2018 MAC Pick’em — Week 8

It’s the last full week of Saturday games is upon us, and the leader is starting to pull away from the pack. Can anyone catch him before November?

The season really flies by, doesn’t it? We’ve already completed 7 regular season weeks, which means the season is already past half-done for many MAC teams. For others, it might just now be getting to the halfway point before a long wait before a bowl game in Idaho or Alabama. Either way, it is a sobering effect to know that football is rapidly nearing its end so soon.

In the Pick’em, we still have another 2 months or so, since bowl games run up to Christmas (barring another Quick Lane Bowl invite). That said, we have a picker that is starting to run away with the lead after bad weeks by three of the top contenders (one no-showed). Despite Blood Week 2018 hurting a few people, we had a six-way tie for first in the standings a week ago, so congrats to myself, Zia, Rachael, Robert Tomlinson, Frank A, and Matt Dizzle.

Full standings here. Cumulative totals here.

As you can see, the leader now has a pretty comfortable cushion to sit on while the rest of us seem to jostle in the middle. We must all be better.

On to Week 8! (RIP Saturday Games en masse)

Miami @ Army — I think Miami might be the most balanced MAC school right now, but Army just drains the life out of schools with ball control. I don’t think the RedHawks have enough offense to win this one when they might only have the ball 7 times.

Buffalo @ Toledo — Anthony Johnson returns in full and Buffalo looks like the best team in the conference in dropping Toledo to 1–2 in MAC play. This is a huge game for Toledo, because if this result happens, the Rockets are 2.5 games back in the MAC West with a short week before making the trek to Kalamazoo. Oof

Bowling Green @ Ohio — This is a game Ohio should win easily, especially since Mike Jinks was just fired on Sunday. That said, if the Falcons rally behind their former coach, they have the offense to keep up with the Bobcats and could pull the upset. That probably doesn’t happen, but it could!

Eastern Michigan @ Ball State — One of these teams is 2–1 in MAC play. The other is 1–3. I think those records are misleading, and the Eagles prove their power in a big way, knocking Ball State out of the MAC West race with a dominant win.

Western Michigan @ Central Michigan — #BeatCentral

Akron @ Kent State — Wagon Wheel Game! I like the Zips a little more than I like what Kent State is doing right now, but don’t be surprised if Woody Barrett puts together a complete game and springs the upset here.

Game of the Week — Western Michigan @ Central Michigan — There are two trophies on the line in Mt. Pleasant this weekend — The Victory Cannon, given to the annual winner between these two, and the Michigan MAC Trophy, given to the best MAC team in Michigan. EMU is already 0–1, and cannot win the trophy in any way (at best, they can force a retain by CMU), so it all comes down to what happens on Saturday. This is one of the more ferocious rivalries in the MAC, so it is easily my Game of the Week.