Hustle Belt MAC Pick'em: Wake Me Up When September Ends

Is it really Monday?  Do I have to be at work?  What is the meaning of life?

These are all good questions to ask yourself on a Monday morning, so let me answer in order:  Yes, yes you slob, and 42.  As for last week's Pick'em?  Well, that was a rough go for some of us.  With the Syracuse vs CMU game being marked as the Game of the Week, and having at 1 pick spread, the two points Syracuse earned just under half of our entries created a slight chasm.  Add in the IU/BGSU game, and you have a fairly decent gap between 1st and 10th.

As for our winners, we had yet another imperfect week.  The closest entry came from HighSocks21, who was perfect until the WMU/Idaho game, and then dropped another game in the NIU/UNLV match-up.  In all, that cost him the win as jackgray64, HuskieJWN, and DougieNix all nailed the high team (NIU) en route to a 13 point total in victory.  Congrats fellas.

Check out how you did if you please.  I didn't get around to compiling the cumulative totals, but I will before September is over.  I promise.  Nevertheless, you can figure how you've done so far, and compare that to the winning totals from the first three weeks.  That'll give you a rough estimate of the worst case scenario (which isn't likely to have happened) at how much you trail/lead by.

Now, on to this week's games!

Eastern Michigan @ #11 Michigan State - If EMU can play good defense and still lose to Old Dominion, imagine what that crappy offense is going to do against the Spartans.  The line is MSU -46 for a reason

Bowling Green @ #19 Wisconsin - It's one thing to get a last second win at home against a crappy Indiana team, it's another to stop Wisconsin in Camp Randall.  Jump Around while you can Falcons.  It could be a long night.

Marshall @ Akron - No reason to think Cato doesn't continue his MAC dominance over the Zips, even with Pohl and Company getting a bye week to prepare.

Central Michigan @ Kansas - This isn't much of a "I think Central Michigan can win this game" as much as it is "Charlie Weis sucks as a head coach and Kansas can't win A game".  CMU in a close one that everyone who watches dies a la the ark opening scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Norfolk State @ Buffalo - *yawn* NEXT!

UMass @ Penn State - UMass nearly beat James Franklin's old team.  Now they get to get pummeled by his new one.  A much better one.  You know, that despite everything that program has going on, still is a great football school.  Say everything that you will about Joe Paterno, but he built a football power there, and Franklin is the coach that can continue to raise PSU to another level.

Miami @ Cincinnati - Did you see Gunner Kiel?  DID YOU SEE?

Ball State @ Toledo - Toledo may not have a defense, but stopping Ozzie Mann shouldn't be too hard.  After that, the stable of BSU runningbacks can only do so much.  Toledo is better on both sides of the football, and win a shootout to take the MAC West lead (by default)

Idaho @ Ohio - Idaho got drilled by Western Michigan Saturday.  Ohio might not have the same offense that WMU has (am I really saying that?  You're Goddamn right I am), but they have a better defense, I think.  I don't know, I really haven't watched the Bobcats yet, through no fault of my own (at Purdue, power was out, no CBSSN).

Murray State @ Western Michigan - Fun Fact:  The last time WMU was over .500 was after the loss at the Pizza Bowl to end the 2011 season (aka the Jordan White season).  The last time the Broncos won at home to move to over .500 was that same season, against Akron.  You know, the game that TVT threw 6 TDs and looked like the next big thing.  Let's repress more memories, shall we?

NIU @ Arkansas - I want to pick NIU here, I really do, but Arkansas hasn't looked bad this year.  They're 2-1 with a loss to #5 Auburn.  They just thrashed Texas Tech and their pretty boy coach.  I'm sorry Huskie fans, but unless there's a miracle, the MAC will not finish unbeaten after this game.

High Team: Western Michigan
Low Team: Eastern Michigan

Now, because almost everyone is back this week, I'm going to make this a 3-point weekend for discussion posts.  Please use the form as well, and don't forget to vote in the poll for Game of the Week