the game slip away from them. Chris McDuffie rushed for 122 yards on 14 carries for the
Bulls but the UB quarterbacks were a combined 11 for 28 for just 105 yards. The lack of production from the trio of Buffalo of quarterbacks that saw action in 2004 would become a recurring theme for UB all through the season. Things got worse for
Buffalo the following week at Ohio, where they were shut out 34-0. The Buffalo offense generated only 232 yards overall, and didn't crack 100
yards passing. The loss dropped the Bulls to 0-4, but fortunately, the following week's game provided Buffalo with a chance to get well.

There weren't many teams worse than Buffalo in 2004, but Central Florida was one of them, and they traveled up to New York and were
smashed by Buffalo 48-20. The Bulls dominated with their running game and Steven King rushed for 110 yards and 2 TDs on just 15 carries.
Statistically, it was a strange game. UCF actually outgained Buffalo in total offense, and won the turnover battle 4-0, but the Knights couldn't
avoid the big play, and Buffalo had a handful of them. 4 Buffalo running backs had at least one carry for 20+ yards, and Terrance Breaux caught
an 86-yard touchdown pass from Chris Moore.

The Bulls couldn't stand prosperity, however, and were beaten soundly by Akron the next week on the road, 44-21. The lone bright spot was
running back Steven King, who rushed for 120 yards on 12 carries, giving the Bulls their third 100-yard rushing game from a running back in as
many weeks.

Buffalo then went to Miami and lost 25-7. Ostensibly, it was a good effort considering they were nearly a 3-touchdown underdog. But Miami was
flat and never seemed interested in blowing out the Bulls despite holding commanding edges in every statistical category. The Hawks held a
422-165 edge in total yards, gained 23 first downs to Buffalo's 11, and won the time of possession by an almost unheard of 40:00 -- 20:00. The
Buffalo rushing game was totally shut down, and Steven King, who had rushed for 230 yards in his past games, managed only 6 yards on 6
carries against the Miami defense.

Things got worse the next two weeks, as they lost games to Marshall and Kent State by a combined score of 81-21. In what might have been the
single most lopsided stat in any MAC game in 2004, Kent State had 322 rushing yards and held the Bulls to a grand total of 4 yards on the
ground. The Flashes won the first down battle 25-7 and Kent's Josh Cribbs threw for 167 yards and rushed for 132 yards in the rout.

The Bulls headed into the final two weeks of the season 1-8, but somehow showed enough pride to rack up win #2 on the year in a 36-6 blowout
of Central Michigan. It probably bears mentioning that Central Michigan came into the Buffalo game fresh off a heartbreaking 61-58 loss in
quadruple overtime the week before to rival Eastern Michigan, so it's debatable whether or not the Chips heads and hearts were ever in this
game, but the Bulls deserve credit for taking advantage of an opportunity to get a win at any cost. Buffalo led 28-0 at halftime and cruised to a
30-point win.

But the Bulls forgot to carry that momentum over into the final week and were beaten by rival Connecticut 29-0. The Huskies certainly
outclassed the Bulls at every position, but it was a brutal performance by the Bulls. The UB quarterbacks were just 4 of 21 for 35 yards, and
they were torn apart by Orlovsky and Brockington for UConn. Mercifully, the season came to an end with a 2-9 record.