:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65602694/usa_today_13322513.0.jpg)
Coming into Week 9, we figured maybe the MAC was finally beginning to clear itself up, what with Ball State being undefeated and several teams playing each other to break up the monotony in the center.
Well, that simply wasn’t the case. (It feels like it never really is at this point.)
Now, as we reach the last week of Saturday games before the weeknight action begins, we re-evaluate where all the MAC teams stand right as we reach the homestretch of the conference season.
Our rankings below:
12. Akron Zips (Last week: 12)
- Unanimous #12
The Akron Zips are still winless, and are therefore still at the bottom of our rankings once again. This week could be their best chance at a win all season, as they face fellow cellar-dweller Bowling Green.
11. Bowling Green Falcons (LW: 11)
- Unanimous #11
Bowling Green got blasted by Western Michigan last week, and showed every bit of its lack of depth and youth. They’re still a two-win team, though, and that keeps them from occupying the bottom of the rankings. They next face Akron to try and keep it that way.
10. Kent State Golden Flashes (LW: 7)
- Average vote: 8.83
- Highest vote: 4 (one)
- Lowest vote: 10 (four)
Kent State is severely underrated if you take into account the average vote, as they’re at least one and a third spot below where they should be.
Anyway, the Golden Flashes have shown the ability to hang with the best of the conference, but have also laid down some frustrating scores as well. They’re one of the most unpreditable teams in the conference and have consistently jumped up and down the rankes as a result.
9. Northern Illinois Huskies (LW: 10)
- Average vote: 8
- Highest vote: 5 (one)
- Lowest vote: 9 (three)
NIU looked just fine with Marcus Childers at QB, but that game was also against Akron, which at this point, you should be beating a team that bad by several scores no matter who’s in to play.
We’ll have a better understanding of the Huskies this week against Central.
8. Eastern Michigan Eagles (LW: 4)
- Average vote: 7.5
- Highest vote: 5 (one)
- Lowest vote: 9 (two)
Good news: the Eagles got Mike Glass back! Bad news: they lost to Toledo in overtime in a game they might could have won!
Their precipitous drop can be attributed to other teams moving up the rankings, but with a brutal conference record up to this point for a team with a winning record, they’re going to have to kick it into gear soon. They’ll face Buffalo to try and move up the MAC East standings.
7. Miami RedHawks (LW: 8)
- Average vote: 7.16
- Highest vote: 5 (one)
- Lowest vote: 10 (one)
Miami is perhaps the most Jeckyll and Hyde team in the MAC.
It’s hard to even adequately describe the nature of this team. Every year, they manage to get to a 5-7 or 6-6 record in the strangest ways, and this year is forming up into another one of those seasons. They’re losing against teams they’re expected to lose to by double-digits after initally being close and winning against teams they’re expecting to... but closer than expected. (They’re 5-5, with a 3-1 conference record, so it checks out.)
6. Central Michigan Chippewas (LW: 2)
- Average vote: 6.5
- Highest vote: 4 (one)
- Lowest vote: 8 (one)
CMU makes for the second team in a row to drop from second place to sixth after Toledo did so last week.
The Chippewas had no answers for the Buffalo offense, and fell behind early in what was ultimately a dominant win by the Bulls. They’ve been a great home team this season and will face an NIU team on the rebound in Week 10.
5. Buffalo Bulls (LW: 5)
- Average vote: 6.33
- Highest vote: 5 (three)
- Lowest vote: 10 (one)
Speaking of the Bulls, they’ve looked really good over the last two weeks and now they’re taking that positive momentum on the road against EMU.
The Bulls showed a different side of their offense against CMU, airing it out in the first half against a depleted CMU seondary. EMU probably won’t give them that opportunity, so they’ll have to rely on Jaret Patterson and Kevin Marks to help them maintain tempo.
4. Toledo Rockets (LW: 6)
- Average vote: 3.5
- Highest vote: 1 (one)
- Lowest vote: 6 (two)
The Rockets won, and that’s gotta feel good, especially with how injured they’ve been recently. They’re 5-3, with two in-conference wins, and now they’ve got a BYE week to get helathier as they try to hit the homestretch with momentum.
3. Ball State Cardinals (LW: 1)
- Average vote: 3
- Highest vote: 2 (three)
- Lowest vote: 4 (three)
The Cardinals finally lost in-conference, falling to the Ohio Bobcats in a battle o potential divisonal favorites. Ball State had to regress to the mean sometime, and this game was certainly an indication of that.
But Ball State can still largely control their own destiny at this point, especially as the rest of the MAC West cannibalizes itself with how good it is.
2. Western Michigan Broncos (LW: 5)
- Average vote: 2.66
- Highest vote: 1 (once)
- Lowest vote: 4 (once)
Look who’s back amongst the top teams!
WMU is back in the top two after a week of getting mired in the middle of the standings. They took care of business against Bowling Green and looked good in the process, as LeVante Bellamy continues his stranglehold over the conference in rushing yards and touchdowns. They stil trail Ball State in the West, but that doesn’t take them out of contention yet.
1. Ohio Bobcats (LW: 3)
- Average vote: 1.5
- Highest vote: 1 (four)
- Lowest vote: 3 (one)
Ohio reminded those who follow the MAC they’re still the favorites to win it all by downing Ball State to move to 3-1 in the MAC East, tying with fierce rival Miami for the honor.
It’s been awhile for the Bobcats since they were last at #1, when they were the top MAC team in our Week 2 rankings. We said back then there was a lot of belief in the Bobcats even despite the slow start. It took them awhile to get back, but now that they’re nearly healthy, they look as strong as ever with #MACtion upcoming.