2018 MAC Football Pick’em — Week 1
The one and only MAC Football Pick’em is back. Are you able to finish atop the standings this year?
Welcome, welcome, welcome! The 8th annual MAC Football Pick’em is back and as good as ever, with your reigning champ, me! It wasn’t an easy win by any means, as Free on Saturday counterpart Justin Coffin completely blanked down the stretch and missed a couple weeks to gift the win to yours truly, but this year looks to have more participation, and stiffer competition.
Coffin has agreed to buy this year’s champion a special prize (within reason, obviously) that is to be determined between y’all, so there is added incentive to being the best this year.
Scoring
You get one point for non-conference games, two points for MAC games, 10 for the MAC Championship game and five points for each bowl game.
At the beginning of each week, we’ll let you know what the games’ results were, how many points you have, where you stack up against the rest of the competition and then can go make your picks for the next week. Only your most-recent entry of the week will be used and you have only up until game time to get your picks in.
Every week when you come here and make your picks, there will also be a Game of the Week selection. The Pick ’Em community votes for which game is selected as the FoSat Game of the Week is the game where your points are doubled.
(Editor’s note: Here’s a grey area that I’d like to spell out in case it happens. Let’s say you get your picks in well before the Thursday and Friday games in, but something happens during the two days that would affect one of the Saturday games that you already submitted and are thinking ‘ah crap, I wish I woulda done the other thing now,’ here’s what we’ll do. Whatever picks for games that are completed or are in progress can’t be changed, but we’ll allow you to re-change your pick(s) if something like this were to happen. Just get your picks in before games kick off. Also, don’t make it a habit, please. -Alex A.)
Anyways, let’s get to it! If you need the link, just click here. The form is below my picks so you can try to get a leg up on the competition.
Central Connecticut @ Ball State — I’m going with the Cardinals to start off the year strong against a FCS foe. I’m more interested in seeing how decent a healthy Ball State team looks after being horribly banged up most of the season in 2017.
Syracuse @ Western Michigan — I want to pick the Broncos at home, but I can’t. Losing Darius Phillips and Sam Beal to the NFL is going to show immediately against the “air it out” offense of Dino Babers. WMU might keep it close, but there isn’t enough confidence in the defense to push the needle in away from the Orange.
Monmouth @ Eastern Michigan — Eagles fly at The Factory in the first game in the Post-Roback era.
Kent State @ Illinois — Who is gonna suck less? I’m gonna go with the team coached by Lovie Smith instead of brand new head coach Sean Lewis. The Flashes are in for a long rebuild, but they are taking the right steps towards eventually competing again.
Howard @ Ohio — Nathan Rourke sits out the 2nd half as the Bobcats roll. Easy money.
Marshall @ Miami — I’m going with the RedHawks to avenge last year’s debacle — remember, they gave up two kick return touchdowns — and win their home opener. I also think James Gardner has a monster game.
Northern Illinois @ Iowa — Very tough decision, but if there is a team that can out-defense the Hawkeyes, it’s NIU. Marcus Childers has to be more effective in his sophomore season, but I think he can do that while maintaining solid efficiency. Oh, and Rod Carey apparently OWNS Big Ten teams.
Central Michigan @ Kentucky — I’m not sure what to expect out of either team in this one, so home SEC team wins.
Delaware State @ Buffalo — As long as Tyree doesn’t get hurt, this an automatic win all around. If he goes down for a significant injury, it’s a loss. Either way, the Bulls should get the actual win easily.
VMI @ Toledo — lol. I just want Bryant Koback to come out and win the starting running back job for personal reasons.
Bowling Green @ Oregon — Quick, name 5 Bowling Green players right now. The roster turnover is astounding, and I don’t expect the Falcons to be competitive until November again.
Akron @ Nebraska — Remember when the Zips won the East last year? This is gonna be a let-down season because the division is stacked, and I’m not sure how Bowden is gonna move the ball this year.
Game of the Week: Syracuse @ WMU — Homer pick, maybe, but it should have a lot of points, and points are fun.
Good luck!
