Who is your pick in the East

[Falcon137]

I'm going to go ahead and eliminate, Buffalo, Akron and Kent.

Record and remaining schedules
Temple- 3-2 (@ Ohio ; vs Miami ; vs Kent)
Ohio-2-2 (vs Temple ; @ CMU ; @BG ; vs Miami)
BG- 2-2 (@Kent ; vs NIU ; vs OU ; @ Buffalo)
Miami- 1-2 (vs Buffalo ; vs Akron ; @ Temple ; vs WMU ; @ OU)

Just looking at the remaining schedules I think Temple is still the team to beat. Especially if they can win @ Ohio.

If OU beats Temple I think the winner of the East is the winner of the OU / BG game.

[MarkL]

I said from the beginning that the east will come down to whoever comes out on top of BG, Miami, Temple, and Ohio. So good call to keep only these four in contention. That means there's three key games and so far we're 2-0. I'd pick us.

HOWEVER ... not to sound like a broken MP3 ... young team. It can be difficult to be consistently good from here on out. Next week is a great example. BG just played a tough, physical Temple team. Next week they go to a rested, talented, hungry Kent team coming off a bye week. If there's such thing as a trap game, it's next week. For this team, every single game must be taken seriously. No gimmes, no easy games. Our guys can certainly win these last four and go 8-4. However, all of these last four are capable of beating BG. No slip ups allowed.

[mc3022]

I defiantly agree with Mark..

Honestly, I think the winner of the East has a shot to come down to the BG vs Ohio game. Temple is still a very solid team, but I think that we exposed a major flaw in their offense by stacking the box and bring alot of pressure in obvious passing situation.

Look for future Temple opponents to copycat what we did in our game defensively and force Temple to throw the ball.

I'll be curious to see how a young Falcon team reacts next week vs Kent. Hopefully there will be no hangover effect and get can get a win.

[SicSicalum]

Just how sweet would it be for us to run the table and set up a "re-match" with Scuds up north? I for one would love it!

[Rollo83]

Honestly, this team could win all four remaining games or lose all of them. Just too inconsistent at this point. This game reminded me of the Idaho game in the fact that we seem to do well against young, inexperienced QBs. Veteran QBs? That's a different story.

I hope it comes down to this, but our last game at Buffalo will be no walk in the park. I watched them on Saturday and they can play a little. They gave Northern Illinois all they could handle.

[BGSU33]

I'm going to go ahead and eliminate, Buffalo, Akron and Kent.

Record and remaining schedules
Temple- 3-2 (@ Ohio ; vs Miami ; vs Kent)
Ohio-2-2 (vs Temple ; @ CMU ; @BG ; vs Miami)
BG- 2-2 (@Kent ; vs NIU ; vs OU ; @ Buffalo)
Miami- 1-2 (vs Buffalo ; vs Akron ; @ Temple ; vs WMU ; @ OU)

Just looking at the remaining schedules I think Temple is still the team to beat. Especially if they can win @ Ohio.

If OU beats Temple I think the winner of the East is the winner of the OU / BG game.

I agree with most of this post. I still think Ohio is still the team to beat. Temple hasn't been able to beat Ohio the last few years and neither has BG. If Ohio beats Temple again and if BG can get past Kent State, the East could very well be decided in the end end by the winner of the BG/OU game.

[RobbyFalcon]

I think it will all come down to how many times Ohio gets to wear their cool black uniforms.

[Falconfreak90]

We control our destiny. The way the D played yesterday gives me a lot of hope we can pull off a division title. We have to get the O going, though. I would LOVE a rematch with tsun in Detroit.

BEAT KENT!!!

[bgsufalcon24]

Here's the way I see it:

I thought Miami would be better this year, so far they've disappointed. You can't count them out yet because they have 2 very easy games at home the next two weeks, so they could easily get to 3-2. However, their finish is brutal, at Temple and Ohio with a tough cross division game against WMU as well. Seeing as they would need at least 4 of those 5 games...I think the road is too difficult for the Redhawks.

Ohio stubbed their toe early in conference play, but they are still very much alive. I think for them to have much of a shot, they need to beat Temple on Nov 2. If they drop that one, then they need to win out against BG, CMU, and Miami. Even then, they would still need Temple to drop another game to force a 3-way rock/paper/scissors situation between the Bobcats, Falcons, and Owls. Their schedule isn't as tough as Miami's, but they really need to beat Temple.

Temple I think is probably in the best shape. They have one tough game left at Ohio. If they win that one, they should be home free, with two home games left against Kent and Miami. Miami is capable of winning a close, defensive game if Temple's throwing woes continue, but their road is the shortest and most direct. If they win in Athens, that pretty much knocks Ohio out, and puts the pressure on BG to win out.

BGSU is probably the most intriguing team in the mix, they've got heads-up advantage already on Miami and Temple which is big. Their remaining road games are easy, against Kent and Buffalo. But a killer test against NIU gives me pause, and then you've got the critical game against Ohio on top of that. BG probably has the 2nd toughest road remaining. The best case scenario for BG would be for Ohio to beat Temple, which would allow the Falcons to stub their toe against NIU and still win the East. I just don't see this team winning out.

So in order of likelihood, my money right now would be on Temple, followed by BG, Ohio third, Miami last.

[footballguy51]

If I remember correctly, many people said they wanted to see us competing for the conference title. We are certainly in the mix, and we aren't one of those teams mentioned that are "out of it", so I would say we've definitely improved from last year. You are all being negative Nancy's.

[Flipper]

Temple, feeling the weight of their own disappointment, will drop at least one more game. The East winner will be decided when the upstart comeback kids of the MAC, the BGSU Falcons play the kids who scream like girls at a Bieber concert when someone pitches a black jersey their way.....the OU Bobkits

[Falconfreak90]

Temple, feeling the weight of their own disappointment, will drop at least one more game.

Agree with this. Temple has been getting close the last couple years but can't close the deal.

Take 'em one game at a time...in a 4 game season.

[camkru9701]

I still like my original pre-season pick for the Conference Championship:

Bowling Green

vs

Northern Illinois

(Toledo will not run the table)

[mmisbg]

Why can I never remember whether a team's ascension to the MAC title is determined by conference or division record.

If division record is the determining factor, I think conventional wisdom would be that BG will be in the MAC title game. NIU won't matter, Kent and Buffalo are bad, and I don't think OU has shown anything thus far that suggests they can beat Temple or us.

If conference record is the primary determinant, then things become complicated. Temple will likely win out from here. That means BG will need to beat NIU on the 8th, which I doubt will happen.

Given my previous statements, I think you can infer that I have written off every other team in the East.

Naturally, "on any given Saturday" always applies, but this is where I think things stand.

[Falconfreak90]

I would not consider Buffalo "bad". They beat Ohio U and had a hell of a comeback against NIU. That will be a tough game. It seems every game with UB is a wild one.