The following are simulated football games to determine the best team of the last 15 years. We're putting 16 of the finest MAC football teams (at least one per school) through a 12-game simulation, followed by a four-team playoff and championship game in Detroit. All games are simulated by WhatIfSports (I'd show you the box scores if they archived 'em).
We're finally here. The playoffs. You've been with us every step of the way. Including that one month where we sort of slacked off on this. But you're still here.
DREAM LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
2000 Western Michigan (8-4 Dream League, 9-3 Actual) at 2011 Toledo (11-1 Dream League, 9-4 Actual)
The simulator loved the explosive UT defense and perhaps they overrated their defense, but they were usually effective enough. Terrance Owens played all downs (sorry Austin Dantin) and Eric Page led the league with 111 receptions. Adonis Thomas led all backs with 5.77 yards per carry. Their offense was tops in the Dream League with 39.2 points per game and yet 11th in points allowed (28 per game).
Western did not have much of a passing game (Jeff Welsh threw 15 touchdowns to 17 interceptions) but Robert Sanford was second on in the HBDL in total yards rushing. They were sixth in offense (just over 28 points per game) and fourth in defense, allowing 22.5 points per contest.
In their previous meeting, UT doused the Broncos 41-21.
1999 Marshall (10-2 Dream League, 13-0 Actual) at 2003 Miami (11-1 Dream League, 13-1 Actual)
A couple losses in there, I hope, doesn't ruin the perfect image you had of '99 Marshall, because they were great but admittedly never had enough challenges to warrant a better bowl than the Motor City at the time. The team was essentially Chad Pennington's passing game, who ranked tops in passing yards, with Nate Poole third overall in receiving yards and a defense that ranked second overall in points allowed per game (21.6). The offense put up 35 points per game, fourth best in the HBDL.
And what more can we say about Miami. Their passing game was supreme: Ben Roethlisberger led the league in passer rating and completion percentage (over 72 percent). Second most points scored, fewest points allowed. Has to be your favorite, but their lone loss was to ... the '11 Rockets.
Marshall and Miami didn't play each other in the regular season.
OK, those will count as your previews for this fake league. Now let's see who won.
WMU AT TOLEDO — FIRST QUARTER
15:00 — WMU starts with the ball, who returns it to the 38. They start off with a Jeff Welsh pass to Josh Bush for 22 yards. Robert Sanford carries it for another 18 yards and get in the red zone. Welsh makes it first and goal with a pass to Steve Neal. Sanford pounds it in for the opening touchdown. Toledo 0, WMU 7
12:00 — Toledo returns the kickoff to their own 37. Terrance Owens gets a first down on a run, followed by a 9-yard pass to Eric Page. Adonis Thomas carries it for 11 yards, then a 39-yard scamper to tie the game. Toledo 7, WMU 7
10:08 — WMU returns the ball to their 39, gets one first down but stalls at the Toledo 43. Punt.
7:49 — At their own 11 yard line, Toledo orchestrates a 12-play, 63-yard drive resulting in a Ryan Casano 38-yard field goal. Toledo 10, WMU 7
2:54 — Another stalled drive, this time a three-and-out. It's punted to the Toledo 42.
2:06 — Nothing doing for UT either. Seven yards and then a punt to the WMU 17.
0:54 — After a one-yard Sanford run, Welsh throws a short pass to Steve Neal who runs 82 yards for the score. They're back on top! Toledo 10, WMU 14
SECOND QUARTER
15:00 — Not to be outdone, the Rockets go 82 yards on 11 plays, bookended by Owens hitting James Green for an 18-yard touchdown. Toledo 17, WMU 14
10:39 — WMU makes some headway by getting two first downs but has to punt at the Toledo 46.
7:27 — Toledo starts at their own 32 and pulls off another long drive, this time 13 plays for 63 yards. Owens overthrew Page on a 3rd-and-goal but settles for a 22-yarder from Casano. Toledo 20, WMU 14
1:53 — WMU goes into two-minute drill, but a holding call on the first play blows those chances and are forced to punt on 4th and 14.
1:22 — And then Adonis Thomas scores 50 yards on the first play from scrimmage on a draw. Toledo 27, WMU 14
1:08 — No penalties this time, but WMU can't get past the Toledo 49 yard line.
THIRD QUARTER
15:00 — Second verse, same as the first. Toledo starts at their own 28 and marches right into the red zone, but is stalled and Casano boots a 30-yarder. Toledo 30, WMU 14
10:36 — Another potential punt is saved when Welsh finds Corey Alston on a 30-yard pass play. They cozy up to the 16-yard line but can only use Brad Selent for a 33-yarder. Toledo 30, WMU 17
7:13 — Couple of big plays on this drive for Toledo, such as a 32-yard pass from Owens to Kenny Stafford, then a 26-yard pitch right to Adonis Thomas for the touchdown. Toledo 37, WMU 17
4:27 — This is getting out of hand for WMU, and Keith Suggs interception of Welsh on the WMU 20-yard line doesn't help much.
4:14 — Morgan Williams gets in on the fun, running up the gut for 15 yards and the touchdown. Toledo 44, WMU 17
3:03 — All Welsh can do is scramble for a few yards and had to withstand a dropped pass from Mobolaji Afariogun. It's punted and returned to the WMU 48.
1:44 — Throw in the towel. After an 18-yard pass to Eric Page, Adonis Thomas sweeps left for 33 yards and his fourth touchdown. Toledo 51, WMU 17
FOURTH QUARTER
15:00 — At this point they're just trying to escape. WMU runs down the clock with some draw plays but Welsh gets picked off by Johnathan Lamb at the Toledo 44-yard line.
11:08 — Again, more conservative play-calling. They got this. Owens and Morgan Williams run around a bit and Casano hits a 47-yarder. Toledo 54, WMU 17
7:36 — Can they score again? Welsh converts on a 4th and 9 to Micah Zuhl for 13 yards. Next play, UT is called for defensive pass interference and they're in Rockets territory. Coming down to a 4th and 2, Welsh can't find anyone, scrambles to the sideline and is pushed out of bounds a yard shy of the first down.
4:51 — They're still passing, which is hilarious, but only get one first down and punt it away, returned to the WMU 36.
3:04 — Western just wants to score here. Hurrying up they muster a first down then immediately Welsh misses his receiver and Desmond Marrow intercepts the ball, returning it 17 yards to the WMU 40.
2:18 — Trying to run the clock out, but a three-and-out and they punt to the WMU 12.
0:42 — Trying to save face, Welsh goes 1-for-4 on passing and they turn it over on downs. UT takes a knee and they're moving onto the championship.
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MARSHALL AT MIAMI — FIRST QUARTER
http://whatifsports.com/ncaafb/boxscore.asp?GameID=3650719&nomenu=1
15:00 — Marshall accepts the kickoff, returns it to the 23 yard line. They convert one third down on a 16-yard pass from Chad Pennington to Nate Poole but stall on the subsequent third down and punt away at their own 46.
12:31 — Starting at their own 29, MU is bottled up by good defense, forcing a three and out. They punt and Marshall returns it to the Marshall 44.
11:16 — James Williams catches a pass for 16 yards, then Llow Turner does the rest on a 41-yard rush into the end zone. Marshall 7, Miami 0
10:01 — Miami starts at their own 17. A nice run by Calvin Murray and a Michael Larkin catch-and-run puts them near the 50. Some incompletions and that's all they get. They punt and Marshall starts at their 12.
8:08 — A methodical drive includes a Doug Chapman 16-yard run, a pass t oWilliams for 26 yards and finally a third down rush by Chapman for three yards for the score. 13 plays, 88 yards. Marshall 14, Miami 0
2:01 — Miami starts on their 33. First play from scrimmage, Ben Roethlisberger hits Larkin for a long run of 34 yards. R.J. Corbin catches a pass for another 11 yards and one play later the quarter ends.
SECOND QUARTER
15:00 — Second play in the quarter, on third and nine, Roethlisberger chucks it to Ryan Busing for a 16-yard touchdown. Finally, we have a game. Marshall 14, Miami 7
14:18 — Starting on their own 27, a false start contributes to a three and out. Marshall punts.
13:17 — Starting at their own 34, Miami gets a first down then is left with a fourth and one on the Marshall 45. They go for it and Mike Smith goes right for four yards, keeping the drive going. Marshall's Garadie Mercer sacks Big Ben on second down and they have to settle for a 50-yard field goal by Jared Parseghian. Marshall 14, Miami 10
9:53 — Marshall begins on their 32. Big plays included a 16-yard pass to Lanier Washington, a 23-yard one to Poole and finally a six yard strike to Scott Pettit for the touchdown. Marshall 21, Miami 10
5:25 — Miami starts on the 36, decent return, but the big play is a screen pass to Smith who busts it for 47 yards. Fittingly, three plays later Smith goes into the end zone on a two-yard run. Marshall 21, Miami 17
3:14 — Marshall begins on the 20. Chad Pennington eventually gets under two minutes and keeps making completions of 8, 10, 12, 11 yards ... and then John Busing picks him off at the Miami 40-yard line.
1:08 — Miami goes for some points at the end of the quarter but a three and out forces a punt.
0:47 — Starting on their own 14, Marshall moves the ball near midfield but time expires and Pennington's Hail Mary falls short.
THIRD QUARTER
15:00 — Miami starts with the ball on their own 17 after the kickoff. Backed up on 3rd and 12, Roethlisberger finds Larkin for a big 25-yard gain. But the very next play, Roethlisberger is intercepted by Maurice Hines who runs 51 yards for the score. Marshall 28, Miami 17
13:11 — Shake it off. After horrible field position, Murray starts off with a 12-yard draw play, then it's all Big Ben and the passing. He passes for 10 yards, gets sacked, then makes completions of 12 and 11 yards. Mike Smith busts off a 26-yard rush, then Roethlisberger completes one to Dan Tyler for 18 yards for a first and goal. Eventually Smith pounds it in for two yards. A neat 12-play, 89-yard drive. Marshall 28, Miami 24
7:21 — Marshall sets up on their own 33 yard line, and runs two plays. Chapman runs for 44 yards through everybody, then Pennington completes it to Gregg Kellett for a 23-yard score. That was fast. Marshall 35, Miami 24
6:30 — Miami starts on the 27-yard line, accumulates one first down but that's all. A punt and Marshall returns it to the 28, then gets flagged for holding, knocking them back to the 12.
3:48 — The Herd get their field position back with a few nice Pennington pass plays, but have to punt at midfield. A great return sets up the RedHawks at the Miami 44.
0:07 — On the first play, as time expires Roethlisberger throws a screen pass to Smith for 46 yards.
FOURTH QUARTER
15:00 — On first and goal, a loss of yards, an incomplete pass and a knocked down ball forces Parseghian out for a 28-yarder. Marshall 35, Miami 27
14:16 — Marshall needs points but also to kill the clock. They sort of do both. Forced on third and 11, Pennington hits Poole on the sideline for 14 yards. Again, on third and four, Pennington finds Chapman for a 19-yard catch and run. On the Miami 28-yard line, Larry Burt puts the sack on Pennington and Billy Malashevich hits a 49-yarder. That eats up four and a half minutes. Marshall 38, Miami 27
9:37 — Starting on the 27-yard line, Roethlisberger finds Cordin wide open, who breaks some tackles and runs 65 yards before being stopped at the 4-yard line. But an incomplete pass, loss of one yard and a sack by Doug Hodges puts them in field goal mode, and Parseghian is good from 25. Marshall 38, Miami 30
7:18 — Probably the drive of the game. Starting on their own 13, Chanston Rogers starts with a 12-yard run. Two plays later Pennington, of all people, scrambles for 18 more. On a third and 1, Turner runs left for 17 yards before being forced out. Pennington again scrambles for 15 yards. And two plays later Pennington hits Chapman for a 15-yard touchdown. Brutal. Marshall 45, Miami 30
2:57 — Desperation mode. A couple of short gains and an incompletion sets up fourth down and seven. Somebody must've forgotten about Martin Nance, but Roethlisberger clearly didn't, who finds him and Nance goes 80 yards for the touchdown. Incredible. Marshall 45, Miami 37
2:28 — Now Miami needs a stop. But after a 7-yard pass to David Foye, then a 15-yarder to Poole, Miami has to start using its timeouts. On second and five, Chapman breaks free for 36 yards and that basically does it. They take three knees and kick a field goal as time expires, because they can.
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MARSHALL AT MIAMI — FIRST QUARTER
http://whatifsports.com/ncaafb/boxscore.asp?GameID=3650719&nomenu=1
15:00 — Marshall accepts the kickoff, returns it to the 23 yard line. They convert one third down on a 16-yard pass from Chad Pennington to Nate Poole but stall on the subsequent third down and punt away at their own 46.
12:31 — Starting at their own 29, MU is bottled up by good defense, forcing a three and out. They punt and Marshall returns it to the Marshall 44.
11:16 — James Williams catches a pass for 16 yards, then Llow Turner does the rest on a 41-yard rush into the end zone. Marshall 7, Miami 0
10:01 — Miami starts at their own 17. A nice run by Calvin Murray and a Michael Larkin catch-and-run puts them near the 50. Some incompletions and that's all they get. They punt and Marshall starts at their 12.
8:08 — A methodical drive includes a Doug Chapman 16-yard run, a pass t oWilliams for 26 yards and finally a third down rush by Chapman for three yards for the score. 13 plays, 88 yards. Marshall 14, Miami 0
2:01 — Miami starts on their 33. First play from scrimmage, Ben Roethlisberger hits Larkin for a long run of 34 yards. R.J. Corbin catches a pass for another 11 yards and one play later the quarter ends.
SECOND QUARTER
15:00 — Second play in the quarter, on third and nine, Roethlisberger chucks it to Ryan Busing for a 16-yard touchdown. Finally, we have a game. Marshall 14, Miami 7
14:18 — Starting on their own 27, a false start contributes to a three and out. Marshall punts.
13:17 — Starting at their own 34, Miami gets a first down then is left with a fourth and one on the Marshall 45. They go for it and Mike Smith goes right for four yards, keeping the drive going. Marshall's Garadie Mercer sacks Big Ben on second down and they have to settle for a 50-yard field goal by Jared Parseghian. Marshall 14, Miami 10
9:53 — Marshall begins on their 32. Big plays included a 16-yard pass to Lanier Washington, a 23-yard one to Poole and finally a six yard strike to Scott Pettit for the touchdown. Marshall 21, Miami 10
5:25 — Miami starts on the 36, decent return, but the big play is a screen pass to Smith who busts it for 47 yards. Fittingly, three plays later Smith goes into the end zone on a two-yard run. Marshall 21, Miami 17
3:14 — Marshall begins on the 20. Chad Pennington eventually gets under two minutes and keeps making completions of 8, 10, 12, 11 yards ... and then John Busing picks him off at the Miami 40-yard line.
1:08 — Miami goes for some points at the end of the quarter but a three and out forces a punt.
0:47 — Starting on their own 14, Marshall moves the ball near midfield but time expires and Pennington's Hail Mary falls short.
THIRD QUARTER
15:00 — Miami starts with the ball on their own 17 after the kickoff. Backed up on 3rd and 12, Roethlisberger finds Larkin for a big 25-yard gain. But the very next play, Roethlisberger is intercepted by Maurice Hines who runs 51 yards for the score. Marshall 28, Miami 17
13:11 — Shake it off. After horrible field position, Murray starts off with a 12-yard draw play, then it's all Big Ben and the passing. He passes for 10 yards, gets sacked, then makes completions of 12 and 11 yards. Mike Smith busts off a 26-yard rush, then Roethlisberger completes one to Dan Tyler for 18 yards for a first and goal. Eventually Smith pounds it in for two yards. A neat 12-play, 89-yard drive. Marshall 28, Miami 24
7:21 — Marshall sets up on their own 33 yard line, and runs two plays. Chapman runs for 44 yards through everybody, then Pennington completes it to Gregg Kellett for a 23-yard score. That was fast. Marshall 35, Miami 24
6:30 — Miami starts on the 27-yard line, accumulates one first down but that's all. A punt and Marshall returns it to the 28, then gets flagged for holding, knocking them back to the 12.
3:48 — The Herd get their field position back with a few nice Pennington pass plays, but have to punt at midfield. A great return sets up the RedHawks at the Miami 44.
0:07 — On the first play, as time expires Roethlisberger throws a screen pass to Smith for 46 yards.
FOURTH QUARTER
15:00 — On first and goal, a loss of yards, an incomplete pass and a knocked down ball forces Parseghian out for a 28-yarder. Marshall 35, Miami 27
14:16 — Marshall needs points but also to kill the clock. They sort of do both. Forced on third and 11, Pennington hits Poole on the sideline for 14 yards. Again, on third and four, Pennington finds Chapman for a 19-yard catch and run. On the Miami 28-yard line, Larry Burt puts the sack on Pennington and Billy Malashevich hits a 49-yarder. That eats up four and a half minutes. Marshall 38, Miami 27
9:37 — Starting on the 27-yard line, Roethlisberger finds Cordin wide open, who breaks some tackles and runs 65 yards before being stopped at the 4-yard line. But an incomplete pass, loss of one yard and a sack by Doug Hodges puts them in field goal mode, and Parseghian is good from 25. Marshall 38, Miami 30
7:18 — Probably the drive of the game. Starting on their own 13, Chanston Rogers starts with a 12-yard run. Two plays later Pennington, of all people, scrambles for 18 more. On a third and 1, Turner runs left for 17 yards before being forced out. Pennington again scrambles for 15 yards. And two plays later Pennington hits Chapman for a 15-yard touchdown. Brutal. Marshall 45, Miami 30
2:57 — Desperation mode. A couple of short gains and an incompletion sets up fourth down and seven. Somebody must've forgotten about Martin Nance, but Roethlisberger clearly didn't, who finds him and Nance goes 80 yards for the touchdown. Incredible. Marshall 45, Miami 37
2:28 — Now Miami needs a stop. But after a 7-yard pass to David Foye, then a 15-yarder to Poole, Miami has to start using its timeouts. On second and five, Chapman breaks free for 36 yards and that basically does it. They take three knees and kick a field goal as time expires, because they can.
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Phew. So you got through all that? Good. 1999 Marshall will take on 2011 Toledo. Classic battle of offense vs. defense. Toledo will be the home team but the game will be played on a neutral field. We'll get that next week.