MAC Sports Blog by VanDelay Sports

After consecutive games where the offense looked like a 3-6 team rather than a 6-3 team’s offense, the Ohio Bobcats started strong Tuesday night @ Buffalo. The Bulls, a team that looks a lot like the 2008 Bobcats, were able to hold Ohio close and tie the game in the 4th quarter at 24-24, but a late FG and defensive INT sealed the road win for the Bobcats.

The win means Ohio is now 5-1 in MAC play, just 1/2 game behind East Division leader Temple (5-0).  The win also mean the Bobcats are very likely to be heading to a bowl game this postseason; their 2nd bowl appearance in 4 years after a 34-year drought that dated back to 1968. The loss for Buffalo guarantees that UB will not be playing a postseason game this season.

The Bobcats have a home game against Northern Illinois a week from Saturday followed by a home game against Temple to close the season on Black Friday. If they win out they head to the MAC Championship, however a loss to NIU means Ohio will need Temple to slip up as well before the two meet. Either way, Ohio controls their own destiny, something any team would ask for this time of year.

The current MAC bowl picture looks great for CMU, Temple and Ohio with Northern Illinois needing another win to better-position themselves. Bowling Green’s schedule may line up perfectly and Kent State controls their own destiny while WMU and Toledo need minor miracles to play in bowl games in 2009-2010. Akron, Buffalo, Miami, Ball State and EMU are all eliminated from bowl eligibility this season.

MAC football continues this week with Toledo @ Central Michigan on Wednesday night, Bowling Green @ Miami and Ball State @ Northern Illinois on Thursday night, Temple @ Akron on Friday night and WMU @ EMU on Saturday.

The University at Buffalo has won the MAC Football Championship, the first Championship of any kind for the school as they knocked off the previously-unbeaten and #12 Ball State Cardinals tonight 42-24 on ESPN2. Turner Gill was “speechless” in the postgame interview as he has put the Bulls on the college football map in just 3 years after taking over a team that had one win before he came to Buffalo. While the win will likley not impact Buffalo’s bowl game as the Bulls appear headed to the International Bowl in Toronto, but the Championship and 8th win of the 2008 season are well worth it to Buffalo.

With the loss, Ball State falls to 12-1 and will certainly be removed from any and all BCS consideration, despite having little chance anyway. Ball State will likely fall from the Top 20 and should play in either the Motor City Bowl or the GMAC Bowl after shunning Boise State & the Humanitarian Bowl earlier this week.

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Dan LeFevour is a beast. The CMU QB had 2 rushing TDs today as Central Michigan defeated Miami 35-10 in the MAC Championship Game. With 185 yards passing and 170 rushing, LeFevour accounted for over 350 yards and 3 TD on the day. The win means that CMU (8-5) will likely receive a bid to play in the Motor City Bowl and Miami (6-7) will likely not receive a bowl bid. Expect to see CMU in the Motor City Bowl, Bowling Green in the GMAC Bowl and Ball State in the International Bowl when the invites are announced later today and this coming week.

The Central Michigan Chippewas appear to be on their way to winning their second consecutive MAC Championship Game as CMU, led by the legs of Dan LeFevour and Ontario Sneed, now lead Miami 21-3. CMU got a rushing TD from Sneed to cap a 13-play, 80-yard drive that took nearly 5 minutes off the clock.

Keep checking the VanDelay Sports blog for more game updates throughout the Marathon MAC Championship Game.

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Miami kicker Nathan Parseghian, last week’s MAC Special Teams Player of the Week, missed a 33-yard FG after a nice drive by the RedHawk offense as Central Michigan’s defense holds Miami again and continues to lead 14-3 with under 3 minutes remaining in the 3rd Quarter.

Keep checking the VanDelay Sports blog for more game updates throughout the Marathon MAC Championship Game.

The 2007 Marathon MAC Football Championship Game has seen it’s second TD of the game as the Central Michigan Chippewas get a rushing TD from QB Dan LeFevour and now leads Miami 14-3. CMU goes 58 yards on the drive as the CMU QB now has 153 yards passing and a TD along with 83 yards rushing and a TD.

Keep checking the VanDelay Sports blog for more game updates throughout the MAC Championship Game.

Thanks to Miami’s solid defense, the RedHawks got the ball inside the CMU 40 yard line resulting in a Nathan Parseghian 38-yard FG to cut CMU’s lead to 7-3 with 6:23 remaining in the 3rd Quarter. While Miami’s offense has struggled throughout the game, their defense’s ability to provide the offense with great field position in the first half is the reason that Miami is now on the board. 

Keep checking the VanDelay Sports blog for more game updates throughout the MAC Football Championship Game.

The second half of the MAC Championship has kicked off and Miami’s offense looks a lot like they did in the first half. A 3rd down pass was dropped resulting in a Miami punt to CMU, but the Miami defense picked up a big sack and stopped CMU on a 3 and out as CMU punted the ball back to Miami. The RedHawks now start with the ball at the CMU 45 yard line looking to put their first points on the board.

Keep checking the VanDelay Sports blog for more game updates throughout the MAC Football Championship Game.

The 2007 MAC Championship Game has featured the MAC’s top passing offense and top passing defense, so we all knew something had to give. A solid first half is now in the books with defenses dominating the game thus far. The lone score of the first half was a Dan LeFevour TD pass as Central Michigan leads Miami 7-0. 

Keep checking the VanDelay Sports blog for more game updates throughout the Marathon MAC Football Championship Game.

With 10:32 remaining in the 1st half, Miami kicker Nathan Parseghian misses a FG wide-left meaning Miami can’t cash in on Bostic’s interception. CMU’s ensuing drive results in a punt, and with under 8 minutes left in the half the RedHawks have the ball at their own 18 yard line.

Keep checking the VanDelay Sports blog for more game updates throughout the MAC Football Championship.