MAC standings

[MarkL]

As everyone is in conference play and has played 2 or 3, here's a look at current standings:

East
Kent State: 2-0
BG: 1-1
Miami: 1-1
Ohio: 1-1
Buffalo: 0-2
Akron: 0-2

West
Ball State: 2-0
WMU: 2-1
CMU: 2-1
UT: 1-1
NIU: 1-1
EMU: 0-2

Raise your hand if you thought at any point Kent and Ball State would be leading the standings. My hand is definitely not up. And their next two games respectively are Ohio and UT. If Kent and Ball State both win this week, they are absolutely odds on favorites for Detroit (but both are underdogs). And Kent and Ball State play each other in late November so in the event of them making the championship, it would be a rematch of a very recent game.

Ohio lost last week to NIU. If they win over Kent this week, they have an inside track to the championship game. Miami normally plays well in the second half of the season and as their loss is to WMU, they also are in good early shape. I don't see a scenario where BG, Buffalo, or Akron go to the championship. And in the west it could be anyone but EMU.

Just curious at this point what everyone's guesses are on the championship game. If I had to pick at this very moment, I would say Kent State vs NIU. But that is a very shaky guess because I don't have a good beat on NIU, and Kent has not really been tested in conference play yet.

[mbenecke]

BG controls its own destiny with a couple of Kent State losses...

But really though, I still expect Toledo to win the west. And right now, I think the east could be won by 2 or 3 teams, each of whom is currently 2-4. So it's tough to make a prediction on that side.

[MarkL]

Despite Ball State's fast start, the reason I don't like their chances of going to Detroit is their schedule. They've still got UT, CMU, and WMU ahead. And their east opponents are Miami, Ohio, and Kent. Those are the only east teams I think have a realistic chance at Detroit.

[footballguy51]

WMU vs. OU

[Tony4BG]

I assume this hasn't happened yet, BG vs Toledo MAC Championship

[jpfalcon09]

With rumors that Guadagni is out for the year for Toledo, I like Western or Ball State to win the West. I think Ohio gets their act together to win the East.

[mbenecke]

With rumors that Guadagni is out for the year for Toledo, I like Western or Ball State to win the West. I think Ohio gets their act together to win the East.

Feel for the young man if that's true. He already had his redshirt year in 2015, and he's beyond the point this year where he could get a medical redshirt, so his college career would be over.

[jpfalcon09]

With rumors that Guadagni is out for the year for Toledo, I like Western or Ball State to win the West. I think Ohio gets their act together to win the East.

Feel for the young man if that's true. He already had his redshirt year in 2015, and he's beyond the point this year where he could get a medical redshirt, so his college career would be over.

From what I've heard, he received another concussion on the Lautanen sack. Looked harmless when it happened but it doesn't take much if you have a history. I believe his collegiate career is over.

[BillyLP]

With rumors that Guadagni is out for the year for Toledo, I like Western or Ball State to win the West. I think Ohio gets their act together to win the East.

Feel for the young man if that's true. He already had his redshirt year in 2015, and he's beyond the point this year where he could get a medical redshirt, so his college career would be over.

From what I've heard, he received another concussion on the Lautanen sack. Looked harmless when it happened but it doesn't take much if you have a history. I believe his collegiate career is over.

He seems to be pretty concussion prone, so it's probably better for his long-term health to be done. I hope he has an opportunity to get into coaching or something along those lines if he wants to continue to be a part of the game. Hate to see someone forced away from it when they feel they have more to give.

[MarkL]

Updated standings:

East
Ohio 2-1
Kent 2-1
Miami 2-1
BG 1-2
Buffalo 1-2
Akron 0-3

West
Ball State 3-0
CMU 3-1
WMU 2-2
EMU 1-2
UT 1-2
NIU 1-2

Ohio has the tiebreaker over Kent. Although OU has been far from the team everyone was expecting this year so I'm not sure that really matters. Miami normally finishes strong under Martin and they're in good position to make a run at the championship. These are the only three east teams with a realistic shot at the championship.

In the west, Ball State is comfortably in the driver's seat. The MAC West may be decided with the Ball State / CMU game. Imagine saying that one in August. Though Ball State's three east opponents are the top three in the east so scheduling did them no favors. Also consider WMU has a tiebreaker over CMU and hasn't yet played Ball State.

[Tony4BG]

Updated Standings

East
Miami 3-1
Ohio 3-1
Kent 2-2
Buffalo 2-2
BG 1-3
Akron 0-4

West
Ball State 3-1
CMU 3-2
WMU 3-2
UT 2-2
NIU 2-2
EMU 1-3

[BGSU33]

Ohio is going to win the East, you can set that in stone. They'll sweep the entire East (already beat KSU & UB) and brought Ball State back to reality in Muncie last week, and even if they fall to WMU and somehow finished tied with someone in the East, they'll win the tie-breaker anyway. The West is a much different story. I'm really not completely sold on any West team yet, however, I can't really write one off yet either. But whoever comes out of the West will have earned it. I actually wouldn't be surprised to see a case where the team that heads to Detroit out of the West not being regarded as the best team in the West. Like a three-way tie where one team benefits from playing a weaker East crossover schedule or something along those lines.

[mbenecke]

I agree. I think you can write Ohio's name in pen. To me, you can write WMU in too - but probably only in pencil. We'll see on Tuesday when they play Ball State. I think the winner of that game goes to Detroit.

[MarkL]

I wouldn't sleep on Miami. They beat Ohio last year and are a scrappy bunch.

But if I'm a gambling man, Ohio vs WMU. I want Frank Solich to finally win a title.

[Tony4BG]

Updated Standings

East
Miami 3-1
Ohio 3-1
Buffalo 3-2
Kent 2-2
BG 2-3
Akron 0-5

West
Ball State 3-1
CMU 4-2
WMU 3-2
UT 2-2
NIU 2-2
EMU 1-4

Not much change since only 3 conference games