ON CAMPUS IN OHIO: WEEK 8
By Bucklion
Week 7 Synopsis: It was a good retaliation for the state of Ohio this week. The Buckeyes bounced back with a good home win over the Spartans. Cincinnati had an impressive win over UConn, who had actually been on a pretty good roll coming in. Toledo kept rolling by knocking off Ball State. Bowling Green and Miami also had good conference wins. Akron lost, but to an in-state opponent, and Kent State was a near miss against the Midshipmen last week. Only Ohio was blown out by Central Michigan on the road. As the season begins to reach critical mass, a lot of important games remain…and this week is no exception, with all 8 teams seeing action.
Week 8 State Rankings:
1 (-) Ohio State (4-2, 2-1): The Buckeyes are back in the conference picture…the improved Hoosiers await.
2 (-) Toledo (5-1, 3-0): Doesn’t look like anyone in the MAC can stop the Rockets. They get the worst team in I-A (Buffalo) this week.
3 (-) Bowling Green (4-2, 3-0): Left Buffalo with a decent, though not overwhelming, win. Western Michigan is on the table this week for the Falcons, who should be looking good this week.
4 (+1) Miami (3-3, 2-2): Good rebound win against Akron. A trip to Eastern Michigan is on the books this week for the RedHawks.
5 (+2) Cincinnati (3-3, 1-1): Nice home win over upstart UConn. If they think they’re ready to step up, a reeling Louisville gives them the chance this week.
6 (-2) Akron (3-3, 2-2): Big loss at Oxford dashes division hopes. A visit from winless Army could give the team a late-season boost.
7 (-1) Ohio (2-4, 1-2): Hard to expect that the Bobcats could win at Central Michigan at this stage. Ball State is a must-win for the team’s development.
8 (-) Kent State (1-5, 0-3): Another loss, though this time a close one to Navy. Northern Illinois will not be a good matchup for the Flashes.
Head-To-Head Matchups: Week 8
(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: 30-9 SU, 14-23 VL
Saturday
Louisville (4-2, 0-2) at Cincinnati (3-3, 1-1)
Line: Louisville -22
Upset Alert: 2
Synopsis: The Cardinals are reeling after a tough overtime loss to West Virginia. Certainly no one anticipated an 0-2 start for the prohibitive conference favorites going in to the season. The Bearcats are gritty at home, but it is not evident that they have the offensive firepower to keep up with the Cardinals, even though the Cardinal defense can be somewhat suspect. Look for a lot of points…most of them by Louisville. This just isn’t a good matchup for the Bearcats.
Prediction: Louisville 42, Cincinnati 17
Ohio State (4-2, 2-1) at Indiana (4-2, 1-2)
Line: Ohio State -16
Upset Alert: 4
Synopsis: Gone are the days when a team could score 21 points and empty their offensive bench. The Hoosier offense is much improved, and the team got a nice win over Illinois in conference play. The Buckeyes come in rebuilding momentum for a run at the conference championship. This is a game that the Buckeyes need to take seriously, and they will, because they have no margin for error. Despite the Hoosiers being much improved, and the cause for excitement for their football program, Indiana is still outclassed talent-wise to an extent that precludes them from winning a game like this one…yet. This could be closer than some people think, however.
Prediction: Ohio State 31, Indiana 17
Northern Illinois (3-3, 2-1) at Kent State (1-5, 0-3)
Line: NIU -10
Upset Alert: 2
Synopsis: The Golden Flashes have yet to show they can win a conference game. Their performance against the Naval Academy is some cause for optimism, but Northern Illinois is a veteran group that knows how to win on the road, and at 2-1 they are still in a great position to make a run at a division title. The Flashes are usually better at home, and will probably make some noise early, but look for the Huskies to inch closer to a showdown with Toledo in the West.
Prediction: Northern Illinois 31, Kent State 13
Ball State (1-5, 1-2) at Ohio (2-4, 1-2)
Line: Ohio -8 ½
Upset Alert: 1
Synopsis: When the Bobcat faithful and coach Frank Solich look back at his first year, this is exactly the game that people will look to in order to see if there is reason for significant optimism. The Bobcats absolutely must win this game at home, and are in a good position to do it. A win this week and next week against Buffalo would push the win total to 4, something that will generate some interest in the program with fans and recruits alike. A loss here would be a giant step backward for a program potentially on the rise, and look for Solich’s discipline to shine through here.
Prediction: Ohio 31, Ball State 17
Western Michigan (3-3, 1-2) at Bowling Green (4-2, 3-0)
Line: Bowling Green -25
Upset Alert: 1
Synopsis: The good news for Western fans: the Broncos come in winning 3 out of 4. The terrible news, though, is that they were against Southern Illinois, Temple, and Buffalo, and they followed that up with a loss to pitiful Ball State. The Broncos are in the bottom 10 in I-A, and they will pose absolutely no threat on the road to a Falcon team in the driver’s seat in the MAC East. Look for the offense to overpower a team that gave up 60 to Ball State.
Prediction: Bowling Green 56, Western Michigan 14
Army (0-6) at Akron (3-3, 2-2)
Line: Akron -9 ½
Upset Alert: 6
Synopsis: Yes, there is an upset alert with an 0-6 team entering the Rubber Bowl. Army has been a hard-luck team this season, losing close games to Baylor, Iowa State, and Central Michigan, so they can be competitive. The Zips are reeling from a big loss at Oxford, but they should be able to rebound against Army. Still, defending a Bobby Ross team is never easy, and execution will be at a premium for Akron this week. Look for the Zips to get it done, though another close game is not out of the question.
Prediction: Akron 31, Army 21
Miami (3-3, 2-2) at Eastern Michigan (3-4, 2-2)
Line: Miami -11
Upset Alert: 7
Synopsis: Eastern Michigan is an improved team this year, and this program looks to be on the rise in the MAC. This game will not be an easy challenge for the RedHawks, who are trying desperately to stay in the division race. Miami’s potent offense should be able to get a bunch of points, but the defense will have to play well, and the offense will have to keep the crowd out of the game. Eastern will be up for this one, but look for the RedHawks to pull it off late and escape with a win.
Prediction: Miami 27, Eastern Michigan 24
Buffalo (0-6, 0-3) at Toledo (5-1, 3-0)
Line: Toledo -31
Upset Alert: 0
Synopsis: The Bulls appear headed to another winless season, putting their status in D-IA in question as the program mulls its future. The offense has been negligent, scoring 7 or less in 5 out of 6 games. There is just no offensive talent to compete at all at Buffalo. The defense has been valiant, holding every opponent to 31 or less except UConn, but the Bulls have no means to compete in I-A. Toledo, at home, will absolutely annihilate them, and no spread is big enough, and no one with a uniform on will probably go without playing. Toledo is in the MAC driver’s seat, and they will demonstrate why in big fashion this weekend.
Prediction: Toledo 63, Buffalo 0
By Bucklion
Week 7 Synopsis: It was a good retaliation for the state of Ohio this week. The Buckeyes bounced back with a good home win over the Spartans. Cincinnati had an impressive win over UConn, who had actually been on a pretty good roll coming in. Toledo kept rolling by knocking off Ball State. Bowling Green and Miami also had good conference wins. Akron lost, but to an in-state opponent, and Kent State was a near miss against the Midshipmen last week. Only Ohio was blown out by Central Michigan on the road. As the season begins to reach critical mass, a lot of important games remain…and this week is no exception, with all 8 teams seeing action.
Week 8 State Rankings:
1 (-) Ohio State (4-2, 2-1): The Buckeyes are back in the conference picture…the improved Hoosiers await.
2 (-) Toledo (5-1, 3-0): Doesn’t look like anyone in the MAC can stop the Rockets. They get the worst team in I-A (Buffalo) this week.
3 (-) Bowling Green (4-2, 3-0): Left Buffalo with a decent, though not overwhelming, win. Western Michigan is on the table this week for the Falcons, who should be looking good this week.
4 (+1) Miami (3-3, 2-2): Good rebound win against Akron. A trip to Eastern Michigan is on the books this week for the RedHawks.
5 (+2) Cincinnati (3-3, 1-1): Nice home win over upstart UConn. If they think they’re ready to step up, a reeling Louisville gives them the chance this week.
6 (-2) Akron (3-3, 2-2): Big loss at Oxford dashes division hopes. A visit from winless Army could give the team a late-season boost.
7 (-1) Ohio (2-4, 1-2): Hard to expect that the Bobcats could win at Central Michigan at this stage. Ball State is a must-win for the team’s development.
8 (-) Kent State (1-5, 0-3): Another loss, though this time a close one to Navy. Northern Illinois will not be a good matchup for the Flashes.
Head-To-Head Matchups: Week 8
(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: 30-9 SU, 14-23 VL
Saturday
Louisville (4-2, 0-2) at Cincinnati (3-3, 1-1)
Line: Louisville -22
Upset Alert: 2
Synopsis: The Cardinals are reeling after a tough overtime loss to West Virginia. Certainly no one anticipated an 0-2 start for the prohibitive conference favorites going in to the season. The Bearcats are gritty at home, but it is not evident that they have the offensive firepower to keep up with the Cardinals, even though the Cardinal defense can be somewhat suspect. Look for a lot of points…most of them by Louisville. This just isn’t a good matchup for the Bearcats.
Prediction: Louisville 42, Cincinnati 17
Ohio State (4-2, 2-1) at Indiana (4-2, 1-2)
Line: Ohio State -16
Upset Alert: 4
Synopsis: Gone are the days when a team could score 21 points and empty their offensive bench. The Hoosier offense is much improved, and the team got a nice win over Illinois in conference play. The Buckeyes come in rebuilding momentum for a run at the conference championship. This is a game that the Buckeyes need to take seriously, and they will, because they have no margin for error. Despite the Hoosiers being much improved, and the cause for excitement for their football program, Indiana is still outclassed talent-wise to an extent that precludes them from winning a game like this one…yet. This could be closer than some people think, however.
Prediction: Ohio State 31, Indiana 17
Northern Illinois (3-3, 2-1) at Kent State (1-5, 0-3)
Line: NIU -10
Upset Alert: 2
Synopsis: The Golden Flashes have yet to show they can win a conference game. Their performance against the Naval Academy is some cause for optimism, but Northern Illinois is a veteran group that knows how to win on the road, and at 2-1 they are still in a great position to make a run at a division title. The Flashes are usually better at home, and will probably make some noise early, but look for the Huskies to inch closer to a showdown with Toledo in the West.
Prediction: Northern Illinois 31, Kent State 13
Ball State (1-5, 1-2) at Ohio (2-4, 1-2)
Line: Ohio -8 ½
Upset Alert: 1
Synopsis: When the Bobcat faithful and coach Frank Solich look back at his first year, this is exactly the game that people will look to in order to see if there is reason for significant optimism. The Bobcats absolutely must win this game at home, and are in a good position to do it. A win this week and next week against Buffalo would push the win total to 4, something that will generate some interest in the program with fans and recruits alike. A loss here would be a giant step backward for a program potentially on the rise, and look for Solich’s discipline to shine through here.
Prediction: Ohio 31, Ball State 17
Western Michigan (3-3, 1-2) at Bowling Green (4-2, 3-0)
Line: Bowling Green -25
Upset Alert: 1
Synopsis: The good news for Western fans: the Broncos come in winning 3 out of 4. The terrible news, though, is that they were against Southern Illinois, Temple, and Buffalo, and they followed that up with a loss to pitiful Ball State. The Broncos are in the bottom 10 in I-A, and they will pose absolutely no threat on the road to a Falcon team in the driver’s seat in the MAC East. Look for the offense to overpower a team that gave up 60 to Ball State.
Prediction: Bowling Green 56, Western Michigan 14
Army (0-6) at Akron (3-3, 2-2)
Line: Akron -9 ½
Upset Alert: 6
Synopsis: Yes, there is an upset alert with an 0-6 team entering the Rubber Bowl. Army has been a hard-luck team this season, losing close games to Baylor, Iowa State, and Central Michigan, so they can be competitive. The Zips are reeling from a big loss at Oxford, but they should be able to rebound against Army. Still, defending a Bobby Ross team is never easy, and execution will be at a premium for Akron this week. Look for the Zips to get it done, though another close game is not out of the question.
Prediction: Akron 31, Army 21
Miami (3-3, 2-2) at Eastern Michigan (3-4, 2-2)
Line: Miami -11
Upset Alert: 7
Synopsis: Eastern Michigan is an improved team this year, and this program looks to be on the rise in the MAC. This game will not be an easy challenge for the RedHawks, who are trying desperately to stay in the division race. Miami’s potent offense should be able to get a bunch of points, but the defense will have to play well, and the offense will have to keep the crowd out of the game. Eastern will be up for this one, but look for the RedHawks to pull it off late and escape with a win.
Prediction: Miami 27, Eastern Michigan 24
Buffalo (0-6, 0-3) at Toledo (5-1, 3-0)
Line: Toledo -31
Upset Alert: 0
Synopsis: The Bulls appear headed to another winless season, putting their status in D-IA in question as the program mulls its future. The offense has been negligent, scoring 7 or less in 5 out of 6 games. There is just no offensive talent to compete at all at Buffalo. The defense has been valiant, holding every opponent to 31 or less except UConn, but the Bulls have no means to compete in I-A. Toledo, at home, will absolutely annihilate them, and no spread is big enough, and no one with a uniform on will probably go without playing. Toledo is in the MAC driver’s seat, and they will demonstrate why in big fashion this weekend.
Prediction: Toledo 63, Buffalo 0