MAC Football Week Two: Do We Know Anything Yet?
What Happened
The MAC went 8–4 this week. Northern Illinois, Ball State, Kent State, Akron, Toledo, Miami, and two-thirds of directional Michigan took care of business.
Western Michigan, Bowling Green, Ohio, and Buffalo came up short, and shockingly the Bulls were the only team to even threaten victory. Baby steps!
What We Think We Know
Bowling Green is still rebuilding
In the MAC East you can’t write anybody off, and that includes Bowling Green, even after a 35–19 loss to South Dakota. But after the dismal Saturday on the scoreboard, it’s safe to say we’re going to need at least another year before a more familiar Falcons program shows up.
Quarterback James Morgan has yet to put it all together this year, averaging under six yards per attempt and sporting a completion percentage slightly above 38. The defense has struggled as well, allowing nearly six yards per play through eight quarters of football. If the Falcons are going to be this year’s Miami, they’ll need to figure out how to limit turnovers and get more out of their young players.
WMU’s passing issues can’t be ignored
After racking up 263 yards of rushing offense two weeks ago in the Coliseum, the Broncos appeared ready to take college football by storm for a second straight year, this time without needing to throw the ball effectively.
As the Michigan State front seven proved Saturday, that was never going to work. All it takes to stop the Broncos is a good scouting report (and not kicking to Darius Phillips), and without a realistic passing threat this trend will continue. Jon Wassink’s opportunities were limited in week two after ending his opening drive with an interception, but the opportunities he did have were missed. The ball was overthrown or not in the right place, seemingly looking to avoid interceptions instead of make plays. With 76 yards on 11 of 26 passing, Wassink’s day just wasn’t good enough.
The defenses will likely get worse from here on out, so there should be an uptick in passing production by default, but by default will not be enough to win the MAC for a second straight year.
Tyree Jackson is fun
It won’t matter one bit this year if Buffalo isn’t good, because Tyree Jackson’s growing pains are fun to watch. The Bulls’ future lies with their young quarterback’s development, and it seems to be coming along nicely. Jackson accounted for 268 yards of total offense on Saturday and two touchdowns, instant offense for a team that sorely needs it.
As he gets better, and he most assuredly will, the Bulls will be successful, and it shouldn’t shock anyone in November when Lance Leipold’s squad trips up a contender out of nowhere.
So is Warren Ball
Akron’s Warren Ball had himself a day for the Zips’ home opener. It’s important to consider the competition, but Ball wasted no time exciting the home crowd, looking unstoppable in the Zips’ opening drive on route to a rushing touchdown. He added two more on the day, giving him 146 yards and three touchdowns on just 20 carries.
The Akron offense certainly looks backs to normal after a drubbing at the hands of Penn State in Happy Valley. Ball is a big reason for that. The Zips will be tough to shut out again with the rushing attack on the mend.
What we’re looking for in week three
Is Central Michigan doing the thing again?
The thing, is the thing where CMU starts off a non-conference season with a few wins, one of which looks extremely impressive, then falls off the face of the earth for a month and a half, somehow ending up bowl eligible at season’s end.
Syracuse is the Chips’ opponent this week, and they’ve just lost to G5 foe Middle Tennessee. CMU could absolutely start 3–0 with a win over Dino Babers’ squad, and people will quickly forget the disaster of a home opener against Rhode Island. Shane Morris appears to be on solid footing, completing over 75 percent of his passes for five touchdowns, but it’s not wise to anticipate an entire season of production based on a game against Kansas.
More Darius Phillips and Malik Dunner
We won’t learn anything about these two in week three that we don’t already know, but that doesn’t mean we can’t look for them to put on a show. Phillips and Dunner both wear number four and both returned kicks for touchdowns in week two. Phillips’ was of the longer variety, a second 100 yard kick return touchdown on the season. Dunner’s was 93 yards at the end of the third quarter, sparking a Ball State rally that turned a one score game into a blowout.
On top of the kick return, Phillips added a pretty sweet forced-fumble recovery for a touchdown too:
Maybe he can play offense?
Is this the week Daniel Santacaterina breaks out?
Nebraska plays in the Big Ten, sure, but they are giving up a boatload of yards through the air. The Huskers in two games against Oregon and Arkansas State have allowed 245 yards per game to opposing passing attacks, and over 400 yards per game total. NIU’s week three opponent happens to be these Huskers, giving up nearly six yards per play, making it a perfect upset watch and breakout opportunity for quarterback Daniel Santacaterina.
Santacaterina had a pretty good day against FCS Eastern Illinois in week two, completing around 67 percent of his passes for three touchdowns and an interception. The Huskies should be able to find some success over the top against a Huskers defense still trying to find its footing. How much success they find depends on the Huskies’ backup quarterback turned starter.
