2018 MAC Power Rankings Week Ten: Let the weeknight shuffling begin
Heading into the final month of the regular season, we have some movement in the upper half of our rankings
NOTE: These were compiled before the games on Tuesday, October 30th. FoSat apologizes for the delay. However, the blurbs include notes on Tuesday’s games since the four teams involved were all on bye last week.
Free on Saturday’s Week Ten Power Rankings
1. Buffalo Bulls
Last Week’s Rank: 1
Week Nine Result: Bye
The Bulls appear to be the class of the MAC, and showed that with a high-scoring win over a solid Miami team on Tuesday night after having the week off. With two games against the bottom of the East sandwiching the important Ohio game, Buffalo looks poised to waltz to Detroit.
2. Northern Illinois Huskies
Last Week’s Rank: T-2
Week Nine Result: Won @ BYU 7–6
NIU flexed on the conference, winning the last non-conference game of the year in a game where it had one scoring drive. This defense is otherworldly at times, but with Toledo, Miami, and WMU to end the year, it will be tested in an effort to close out its 7th MAC West Division title in the last 9 years.
3. Miami RedHawks
Last Week’s Rank: 5
Week Nine Result: Bye
The RedHawks came off the bye week and lost to Buffalo on Tuesday in a must-win game. Now two games back of the Bulls (and without the H2H tiebreaker), Miami needs some serious help from hated rival Ohio. That said, a big game against those Bobcats looms next week in the Battle of the Bricks. Also, Miami needs to win out to make a bowl game at this point, and a trip to Dekalb is still on the schedule.
T-4. Toledo Rockets
Last Week’s Rank: 7
Week Nine Result: Won @ Western Michigan 51–24
The Rockets went to Kalamazoo on the verge of falling out of the MAC West race and put a licking on a WMU team that had won six straight games. Still needing some help in the West, it’s not all that improbable now with both WMU and NIU facing Ohio and Miami, respectively, before facing each other to end the season. A lay-up against Ball State is the final preparation before a massive trip to Dekalb next week.
T-4. Ohio Bobcats
Last Week’s Rank: 6
Week Nine Result: Won vs Ball State 52–14
The Bobcats scored all 52 points in the 2nd and 3rd quarters to really bury Ball State into the MAC cellar. After the Buffalo-Miami result on Tuesday, Ohio needs to beat WMU this week or risk giving the East to Buffalo before the two teams meet in Athens in a couple weeks. These next three games will prove if Ohio is a contender or just a really good offense in the East.
6. Western Michigan Broncos
Last Week’s Rank: T-2
Week Nine Result: Lost vs Toledo 52–24
Man, that special teams unit is b-a-d. The Broncos averaged less than 30 yards/punt against the Rockets and didn’t have a punt go over 40 yards at all, and when you have a shaky defense, short fields are less than ideal. Oh, and losing Jon Wassink for the season isn’t great, but Kaleb Eleby looked like the future on Thursday. Next up is a huge game against Ohio that wouldn’t knock the Broncos out of the West race, but would result in a loss of their own destiny in the division.
7. Eastern Michigan Eagles
Last Week’s Rank: 4
Week Nine Result: Lost vs Army 37–22
Losing to Army isn’t terrible, especially since Army did its thing and held the ball for over 45 game minutes. That said, the lack of a run game is concerning. Still, with the West well out of their control and games against CMU and Kent State left, EMU should get to 6 wins and another bowl eligible season.
8. Akron Zips
Last Week’s Rank: T-8
Week Nine Result: Won vs Central Michigan 17–10
The Zips put the ball on the turf four times and still managed to beat Central Michigan. I’m not sure if its an indictment against the CMU offense or for the Zips’ defense, but let’s say it’s a mix of both. At 4–3, this team is in position to go bowling, but with NIU, EMU, and Ohio still left on the schedule, getting to six wins will be a challenge.
9. Ball State
Last Week’s Rank: T-8
Week Nine Result: Lost @ Ohio 52–14
In what is becoming a recurring theme under Mike Neu, the Cardinals started out strong and have waned as the season progressed. The latest edition of this is a no-show in the second quarter where Ball State allowed 31 points(!) and lost Riley Neal for (presumably) the year. That said, that close win over CMU will result in a 5th place West finish instead of 6th. Progress!
10. Kent State Golden Flashes
Last Week’s Rank: T-10
Week Nine Result: Bye
Coming off a bye week, the Flashes went into Bowling Green and came out with Sean Lewis’ first MAC win and his first win over a FBS team. It wasn’t easy, but this team appears to be going in the right direction with Jo-El Shaw and Woody Barrett having solid games. Kent State is still another recruiting cycle or two away from contending, but the pieces are there to be in the mix next year.
11. Central Michigan Chippewas
Last Week’s Rank: T-10
Week Nine Result: Lost @Akron 17–10
CMU had a +3 turnover margin and lost. This offense is horrendously bad and had Maine not lost its starting quarterback, this team might’ve been headed towards an 0–12 season. A trip to rival Eastern is up next before the MAC Cellar Game of the Year against Bowling Green where someone has to win (we assume).
12. Bowling Green Falcons
Last Week’s Rank: 12
Week Nine Result: Bye
The Falcons tried hard, but couldn’t retain the Anniversary Award at home against Kent on Tuesday. With a few extra rest days before the trip to Mt. Pleasant for that Cellar Championship, look for the Falcons to salvage something from this season and actually beat an FBS team before heading into an off-season that will feature new leadership.
