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2017 MAC Football Power Rankings: Week 12

For a long time, the top looked largely the same. That changed this week.

By James H. Jimenez Updated
Ohio v Massachusetts Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images

The wild and wonderful MAC once again dazzled us all, as two major teams potentially crashed their seasons and threw chaos into the races for the division titles.

Now, with two games left for most every team, the time for tiebreakers and sweating over remaining schedules reaches its peak.

How do your favorite MAC teams stack up in the eyes of our writers? See for yourself.

12. Ball State Cardinals (PW: 12)

  • Record: 2-8 overall (0-6 MAC)
  • Low vote: 12 (seven times)
  • High vote: 10 (once)
  • Average vote: 11.75

All you can say is: sad chirp.

11. Kent State Golden Flashes (PW: 11)

  • Record: 2-8 overall (1-5 MAC)
  • Low vote: 12 (once)
  • High vote: 9 (once)
  • Average vote: 10.75

The Flashes still look uninspired, and it showed once again on national TV. There’s not really a lot of fixes left to make and they get a red-hot CMU coming into Dix Stadium this week.

10. Bowling Green Falcons (PW: 10)

  • Record: 2-8 overall (2-4 MAC)
  • Low vote: 12 (once)
  • High vote: 10 (four times)
  • Average vote: 10.625

The Falcons lost a back-and-fourth battle with Buffalo, but there’s reason to hope. Jarret Doege looks like the answer moving forward at QB and the young guys will get a chance to develop over the rest of the season.

9. Eastern Michigan Eagles (PW: 8)

  • Record: 3-7 overall (1-5 MAC)
  • Low vote: 9 (five times)
  • High vote: 7 (twice)
  • Average vote: 8.375

EMU lost in a heartbreaker at rival CMU, but what else is new? The Eagles have been within 12 points of a win all seven times they’ve lost. They’re officially out of the bowl contention bubble now.

8.Miami RedHawks (PW: 9)

  • Record: 4-6 overall (2-4 MAC)
  • Low vote: 10 (once)
  • High vote: 7 (twice)
  • Average vote: 8.125

Just like we all predicted, Miami won against Akron and looked convincing in doing so. It took Gus Ragland a couple quarters, but by the end, Miami did just enough to keep the possibility of a bowl game alive.

7. Buffalo Bulls (PW: 7)

  • Record: 4-6 overall (2-4 MAC)
  • Low vote: 5 (once)
  • High vote: 9 (once)
  • Average vote: 7.375

Buffalo collected an expected win over BGSU, but it wasn’t easy. The Bulls will now have to win out to be bowl eligible and at least one more win is possible, with Ball State next on the schedule.

6. Western Michigan Broncos (PW: t-6)

  • Record: 6-4 overall (4-2 MAC)
  • Low vote: 7 (once)
  • High vote: 4 (three votes)
  • Average vote: 5.25

The Broncos won against Kent State, but then, most everyone has. They’ve got a tough road ahead of them if they have any hope of winning the MAC West, as they next face NIU and Toledo, both on the road.

5. Akron Zips (PW: 4)

  • Record: 5-5 (4-2 MAC)
  • Low vote: 7 (once)
  • High vote: 4 (three votes)
  • Average vote: 5.25

The Zips are reeling. They lost to Miami and will now have to fight for their divisional lives against Ohio to have any chance at the MAC East. They nearly lost to Buffalo as well. If not for escaping with that win, they wouldn’t be in a position for redemption. Suddenly, the Zips have to start looking at if they’ll get to six wins.

This is, perhaps, the most insecure top five team we’ve seen on this countdown.

4. Central Michigan Chippewas (PW: t-6)

  • Record: 6-4 overall (3-2 MAC)
  • Low vote: 6 (twice)
  • High vote: 4 (three times)
  • Average vote: 4.875

The Chippewas are surging, winners of three straight games and two rivalry trophies, and still have an outside shot at the MAC West if they win out and a few games fall their way. They’ve got two winnable games ahead with Kent State on the road and NIU at home.

3. Northern Illinois Huskies (PW: 3)

  • Record: 7-3 overall (5-1 MAC)
  • Low vote: 3 (six times)
  • High vote: 2 (twice)
  • Average vote: 2.75

NIU absolutely destroyed Ball State to secure third place in our power rankings. They now lead the MAC West after a Toledo loss to Ohio and are in the driver’s seat to win the division as long as they can win out.

Maybe eventually they’ll figure out the whole QB situation.

2. Toledo Rockets (PW: 1)

  • Record: 8-2 overall (4-1 MAC)
  • Low vote: 3 (once)
  • High vote: 1 (three times)
  • Average vote: 1.75

The Rockets finally crashed down to Earth, specifically cratering at Peden Stadium in Athens, Ohio. They only mustered 10 points against the Bobcats and allowed 38 after an emotional victory against NIU in the previous week. The Rockets are in the driver's seat to win the MAC West, even despite the loss to Ohio, but there's little room for error.

1: Ohio Bobcats (PW: 2)

  • Record: 8-2 overall (5-1 MAC)
  • Low vote: 3 (once)
  • High vote: 1 (five times)

Frank Solich and the Bobcats are doing what they do, and they’re doing it to perfection: survive and advance. They ruined Toledo’s chances of getting to an access bowl and potentially their chances of getting the MAC West title as well while simultaneously enhancing their MAC East title. Last week was the best possible scenario for the Bobcats.

Now they just have to beat Akron to book a trip to Detroit.

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