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Nick's 2007 MAC Football Picks - Week #7 Recap

Midway through October, who would have guessed that Miami and Buffalo would be sitting atop of the East Division at 3-0 and 3-1 respectively while Toledo and NIU would be a combined 0-7 in MAC divisional games on the West side of the divisional alignment? It certainly has been a topsy-turvy season. BGSU looked like a juggernaut at the beginning of the season but was humbled in Oxford this weekend while Temple has quietly gone 2-2 in MAC play. Ball State and Western were the most popular teams by almost every preseason publication in the West yet it is Central Michigan is the only team in the West that controls their own destiny. I’m sure that before this season is all over there will be even more upsets and surprises and one thing has become blatantly apparent, there is no dominating team in this league at all this year; and that’s not necessarily a good thing. Sometimes it’s nice to have a Boise State that can bring national attention to entire non-BCS conference during a season. That is clearly not the case for the MAC in 2007.



Actual Score: Ohio 48 – EMU 42

Nick’s Pick: Eastern Michigan 17 – Ohio 16

Line: Ohio by 5

Notes:

  • K Michael Braunstein remained perfect on the season by converting field goals of 40 and 38 yards and knocking home all six of his PAT attempts; with 11 consecutive made field goals this season, Braunstein also set an Ohio record.
  • Bobcat QB Brad Bower completed 18 of 29 passes for 232 yards and a career-high three touchdowns.
  • EMU QB Andy Schmitt led a valiant comeback effort, matching a personal career high by throwing for four touchdowns while passing for 210 yards and rushing for another 55 yards.
  • Eagle DB Derrick Hunter returned a fumble 80 yards for a touchdown and recorded seven tackles.

 

 

Actual Score: Ohio State 48 – Kent State 3

Nick’s Pick: Ohio State 28 – Kent State 13

Line: Ohio State by 31

Notes:

  • For the first time this season, Kent State rushed for fewer than 200 yards as a team; RB Eugene Jarvis rushed for 84 yards on 16 carries.
  • Kent State had two turnovers to Ohio State's zero. The Flashes now are at 19 turnovers for the season and are on pace for 33 giveaways in 12 games.

> Look to VanDelay Sports for Kent State merchandise online and Big Ten Fans carries Ohio State apparel & clothing.

 

 

Actual Score: Buffalo 43 – Toledo 33

Nick’s Pick: Buffalo 30 – Toledo 17

Line: Buffalo by 3

Notes:

  • Buffalo won back-to-back games for the first time since 2001 as James Starks scored three touchdowns and carried 35 times for a career-high 244 yards, the third highest rushing total in school history; Buffalo rushed for 263 yards as a team.
  • The 28 points scored by Buffalo in the first quarter are the program's highest total in a quarter since joining Division I-A (FBS) in 1999.
  • Toledo's offense rolled up a season-high 518 yards in 101 plays; tailback Jalen Parmele had a big game with 171 yards, 2 short of his career high, and scored a touchdown WR Stephen Williams scorched the Bulls for 15 receptions and 172 yards, both career highs.
  • Rocket true freshman QB D.J. Lenehan threw for a career-high 307 yards on 32-of-50 passing in his second career start.


Actual Score: Ball State 35 – WKU 12

Nick’s Pick: Ball State 51 – Western Kentucky 33

Line: NL

Notes:

  • Cardinal QB Nate Davis fired three touchdown passes; he tied a Ball State's single-season school record with 18 touchdown passes and broke the school record with his seventh career game of more than 250 yards passing; he finished with 288 passing yards.
  • WR Dante Love caught six passes for 91 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown. Love has seven TD receptions this year, three shy of the school record.

> Look to VanDelay Sports for Ball State merchandise online and College Sports Fans carries WKU apparel & clothing.

 

 

Actual Score: Western Michigan 17 – NIU 13

Nick’s Pick: Western Michigan 33 – NIU 24

Line: Western by 3.5

Notes:

  • Bronco QB Tim Hiller completed 20 of 29 passes for 226 yards; LB Dustin Duclo led Western Michigan with 10 tackles; he recovered a fumble in the third quarter and forced and recovered another fumble in the final seconds of the game.
  • Western Michigan set the tone for the second half by limiting Northern Illinois to just 12 yards of offense in the third quarter; for the game the Broncos defense held the Huskies to 1-of-13 on third-down conversions.
  • NIU DE Larry English recorded 1.5 sacks to raise his career total to 21.5 sacks in less than three years. English has at least one tackle for a loss in each of NIU's last six games.
  • Following NIU’s loss to Western Michigan, the Huskies no longer have a chance to extend their streak to eight consecutive winning seasons; The Huskies were one of only 18 Football Bowl Subdivision schools in the country with seven straight winning seasons.

 

 

Actual Score: Miami 47 – BGSU 14

Nick’s Pick: Miami 27 – BGSU 24

Line: Miami by 2

Notes:

  • Miami’s Austin Sykes ran through huge holes for a career-high 124 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore quarterback Daniel Raudabaugh threw for 237 yards and a score without an interception.
  • RedHawk WR Eugene Harris scored his first two touchdowns, the second on a 73-yard pass and is the Miami's longest play this season.
  • BGSU QB Tyler Sheehan never found adequate time to throw, as Miami had six sacks. Sheehan completed 16 of 27 passes for 140 yards.
  • Falcon LB John Haneline registered 18 tackles to raise his season total to 68 tackles in six games.

 

 

Actual Score: Central Michigan 47 – Army 23

Nick’s Pick: Central Michigan 37 – Army 21

Line: Central by 11

Notes:

  • The Chippewas turned four of the Army turnovers into points; LB Red Keith recorded a game-high 15 tackles and has reached double figures in tackles in all but one game this season.
  • Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour had another outstanding game, rushing for four touchdowns and passing for two more.

 

 

Actual Score: Temple 24 – Akron 20

Nick’s Pick: Akron 23 – Temple 17

Line: Akron by 10

Notes:

  • Temple’s QB Adam DiMichele led the fourth-quarter comeback; in his last two games he is 41-for-74 for 474 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions and has also netted 117 yards on the ground; WR Dy'Onne Crudup had eight catches for 74 yards and a touchdown, while fellow WR Bruce Francis grabbed seven for 94 and a score.
  • The Owls are 2-2 in the league; the Owls have won two in a row for the first time since Oct. 12 and 19, 2002; they haven't won three in a row in the same season since the final three games of the 1990.
  • Akron’s Bryan Williams topped 100 rushing yards in a game for the first time, carrying 22 times for 114.
  • After rolling up 501 yards at Western Michigan, the Zips offense produced just 297 total yards against Temple.

> Browse our online selection of MAC football merchandise & apparel!

 

 

Ranking the MAC Teams after Week #7

1. Miami – Big win or Bowling Green, Shane Montgomery is on the short list for MAC coach of the year honors

2. Central Michigan – Moving up the ranks in the West, drilled Army as expected

3. Ball State – Has the talent to really do some damage against upcoming Big Ten foes Illinois and Indiana; but this team is not focused week in and week out

4. Buffalo – This is not a type-o; the Bulls are a pretty solid team that finally believes in themselves!

5. BGSU – Did Boston College showcase the BG weaknesses on offense for Miami and others to exploit?

6. Temple – Continuing to become a solid MAC team week after week

7. Akron – Offense woes and conservative offensive play calling in the second half caused the 4th quarter meltdown

8. Western Michigan – When is this team going to look and play like the MAC favorite?

9. Kent State – Far too talented of a team to be 3-4 at this point

10. Ohio – Held on for a much needed home win over EMU

11. Eastern Michigan – What happened to the stout Eagle defense in Athens?

12. NIU – Far too many close losses this year

13. Toledo – The offense is fine, defense and special teams really stink though

 

 

by Nick Gerogosian

published 10.15.2007

Nick's 2007 MAC Football Picks & Recaps

 

 

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