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Nick's 2007 MAC Football Picks - Week #11 Picks

> Nick's MAC Football Recap of Week #10 is now live!

Tuesday, November 6th (also included in Nick's Week #10 picks)

Central Michigan @ Western Michigan

Central Michigan (5-4, 3-0 MAC West, 4-0 MAC Overall) at Western Michigan (3-6, 2-2 MAC West, 2-3 MAC Overall) - 7 p.m.

SITE: Waldo Stadium (30,200/FieldTurf) - Kalamazoo, Mich.

TELEVISION: ESPN2

SERIES RECORD: WMU leads 43-33-2 ... the Chippewas won last year’s meeting 31-7 ... WMU took the 2005 contest 31-24 ... the teams have split the last four meetings.

COACHES: CMU-Butch Jones (5-4, first season); WMU-Bill Cubit (18-15, third season at school; 52-33-1, eighth season overall.).

CMU @ WMU - GAME NOTES:
The 79th meeting in this rivalry will have a direct bearing on the top spot in the West Division ... CMU is 11-1 in its last 12 regular season MAC games and is coming off a 41-32 win at Kent State (Oct. 20) ... the Broncos also last played Oct. 20, a 19-2 loss at Eastern Michigan, WMU’s second consecutive defeat ... each team has a former MAC Freshman of the Year in QBs Dan LeFevour (2006) at CMU and Tim Hiller (2005) at WMU ... LeFevour ranks second and Hiller

fifth respectively, in pass efficiency among MAC QBs ... the CMU offense has scored 40-plus points in four games this season and is averaging 32.2 ppg, however defensively the Chippewas are allowing 38.3 ppg overall and 27.8 ppg in MAC contests ... despite not producing any points from the offense last week, WMU is averaging 27.6 ppg in 2007 while the defense is allowing 32.3 ppg ... Bronco WR Jamarko Simmons leads the MAC in receptions (75) and receiving yards (865) ...CMU’s Antonio Brown is second in receptions (66) and Bryan Anderson seventh (56) ... both will be challenged by Bronco DB Londen Fryar, who has a league-leading, and second-leading nationally, 13 pass break ups.

Nick’s Pick: Central Michigan 34 – Western Michigan 30

Line: Central Michigan by 5.5

Comment: CMU/WMU is one of the very best rivalries in the MAC no matter what their records are entering the game. Western is looking to play the spoiler role in this contest and historically wins at home against their bitter rival. Central Michigan just seems to be hitting on all cylinders within MAC contests and for one of the very few times in this long-standing rivalry, should win a rare road game in Kalamazoo in a close contest.

Wednesday, November 7th

Ohio @ Akron

Ohio (5-5, 2-2 MAC East, 3-3 MAC Overall) at Akron (3-6, 1-3 MAC East, 2-3 MAC Overall) - 7:30 p.m.

SITE: Rubber Bowl (31,000/Astro Play) Akron, Ohio

TELEVISION: ESPN2 (Rece Davis, Lou Holtz, Mark May, Quint Kessenich)

SERIES RECORD: Tied 11-11-1 ... Ohio won last year 17-7 in Athens to break a three-game

losing streak to the Zips ... the Bobcats last win in Akron came in 1997 (21-17).

COACHES: OU-Frank Solich (18-17, third season at OU; 76-36, ninth season overall); UA-J.D.

Brookhart (21-24, fourth season).

Ohio @ Akron - GAME NOTES:
Ohio, after its 23-7 defeat of Temple, has won back-to-back games for the first time since starting the season 2-0 ... the Zips are on a season-long three-game losing streak following a 44-20 setback at Bowling Green ... Carlton Jackson stepped in for a suspended Chris Jaquemain at BG and rushed for 133 yards on 24 carries while completing 14-of-31 pass attempts for 192 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions ... Jaquemain has completed 105-of-181 attempts (58.0 pct.) for 1,100 yards, 8 TDs and 6 interceptions in 2007 ... Zips LB Brion Stokes had two tackles for a loss at BG, giving him 41 for his career and tying him with Jason Taylor for the school record ... Ohio’s offense features the league’s leader in rushing TDs with Kalvin McRae and his 17 scores via the ground ... McRae also is averaging 121.3 ypg and his 108 points is the most in the MAC ... McRae is chasing the OU school record of 114 points in a season set in 1968 by Bob Houmard ... defensively, the Bobcats have 24 sacks, the second most in the MAC ... PK Michael Braunstein set a school record with his 16 field goals this season and he tied a standard with five FG attempted in a game vs. Temple.

Nick’s Pick: Ohio 28 – Akron 13

Line: Ohio by 3

Comment: Ohio is turning it up a notch here in November while Akron has been ice cold for nearly a month.

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Bowling Green @ Eastern Michigan

Bowling Green (5-4, 3-2 MAC East, 3-2 MAC Overall) at Eastern Michigan (3-7, 2-2 MAC West, 2-3 MAC Overall) - 7:30 p.m.

SITE: Rynearson Stadium (30,200/Field Turf) - Ypsilanti, Mich.

TELEVISION: ESPNU

SERIES RECORD: BGSU leads 21-10-1 ... the Falcons have won the last eight meetings ... BG took last year’s game 24-21 ... EMU’s most recent win came in 1989 (21-13)

COACHES: BGSU-Gregg Brandon (35-23, fifth season); EMU-Jeff Genyk (12-32, fourth season).

BGSU @ EMU - GAME NOTES:
In BG’s 44-20 win over Akron, the Falcons scored 40-plus points for the third time this season, all at home ... as well, BG’s 517 yards of total offense and 216 rush yards were both season-highs ... Anthony Turner displayed his talents as a RB (104 yards, TD, 12 carries), QB (33-yard TD pass) and WR (3 rec., 16 yards) and recovered an onside kick as well ... P.J. Mahone’s two-interception game was his second of the season as he also had a pair of picks vs. Western Kentucky ... Mahone’s 182 returns yards on interceptions leads the MAC ... the Eagles will be playing their final home game of 2007 and are 2-3 at home thus far ... EMU dropped a 52-28 decision at Toledo last week and allowed the most points of any opponent this season ...EMU does lead the MAC in net punting (39.8) with Zach Johnson averaging 42.4 ypk ... in the first eight games, EMU’s Pierre Walker rushed for 291 yards and three TDs; in the last two games, he has gained 244 yards and scored three TDs ... the Eagles will have to stop the league’s top passing offense as BG is putting up 300 ypg through the air.

Nick’s Pick: BGSU 34 – Eastern Michigan 17

Line: BG by 5

Comment: The Falcons are playing for a possible bowl bid and need to win out while the Eagles’ season was determined last week with their loss at Toledo.

Penn State @ Temple

Penn State (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten) at Temple (3-6, 2-3 MAC East, 3-3 MAC Overall) - Noon

Temple Owls logo SITE: Lincoln Financial Field (68,532/Natural Grass)

TELEVISION: ESPNU (Clay Matvick, Larry Coker)

SERIES RECORD: Penn State leads 32-3-1 ... the Nittany Lions won last year’s game 47-0...Temple’s last win came Oct. 18, 1941 in a 14-0 contest.

COACHES: PSU-Joe Paterno (370-124-3, 42nd season); TU-Al Golden (4-17, second season).

Penn State @ Temple - GAME NOTES:
Temple head coach Al Golden played at Penn State for Joe Paterno from 1987-91 ... Golden also coached LBs at PSU during the 2000 season ... the Owls had their three-game win streak broken last week in a 23-7 loss at Ohio ... the Nittany Lions beat Purdue 26-19 last week for their fourth win in the last five games, the only a loss was to #1 Ohio State ... this game could establish a MAC record for attendance as the mark of 61,500 was set earlier this year with the Iowa at Northern Illinois game staged at Soldier Field ... the Owls' league-leading defense (370.9 ypg allowed) will have to contend with QB Anthony Morelli, who is the first in school history to have 2,000 yards passing in multiple seasons ... Temple’s offense will be challenged by LB Dan Connor, who is Penn State’s all-time leader in tackles ... since the loss of starting QB Adam DiMichele in the Oct. 20 game vs. Miami, the Owls have turned to Vaughn Charlton (28-of-42, 287 yards, 2 TDs, 1 int.) Temple’s 47 combined freshmen and sophomores account for 63.5 percent of the team, the second highest total in the nation ... LB Alex Joseph has set career highs the last two games ... against Miami he was credited with 12 tackles, then bettered that last week with 18 stops at Ohio ... among league leaders, Junior Galette is tied for third in sacks with 5.5 and Terrance Knighton tied for second in forced fumbles with three.

Nick’s Pick: Penn State 31 – Temple 14

Line: Penn State by 25

Comment: The Owls have the ability to make some plays with some young and talented players, but PSU is far stronger and deeper, and while playing uninspired football, Penn State will win by double digits.

Kent State @ Northern Illinois

Kent State (3-6, 1-3 MAC East, 1-4 MAC Overall) at Northern Illinois (1-8, 0-4 MAC West, 0-5 MAC Overall)

SITE: Huskie Stadium (24,000/ Field Turf) - DeKalb, Ill.

TELEVISION: CSN Chicago

SERIES RECORD: NIU leads 13-7 ... the Huskies have won the last two meetings, the most recent a 34-3 triumph in 2005 at Kent ... the Golden Flashes last won in 2001 at Kent 44-34 ... NIU has won eight straight meetings in DeKalb.

COACHES: KSU-Doug Martin (15-28, fourth season); NIU-Joe Novak (62-74, 13th season).

Kent @ NIU - GAME NOTES:
Both teams were idle last week and come in with losing streaks ... the Huskies have dropped five in a row and the Golden Flashes four straight ... NIU last won Sept. 22 at Idaho 42-35 ... KSU’s most recent triumph was a Sept. 29, 33-25 victory at Ohio ... KSU freshman QB Giorgio Martin made his first career start Oct. 27 vs. Central Michigan and completed 18-of-28 attempts for 247 yards, 3 TDs and no interceptions in guiding the team to their third highest point total (32) this season ... TB Eugene Jarvis leads the MAC in rushing (139.9 ypg) and his counterpart at NIU, Justin Anderson, is fourth in the league rushing department with 110.9 ypg ... Jarvis is 66 yards shy of the school single season rushing record of 1,325 yards set by Eric Wilkerson in 1988 ... Jarvis can also tie the school record of eight 100-yard rushing games in a season held by Don Fitzgerald (1966) and Wilkerson (1988) ... DB Jack Williams had a career-best 19 tackles last time out vs. CMU ... NIU’s Larry English has a MAC best 9 sacks for minus 65 yards ... NIU has been stymied by turnovers, standing at -13 ... the Huskies are the least penalized MAC team, flagged 48 times in nine games for an average of 47.9 ypg ... among the league’s top 10 receivers, Huskie Matt Simon averages a high of 19.1 yards per reception (36 rec., 687 yards.).

Nick’s Pick: NIU 23 – Kent State 18

Line: Kent State by 4

Comment: In what may be one of the final home games coached by Joe Novak, the Huskies will show some pride and heart and pull out a close contest against a talented but hard-luck Golden Flash football team.

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