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12. Akron Zips (Last week: 12)
- Average vote: 11.714
- Highest vote: 11 (two)
- Lowest vote: 12 (six)
It was a BYE week for the Zips, who unsupriringly find themselves in last place in our power rankings. They’ll get a chance to defend the Wagon Wheel this week against Kent State.
11. Bowling Green Falcons (LW: 11)
- Average vote: 11.25
- Highest vote: 11 (six)
- Lowest vote: 12 (two)
BGSU did all right for themselves despite the 52-0 loss to Notre Dame. That was largely expected, and they still found some things to be very positive about in the second half of the game. Now, they can focus on achieving small steps of progress in the conference season.
10. Kent State Golden Flashes (LW: 10)
- Average vote: 9.14
- Highest vote: 6 (one)
- Lowest vote: 10 (five)
Kent State, meet Jonathan Taylor. The Golden Flashes, much like the Chippewas before them, had no answer for Wisconsin, a seriously underrated team out of the Big Ten. (Seriously, wherever they’re ranked, they ned to be a lot higher.)
KSU will experience a bit of whiplash this week, facing an 0-5 Akron squad.
9. Northern Illinois Huskies (LW: t-4)
- Average vote: 8.57
- Highest vote: 5 (one)
- Lowest vote: 10 (three)
NIU takes a precipitious fall, as it seems the voters have largely given up on the Huskies for this season. The four-game losing streak certainly has something to do with that fact, as the Huskeis are 1-4 after a diasterous loss to Ball State in the Bronze Stalk rivalry game. It’s hard to see how they recover, given their performances thus far.
8. Ball State Cardinals (LW: 9)
- Average vote: 7.57
- Highest vote: 5 (once)
- Lowest vote: 9 (once)
The Cardinals are suddenly looking alive, taking home the Bronze Stalk for the first time in 11 seasons after taking down NIU in dramatic fashion. They had to score 24 unamswered points to take the lead and keep it, forcing the pressure on NIU by choking out the game clock with a calculated rushing attack. They’re tied for the MAC West lead now.
7. Miami RedHawks (LW: 7)
- Average vote: 7.14
- Highest vote: 5 (twice)
- Lowest vote: 11 (once)
Miami was on a BYE week, so they don’t move in our rankings. A game against Western Michigan will prove their mettle.
6. Buffalo Bulls (LW: 6)
- Average vote: 6.42
- Highest vote: 4 (one)
- Lowest vote: 8 (two)
It was heartbreak for Buffalo last week at Alumni Stadium, as they missed a pivotal extra point in the first possession of overtime in what would eventually become a 21-20 loss to the Ohio Bobcats.
It was a game of missed opportunities for the Bulls, who had the Bobcats right where they wanted them for most of the proceedings. They look to get healthier and resolve some depth chart issues in the BYE week.
5. Eastern Michigan Eagles (LW: 3)
- Average vote: 4.571
- Highest vote: 5 (three)
- Lowest vote: 8 (one)
Well, that was a game to forget for EMU.
They looked aboslutely listless in a 42-16 loss to rival Central Michigan, painiting their previous results in perhaps a bit of a different light. They could fall to .500 with a loss to Ball State, who looked motivated last week.
4. Central Michigan Chippewas (LW: 8)
- Average vote: 4.571
- Highest vote: 4 (seven)
- Lowest vote: 5 (once)
Hey, speaking of Central Michigan, they’re our biggest jumper this week, rising four spots from eighth to claim fourth place in our Power Rankings. They did so on the back of a 42-16 trouncing of the Eagles, who had previously only lost to Kentucky.
They get the winless independent program New Mexico State this week for Homecoming, which would normally not be cause for concern were it not for the recent suspension of starting quarterback David Moore for testing positive for a banned substance. We’ll have to see just how healthy Quentin Dormady, the Tennessee via Houston transfer, is.
3. Ohio Bobcats (LW: t-4)
- Average vote: 2.587
- Highest vote: 2 (once)
- Lowest vote: 3 (seven)
w h e w
Bobcat fans are probably relieved to take home what wasn’t a certain victory over Buffalo in Week 6. Head coach Frank Solich described the win as “one of his favorites” as head man of the Bobcats, which shows Ohio has been a resilient program. The problem with teying to project how this team will perform will be trying to parse if that was an in-game flow adjustment or a broader return to the ‘Cats team we know they can be.
2. Western Michigan Broncos (LW: 2)
- Average vote: 2.14
- Highest vote: 2 (seven)
- Lowest vote: 3 (once)
WMU (once again) proved they have staying power at the second spot in our rankings, even despite the loss.
They took Toledo to a one-score game after falling behind early in the game, and had opportunities to steal away a win against the Rockets. They just couldn’t deliver the final blow. All said, it was an admirable effort and showed WMU can make noise in the MAC through the rest of the season.
1. Toledo Rockets (LW: 1)
- Unanimous #1
It’s now been a whole month since the Rockets have topped our MAC power rankings after sealing a huge win over WMU, which will surely have a huge impact on how the MAC West divsion race will play out.
With NIU seemingly down in the duldrums and the other teams trying to sort themselves out, the win over WMU gives them a huge trump card if the race should get tight. Though, at the rate they’re playing, that probably won’t be an issue unless something unlucky happens.
They next play rival BGSU in the Battle of I-75.