#MACtion Open Chat: Double serving of sports today!

SPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORTS ABOUND! Nothing like a side of #MAChoops to go with some yummy football #MACtion.

We're almost done with mid-week #MACtion, everyone! (Cue sad faces.)

With the major games already having been plated, and the games with championship implications happening next week, that doesn't really leave a lot on the table for Saturday. That being said, football is football, and who doesn't love football?

Massachusetts (2-8, 1-5 MAC) has been sort of roughed up, to say the least. They play their final home game in this matchup with the just-as-hapless Miami RedHawks (2-9, 2-5 MAC) for the right to not finish in the bottom of the MAC East table. This was a season where many thought the Minutemen could make a run for the MAC Championship, even with the departure of Jean Sifrin to the NFL. However, things haven't gone to plan, and UMass finds itself in a bind with just a couple weeks until they start their independent bid.

Miami has been trying to establish a youth movement under head coach Chuck Martin, and the results are showing, as the 2015 campaign has been nothing short of painful. Billy Bahl and Gus Ragland have been splitting reps at quarterback to moderate success, while Kenny Young, Alonzo Smith, and Maurice Thomas are running by committee in the backfield. There are 56 (!) underclassmen on the roster, with about two-thirds of those players seeing the field. Could gaining late momentum this year be key to next year's campaign?

In game #2, Akron and Buffalo have a lot on the line to play for.

Akron (5-5, 3-3 MAC) is trying to finally get over The Hump and qualify for a bowl for the first time since their 2005 MAC Championship run. They came painfully close last season, but fell apart in the final two weeks to finish 5-7. The Zips hope not to experience deja vu all over again. Thomas Woodson is the starter this year, supplanting Kyle Pohl, and will be reliant on a staunch defense, so perhaps there will not be a repeat of last season. That being said, Akron has feasted on an easy MAC East, and Buffalo will be their biggest hurdle.

Buffalo (5-5, 3-3 MAC) needs one more win to secure a bowl bid themselves, and could place themselves in prime position with a good win against a wily Akron. Lance Leipold, the first year head coach, has adjusted to the speed of the FBS game and shown good progression, as this was a team that had lost heart by this time last year. A win here or against Massachusetts to qualify for bowl contention would be huge for the future moving forward. Joe Licata and Anthone Taylor will look to improve their NFL stock in this game against an impressive Akron defense that makes good teams look average.

Here is where you can find those games today:

Here are the pick'em totals for those games:

Head-to-Head Stats

UMass (59%) over Miami
Buffalo (73%) over Akron

High Team Standings

7. Buffalo (2.9%)
t-8.  UMass (1.4%)
t-8.  Akron (1.4%)
t-8.  Miami (1.4%)

Low Team Standings

2. UMass (17.4%)
4. Miami (10.1%)
5. Akron (7.2%)
t-7. Buffalo (1.4%)

Don't fret that we're forgetting something! #MACsketball season is well underway, and we know there are more than a few of you that are eager to get the season going. There isn't a lot of televised MAC basketball today, but you can check out www.MAC-Sports.com/scoreboard to find live stats and video, or find your team's flagship station for basketball on the tea's websites. Here is the table for today:

Remember: drink in the spirit of #MACtion and don't be that guy in the comments section.