ON CAMPUS IN OHIO: WEEK 6
By Bucklion
Week 5 Synopsis: That horrific thud you heard last week was the state of Ohio football without the benefit of the Buckeyes playing. Seemingly promising games for state teams went all wrong in what could be one of the worst weeks in recent Ohio football memory. Out of the two most promising teams in the state besides the Bucks, Toledo was obliterated at Fresno State and Akron gave up 24 second half points to take the state’s second bad loss to Central Michigan. Kent State also lost at Eastern Michigan, and Cincinnati laid an egg playing against Miami. Only the RedHawks, and Bowling Green who destroyed hapless Temple, were winners. The bottom line is that Ohio teams have lost several winnable games, and NO week is any good when the state of Ohio is 0-2 against the state of Michigan.
Week 6 State Rankings:
1 (-) Ohio State (3-1, 1-0): Showdown week in the Valley of the Lion.
2 (+3) Miami (2-2, 1-1): Nice win in a rivalry game over the Bearcats moves them up the list. A big, big game against Northern Illinois Wednesday in DeKalb.
3 (-1) Toledo (3-1, 1-0): Absolutely destroyed by Fresno State. A must-win conference game this week against Eastern Michigan.
4 (+3) Bowling Green (2-2, 1-0): Nothing like Temple to cure what ails you….Can they knock off pesky Frank Solich?
5 (+1) Ohio (2-2, 1-0): After taking a breather, they travel to Bowling Green in a big in-state game.
6 (-3) Akron (2-2, 1-1): Terrible letdown at home against Central Michigan..an inexcusable loss at home. A reprieve this week however at hapless and winless Buffalo.
7 (-3) Cincinnati (2-2): Laid an egg at Miami. They travel to Pittsburgh this week.
8 (-) Kent State (1-4, 0-3): Kent limps into a bye week.
Head-To-Head Matchups: Week 6
(NOTE: Upset alert is from 0-10, with 10 being "Red Alert…better concentrate on these guys" and 0 being "Here’s your 400 thousand for an ass-whuppin’….thanks for coming")
Prediction record: 20-6 SU, 11-13 VL
Wednesday
Miami (2-2, 1-1) at Northern Illinois (1-3, 0-1)
Line: NIU -3
Upset Alert: 10
Synopsis: Miami comes in on a bit of a roll after a slow start. Northern Illinois has been a victim of some hard luck, but the bottom line is they lost to Akron and are 1-3. This will be a high scoring contest, which suits both teams, but the RedHawks finally look like they are starting to get it going. Northern has too many weaknesses for this one.
Prediction: Miami 38, Northern Illinois 34
Saturday
Akron (2-2, 1-1) at Buffalo (0-4, 0-1)
Line: Akron -11 ½
Upset Alert: 0
Synopsis: If there was a negative rating for upset alert, this would be it. Buffalo has nearly their entire team back from last year, and they still scored a grand total of 3 points in their first 3 games. They were beaten by 10 at Western Michigan last week in their only conference contest thus far. The Bulls have absolutely no business being in I-A, and that will continue to be painfully obvious after this week.
Prediction: Akron 52, Buffalo 9
Cincinnati (2-2) at Pittsburgh (1-4, 0-1)
Line: Pitt -13
Upset Alert: 8
Synopsis: Does anyone have any inkling as to why Pitt is favored to beat a I-A team by double digits? There is no seeming reason, and the Bearcats have certainly had their share of ups and downs already as they open conference play. The offenses of both teams have been terrible, and the defenses, though adequate, also have room to improve. This will be a low scoring ballgame, and if Cincinnati can win the turnover battle, then the Bearcats have a great chance. Could Pitt possible start 1-5? They could…but they won’t.
Prediction: Pitt 16, Cincinnati 6
Ohio (2-2, 1-0) at Bowling Green (2-2, 1-0)
Line: Bowling Green -22
Upset Alert: 2
Synopsis: Someone could have made some serious coin if they had bet that Ohio and Bowling Green would be sitting with identical records coming into this one. It’s really difficult to get a good read on either team, but it is evident that Bowling Green has an ultra-potent offense, and Ohio’s offense is well below average. Conversely, Ohio has a good defense, and Bowling Green couldn’t stop rain with an umbrella. Defense may win championships…but it will not win this game, as the Falcons roll it up.
Prediction: Bowling Green 35, Ohio 14
Eastern Michigan (3-2, 2-0) at Toledo (3-1, 1-0)
Line: Toledo -20 ½
Upset Alert: 5
Synopsis: If it seems like Eastern Michigan is playing almost everyone in Ohio, it’s basically because they are…they lost a close one to Cincinnati, beat Kent State, and travel to Toledo this week, and also play Miami later. They are also improbably at the top of the MAC West at 2-0, after beating Central Michigan and Kent State. The Eagles are playing pretty well this year, and by contrast Toledo was exposed big-time last week. Still, Toledo has veteran leadership and a powerful offense, and they are very tough to beat at the Glass Bowl. Look for the Rockets to win, but this will be a good game to watch.
Prediction: Toledo 31, Eastern Michigan 20
Ohio State (3-1, 1-0) at Penn State (5-0, 2-0)
Line: Ohio State -3
Upset Alert: 7
Synopsis: This is just one of those games where no one is going to have their minds changed…Lion fans think they have a great shot, Buckeye fans don’t, or at least don’t admit they do. It’s pretty evident that, player for player, the Buckeyes are the better team, but Mark Bradley has a great team defense concept going in Happy Valley, and the offense has some brash playmakers that can hurt a good defense for the first time in years. This game has all the makings of a classic, and look for a grind-it-out, punch-in-the-mouth type game, where the establishment of a running game and the turnover battle will win it eventually.
Prediction: Ohio State 23, Penn State 19
By Bucklion
Week 5 Synopsis: That horrific thud you heard last week was the state of Ohio football without the benefit of the Buckeyes playing. Seemingly promising games for state teams went all wrong in what could be one of the worst weeks in recent Ohio football memory. Out of the two most promising teams in the state besides the Bucks, Toledo was obliterated at Fresno State and Akron gave up 24 second half points to take the state’s second bad loss to Central Michigan. Kent State also lost at Eastern Michigan, and Cincinnati laid an egg playing against Miami. Only the RedHawks, and Bowling Green who destroyed hapless Temple, were winners. The bottom line is that Ohio teams have lost several winnable games, and NO week is any good when the state of Ohio is 0-2 against the state of Michigan.
Week 6 State Rankings:
1 (-) Ohio State (3-1, 1-0): Showdown week in the Valley of the Lion.
2 (+3) Miami (2-2, 1-1): Nice win in a rivalry game over the Bearcats moves them up the list. A big, big game against Northern Illinois Wednesday in DeKalb.
3 (-1) Toledo (3-1, 1-0): Absolutely destroyed by Fresno State. A must-win conference game this week against Eastern Michigan.
4 (+3) Bowling Green (2-2, 1-0): Nothing like Temple to cure what ails you….Can they knock off pesky Frank Solich?
5 (+1) Ohio (2-2, 1-0): After taking a breather, they travel to Bowling Green in a big in-state game.
6 (-3) Akron (2-2, 1-1): Terrible letdown at home against Central Michigan..an inexcusable loss at home. A reprieve this week however at hapless and winless Buffalo.
7 (-3) Cincinnati (2-2): Laid an egg at Miami. They travel to Pittsburgh this week.
8 (-) Kent State (1-4, 0-3): Kent limps into a bye week.
Head-To-Head Matchups: Week 6
(NOTE: Upset alert is from 0-10, with 10 being "Red Alert…better concentrate on these guys" and 0 being "Here’s your 400 thousand for an ass-whuppin’….thanks for coming")
Prediction record: 20-6 SU, 11-13 VL
Wednesday
Miami (2-2, 1-1) at Northern Illinois (1-3, 0-1)
Line: NIU -3
Upset Alert: 10
Synopsis: Miami comes in on a bit of a roll after a slow start. Northern Illinois has been a victim of some hard luck, but the bottom line is they lost to Akron and are 1-3. This will be a high scoring contest, which suits both teams, but the RedHawks finally look like they are starting to get it going. Northern has too many weaknesses for this one.
Prediction: Miami 38, Northern Illinois 34
Saturday
Akron (2-2, 1-1) at Buffalo (0-4, 0-1)
Line: Akron -11 ½
Upset Alert: 0
Synopsis: If there was a negative rating for upset alert, this would be it. Buffalo has nearly their entire team back from last year, and they still scored a grand total of 3 points in their first 3 games. They were beaten by 10 at Western Michigan last week in their only conference contest thus far. The Bulls have absolutely no business being in I-A, and that will continue to be painfully obvious after this week.
Prediction: Akron 52, Buffalo 9
Cincinnati (2-2) at Pittsburgh (1-4, 0-1)
Line: Pitt -13
Upset Alert: 8
Synopsis: Does anyone have any inkling as to why Pitt is favored to beat a I-A team by double digits? There is no seeming reason, and the Bearcats have certainly had their share of ups and downs already as they open conference play. The offenses of both teams have been terrible, and the defenses, though adequate, also have room to improve. This will be a low scoring ballgame, and if Cincinnati can win the turnover battle, then the Bearcats have a great chance. Could Pitt possible start 1-5? They could…but they won’t.
Prediction: Pitt 16, Cincinnati 6
Ohio (2-2, 1-0) at Bowling Green (2-2, 1-0)
Line: Bowling Green -22
Upset Alert: 2
Synopsis: Someone could have made some serious coin if they had bet that Ohio and Bowling Green would be sitting with identical records coming into this one. It’s really difficult to get a good read on either team, but it is evident that Bowling Green has an ultra-potent offense, and Ohio’s offense is well below average. Conversely, Ohio has a good defense, and Bowling Green couldn’t stop rain with an umbrella. Defense may win championships…but it will not win this game, as the Falcons roll it up.
Prediction: Bowling Green 35, Ohio 14
Eastern Michigan (3-2, 2-0) at Toledo (3-1, 1-0)
Line: Toledo -20 ½
Upset Alert: 5
Synopsis: If it seems like Eastern Michigan is playing almost everyone in Ohio, it’s basically because they are…they lost a close one to Cincinnati, beat Kent State, and travel to Toledo this week, and also play Miami later. They are also improbably at the top of the MAC West at 2-0, after beating Central Michigan and Kent State. The Eagles are playing pretty well this year, and by contrast Toledo was exposed big-time last week. Still, Toledo has veteran leadership and a powerful offense, and they are very tough to beat at the Glass Bowl. Look for the Rockets to win, but this will be a good game to watch.
Prediction: Toledo 31, Eastern Michigan 20
Ohio State (3-1, 1-0) at Penn State (5-0, 2-0)
Line: Ohio State -3
Upset Alert: 7
Synopsis: This is just one of those games where no one is going to have their minds changed…Lion fans think they have a great shot, Buckeye fans don’t, or at least don’t admit they do. It’s pretty evident that, player for player, the Buckeyes are the better team, but Mark Bradley has a great team defense concept going in Happy Valley, and the offense has some brash playmakers that can hurt a good defense for the first time in years. This game has all the makings of a classic, and look for a grind-it-out, punch-in-the-mouth type game, where the establishment of a running game and the turnover battle will win it eventually.
Prediction: Ohio State 23, Penn State 19