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Topic: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Topic: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

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ExCat21
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MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/5/2024 1:46:35 PM

Hustlebelt drops their top to bottom conference ranks:

https://www.hustlebelt.com/2024/9/4/24234952/mid-american...

My only disagreement is putting Miami #1 after playing Northwestern and putting up no consistent offense. Toledo would be my #1 followed by OU then Miami at #3. BG would be #4 and NIU at #5.

M.D.W.S.T
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/5/2024 3:28:51 PM

Miami was the least impressive team in the conference last week. And I don't think thats hyperbolic.

For a 32 year old, Gabbert sure didn't look very composed against what will likely be a 5 win team.

My bedroom office rankings...

1> Toledo - I think they go undefeated, they're clicking even when they're not. Dequan Finn and Peny Boone should've stayed. They could find themselves in the playoff, and wow I hate them. :)

2> Central Michigan should be moved up somewhere between 2 and 4 - They're gonna be tough to beat this year. Yes, it's only Central Conn, but they almost hung 70 on them. That's insane to do at any level. Joey Labas - the kid most of us wanted, looks every bit the part of the best QB in the conference.

3> Miami - heres hoping the train has come off the tracks for them.

4> BG - I have no idea. They're in the OU category for me, with WMU, and NIU. Could be good. Could be mid. They blasted Fordham, but they aren't exactly the Fordam that gave us trouble. Bazelek is just good enough to give you hope, but not good enough to win you games.

5 - 6 > WMU or OU - I'd probably move OU down, maybe not below all the teams who ran through FCS teams, but outside of Tyus... not a great game for the Bobbies. Not a terrible game. But had some tough injuries, and a lot of the things that plagued us last season... play calls, clock mgmt continue. Can we throw? Can we get back into games?

The MAC is still hard to project, but the rest of the teams is a mid-off. NIU pummeled the worst team in FCS, but the QB looked like a video game.

Victory
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/5/2024 7:59:42 PM

I think you have to put Toledo #1 right now. If you are ranking by what teams would be favored to beat other teams Miami is still #2. Another ranking style is difficult this time of year. SOR would put everyone who won ahead of everyone that lost.

I think the reason that loss felt disappointing is that they were the preseason favorite. But I can't be too hard on Miami. I think an oddsmaker would tell you that losing by 7 at Northwestern is probably better than losing by 16 at Syracuse. Syracuse wouldn't be a 9 point favorite on a neutral field. Losing by 14 at Wisconsin is better than both of those losses. But it is hard for me to think these other losses move teams ahead of Miami because of Miami's loss just because Miami's loss felt worse because they were the best on paper going into the season. I don't think that's logical at all.

BGSU, CMU, and NIU blew out some pretty bad teams. CMU's opponent was probably especially bad.

We haven't seen Ball State and it is hard to read anything from Akron getting crushed but I sort of feel a gap between whoever you put #7 and and the other 5 teams.

Last Edited: 9/5/2024 8:10:21 PM by Victory

Rufusbobcat94
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/7/2024 11:53:33 AM

M.D.W.S.T wrote:

For a 32-year-old, Gabbert sure didn't look very composed against what will likely be a 5 win team.

Brilliant about the age

Rufusbobcat94
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/7/2024 11:57:17 AM

Toledo is gotta be up there.

I was impressed with Western Michigan overall against Wisconsin: per usual with the MAC, they find a way to give away a winnable game against a solid opponent/

I put OU around 4-6 right now. We'll see how they do this week but they looked decent last week in all phases

Like how UMASS sunk like a stone to the bottom after one week.

ExCat21
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/7/2024 12:58:23 PM

I know it's early and Penn State should win. But boy if BG somehow pulls it out....they go straight to the top.

Rufusbobcat94
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/7/2024 1:08:31 PM

ExCat21 wrote:

I know it's early and Penn State should win. But boy if BG somehow pulls it out....they go straight to the top.

No doubt. BG's offense has looked great so far. The TE Fannin Jr. is an NFL prospect.

ExCat21
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/7/2024 1:13:46 PM

Rufusbobcat94 wrote:

ExCat21 wrote:

I know it's early and Penn State should win. But boy if BG somehow pulls it out....they go straight to the top.

No doubt. BG's offense has looked great so far. The TE Fannin Jr. is an NFL prospect.

I just wish BG would Zone blitz Drew Allar more. He looks so confused when he gets blitzed. Looks like an All-American when he has time or man-to-man.

Last Edited: 9/7/2024 1:14:28 PM by ExCat21

Rufusbobcat94
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/7/2024 1:23:30 PM

ExCat21 wrote:

Rufusbobcat94 wrote:

ExCat21 wrote:

I know it's early and Penn State should win. But boy if BG somehow pulls it out....they go straight to the top.

No doubt. BG's offense has looked great so far. The TE Fannin Jr. is an NFL prospect.

I just wish BG would Zone blitz Drew Allar more. He looks so confused when he gets blitzed. Looks like an All-American when he has time or man-to-man.

Great point. I don't see BG has much to lose, unless i guess they prefer slow death to taking some chances. Indeed, Allar will systematically destroy BG with time.

ExCat21
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/7/2024 2:21:31 PM

BG RBS

Johnson 3 carries 46 yrds 1TD

Patterson 10 carries 45 yrds

Why has BG stopped giving it to the speedster Johnson?

Sometimes college play calling is crazy🤪

Last Edited: 9/7/2024 2:21:58 PM by ExCat21

Rufusbobcat94
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/7/2024 2:24:26 PM

ExCat21 wrote:

BG RBS

Johnson 3 carries 46 yrds 1TD

Patterson 10 carries 45 yrds

Why has BG stopped giving it to the speedster Johnson?

Sometimes college play calling is crazy🤪

No doubt it can be crazy.

L.C.
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/7/2024 10:03:26 PM

ExCat21 wrote:

I know it's early and Penn State should win. But boy if BG somehow pulls it out....they go straight to the top.

The one that will leap to the top in NIU.

�We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.� ― Epictetus

Victory
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/8/2024 5:11:55 PM

M.D.W.S.T wrote:

Toledo - I think they go undefeated, they're clicking even when they're not. Dequan Finn and Peny Boone should've stayed. They could find themselves in the playoff, and wow I hate them. :)

They are about what you would expect, a 9.5 point underdog to Mississippi State. Then @WKU, Fiami, @Buffalo, @NIU, BGSU before MACtion starts. That's a pretty tough stretch for a MAC tram but not totally impossible to run.

NIU is Buffalo, @NC St. UMass, @BGSU, Toledo, @Ball St. NC St. started ranked but doesn't look much like one of the 25 best teams in the country so far. Of all the games in the country this one is probably way up near the top in how much it expectations have moved from preseason. NIU would probably have put at about +19 in this one preseason to maybe +5 or so now.

At any rate, I was thinking about what they odds of an unbeaten matchup 10/19 between NIU and Toledo are. I'd still say highly unlikely.

OhioCatFan
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/9/2024 3:16:13 PM

Victory wrote:

M.D.W.S.T wrote:

Toledo - I think they go undefeated, they're clicking even when they're not. Dequan Finn and Peny Boone should've stayed. They could find themselves in the playoff, and wow I hate them. :)

IF NIU runs the table, they are in the playoffs.

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org

M.D.W.S.T
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/9/2024 3:27:11 PM

Victory wrote:

At any rate, I was thinking about what they odds of an unbeaten matchup 10/19 between NIU and Toledo are. I'd still say highly unlikely.

Would be cool. But I agree, it's unlikely. NIU will stumble vs Kent State or something.

BillyTheCat
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/9/2024 10:45:05 PM

M.D.W.S.T wrote:

Victory wrote:

At any rate, I was thinking about what they odds of an unbeaten matchup 10/19 between NIU and Toledo are. I'd still say highly unlikely.

Would be cool. But I agree, it's unlikely. NIU will stumble vs Kent State or something.

Only folks stumbling at Kent is Kent

Last Edited: 9/9/2024 10:45:28 PM by BillyTheCat

Maddog13
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/10/2024 6:58:06 AM

My take on the MAC is that it has always been a War of Attrition as evidenced by the role that injuries play in what ends up being some heavily diminished teams by the end of the season. Most MAC teams simply don't have the Depth to not be impacted seriously by injuries, and then we do silly things like play Power 5 teams and expect to walk away from those events unscathed. I think the real MVP for each program will be the effectiveness of their training staffs. I don't like the fact that our Bobcats are going into the Morgan State game so banged up and then have to face Kentucky the week after. Anyone with some elgibility remaining better get ready to suit up and help the 'Cats moving forward.

M.D.W.S.T
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/10/2024 9:16:29 AM

Maddog13 wrote:

I don't like the fact that our Bobcats are going into the Morgan State game so banged up and then have to face Kentucky the week after. Anyone with some elgibility remaining better get ready to suit up and help the 'Cats moving forward.

If you're looking for some positives...

Kentucky is currently LAST in the SEC in total passing yards (210 yuck), offensive yards pg (250), and points pg (18).
2nd to last is South Carolina who just beat them 31-6.

And this is their schedule:

#1 UGA
OHIO
@ #5 Ole Miss

I don't necessarily believe in trap games, maybe excat can elaborate more if teams truly look ahead too far, but the pickens are RIPE for a home SEC win.

On the flip side, they're only giving up 40 yards rushing a game, so we're gonna have to throw it.

*edit*
And their QB is former all-word recruit Brock Vandagriff

Last Edited: 9/10/2024 9:19:01 AM by M.D.W.S.T

OhioCatFan
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/10/2024 11:19:37 AM

Maddog13 made an oft repeated assertion that MAC teams have more injuries and get more "beat up" playing big-name programs than playing other G5 teams. Is there actually any evidence of that? In my memory, strictly anecdotal, that's not what seems to happen. Yes, you can cite some individual games against these big-name programs when we had a bad injury or multiple serious injuries, but it seems to me over the years that we've had more injuries and more serious injuries in MAC play than in early season games against B10, B!2, SEC, whatever teams. In fact, I can remember a few instances where the big-name team had more injuries playing us than the other way around. Unless L.C. or another BA statistician can come up with real data on this, I'm calling this a BA legend.

Deciduous Forest Cat
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/10/2024 12:41:05 PM

OhioCatFan wrote:

+1

I've always questioned this "conventional wisdom". Never seen any evidence.

Maddog13
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/10/2024 1:00:53 PM

How do you fine gentlemen account for all the injuries after the Syracuse game?

Maddog13
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/10/2024 1:37:54 PM

According to the National Trainer�s Association, �Football had the highest game injury rate of all sports (36 injuries per 1,000 athlete-exposures) due to the collision aspects of the game. Due to the large numbers of participants, football had the largest absolute number of knee ligament and ankle sprain injuries.� According to Dr. Benjamin Domb, �In general, the offensive lineman positions are found to sustain the highest number of injuries while the individual position with the highest rate of injury is the running back. Other dangerous positions include the linebacker and wide receiver positions.� Interesting article too about the break down of injuries https://www.sportsinfosolutions.com/2022/04/27/study-coll... /, which covers the 2021 season.

I have to admit that I can�t find any specific studies YET on the claim that smaller colleges playing Power 5 (or what people are now calling Power 4 teams) specifically exist. I suspect that is partly because who wants to fund a study such as that since the Big Time schools get to pad their schedules with wins and the smaller schools get to pad their bank accounts, while giving their players the Big Time experience that many of them have dreamed about. I think it is naive to think that there is not a greater injury risk against bigger and stronger players, especially when there is more than one of them. This is why Boxing and College Wrestling have weight divisions.

However, perhaps, you guys are right, and I look forward to the Ohio Bobcats not only running the table and making the College Playoffs, but beating the daylights out of the likes of Alabama, USC, and Ohio State en route to a National Championship. Go Bobcats!!!

Deciduous Forest Cat
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/10/2024 1:45:51 PM

Maddog13 wrote:

How do you fine gentlemen account for all the injuries after the Syracuse game?

probably because football

Maddog13
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/10/2024 2:00:10 PM

I was thinking too that it might be worthwhile to do a study about the mental brain capacity of Mid-Major Fans vs Power 4 conference fans to see if a general lack of reasoning might be contributing to the one-sided results of games involving Mid-Majors and Power 4 conferences, though hats off to Ball State for doing the thought to be impossible and beating Notre Dame this past weekend.

L.C.
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RE: MAC Power Rankings: Week 1

Posted: 9/10/2024 2:41:10 PM

OhioCatFan wrote:

... Unless L.C. or another BA statistician can come up with real data on this, I'm calling this a BA legend.

Sorry, I can't help. I do have data on years that were worse (2008 and 2012), as well as years that were better (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2019), but that doesn't help with this question.

From my anecdotal memory, injuries are more apt to occur in hard fought competitive games, as opposed to runaway games in either direction. Competitive games can be in conference as well as against P-5 teams, and in fact, a lot of P-5 games aren't all that competitive. Two examples of competitive games where I recall a lot of injuries, enough to change the course of the remainder of the season were:

2008: Ohio State. Ohio led early, and then lost T3 as well as some other players. Boo Jackson played well, and Ohio made it a battle to the end, but after all the lost players, what should have been a good season went south.

2005: After a promising start, Ohio was competing for the East championship. In a key game against Toledo, the game was close until Ohio lost 60% of it's starting offensive line, all for the rest of the season, in a period of about 5 minutes. Ohio ended up losing 31-21, and they were not competitive in the two remaining games.

Maddog13 wrote:

How do you fine gentlemen account for all the injuries after the Syracuse game?

It was a competitive game.

Last Edited: 9/10/2024 7:18:45 PM by L.C.

�We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.� ― Epictetus

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