MAC Sports Blog by VanDelay Sports

After a strong start on Thursday night and Friday which saw MAC teams go 5-1 in their first 6 games of the opening weekend of the 2008 college football season, Saturday was not so kind. Let’s start with the good news first as Bowling Green kicked off @ #25 Pittsburgh on ESPNU and handled the Pitt Panthers in a 27-17 upset that had ESPN and ABC personalities talking about the Falcons all day. But while good showings and close games were to come on Saturday, none of the other five games resulted in wins for MAC football programs. Akron fell @ #13 Wisconsin 38-17, Ohio led in the 4th quarter only to fall @ Wyoming 21-20, Northern Illinois lost @ Minnesota in the final minute of the game 31-27, and both Western Michigan and Kent State lost by 20+ points. For details check out the VanDelay Sports Week #1 MAC football recap.

So the MAC looks to Week #2 with 13 games and several big-name opponents including Miami @ Michigan, Ohio @ #2 Ohio State, Central Michigan @ #1 Georgia, Toledo @ Arizona, Akron @ Syracuse and more. Tune in this weekend for more MAC football and the Week #2 MAC football preview should be posted on VanDelaySports.com in the next few days.

Fans can find a great selection of MAC gear including Bowling Green clothing & merchandise online to show their colors wherever they go!

The 2008 college football season began on Thursday night with 5 games involving MAC football teams. Buffalo topped UTEP 42-17, defending MAC Champion Central Michigan knocked off Eastern Illinois 31-12, Eastern Michigan crushed Indiana State 52-0 and Ball State easily rolled to a 48-10 win over Northeastern 14 for the four wins for the MAC. Miami was the lone team to lose last night as they fell at home to SEC member Vanderbilt 34-13.

In Nick’s MAC football picks for Week #1 of the 2008 season, Nick picked Buffalo and Miami, both favorites in their home games, to cover the spread, thus a 1-1 record ATS. Since the three games against FCS teams have no lines, Nick went 4-1 overall and 1-1 ATS in the first five games of the weekend.

The halfway point of Week #1 of the 2008 MAC football season comes tonight after the Temple game is completed. Temple is looking strong @ Army right now leading 28-7 late in the 3rd Quarter. For reference, Nick picked Temple, a 7.5 point favorite to beat Army by 5.

With both the Lindy’s and Athlon Sports 2008 college football preview magazines now on newstands, we can now reveal how both publications see the MAC playing out in 2008.

Athlon Sports, the publication I tend to prefer from year to year, is the preview we will begin with. In their rankings of all 11 Division I Football Bowl Subdivision conferences for 2008 they have selected the MAC #9, leaving the WAC and the Sun Belt below. Yes, the same WAC that produced back-to-back BCS bowl teams in Hawaii and Boise State. They also rank CMU’s Butch Jones as the 10th best new coach for the 2007 season.

Here is the Athlon Sports expected finish or prediction for the MAC in 2008. Please note the number in paranthesis is the team’s national rank per Athlon.

MAC West Prediction 2008
1. Central Michigan (62)
2. Ball State (75)
3. Western Michigan (82)
4. Northern Illinois (97)
5. Toledo (103)
6. Eastern Michigan (112)

MAC East Prediction 2008
1. Miami (88)
2. Bowling Green (89)
3. Buffalo (92)
4. Kent State (94)
5. Temple (101)
6. Ohio (110)
7. Akron (113)