VanDelaySports.com > MAC Football > Nick's 2008 MAC Football Picks > Week #1 Picks

Nick's 2008 MAC Football Picks - Week #1 Preview & Picks

General MAC Notes:

• Akron returns the league’s top kick returners and 8 line starters (4 off.; 4 def)
• Bowling Green won last season’s opener Big Ten opponent Minnesota
• Buffalo has their second straight season with a home game vs. a Texas based foe (Baylor in ‘07)
• Kent State is “hosting” Boston College in second annual Patriot Bowl game at Browns Stadium
• Miami has wins vs. six different SEC teams in their history ( Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, USC, Vanderbilt)
• Ohio has their first-ever game at Wyoming; the Bobcats started the last two seasons 2-0
• Temple return 21 starters; the Owls are after their first season-opening win since 2002
• Ball State is 2-3 in season openers under Brady Hoke
• Central Michigan is shooting for it’s third straight MAC title; both CMU and EIU had 8 wins in 2007
• Eastern Michigan begins their 40th season at Rynearson Stadium; Genyk 2-2 in home openers
• NIU Coach Jerry Kill’s first game as Huskie mentor; Kill was 50-14 in the last 5 years at SIU
• Toledo is idle Saturday; opens at Arizona Sept. 6; coming off of back-to-back 5-7 seasons
• Western Michigan goes up against the Bo Pellini era at Nebraska; WMU won at Iowa last year
• The MAC will kickoff its 62nd season of football with five games Thursday, a single game Friday, and six games on Saturday. All MAC teams except Toledo will open this weekend. The Rockets are idle until their Sept. 6 contest at Arizona.

• All 13 MAC teams will bring back their starting quarterback from 2007. Buffalo’s Drew Willy is the league’s lone fourth-year starter at QB and is one of seven QBs in the nation at the FBS (I-A) level as a four-year starter.
• Two MAC teams will face ranked opponents on the opening weekend. Akron is at Wisconsin (12 AP/13 USA TODAY) and Bowling Green is at Pittsburgh (25/nr). MAC schools will host opponents from the SEC (Vanderbilt at Miami); ACC ( Boston College vs. Kent State at Cleveland Browns Stadium) and C-USA (UTEP at Buffalo) this weekend.
• The Patriot Bowl Game at Browns Stadium - Is between Kent State and Boston College and will be the fifth game played in Cleveland involving a MAC team. Previous games were Bowling Green vs. Wisconsin (2005) and Akron vs. Army (2007) at Browns Stadium; and Western Michigan vs. Toledo and Bowling Green vs. Kent State in a 1975 doubleheader at old Municipal Stadium. In 2009 Toledo will host Ohio State at Browns Stadium.
  

MORE MAC QUICK HITS

• The Mid-American Conference celebrates its 62nd year of gridiron competition and will hold its 12th championship game in 2008. This year’s Marathon MAC Championship football game will be played Friday, Dec. 5, at Ford Field in Detroit. This year’s title game will be the fifth played at Ford Field.
• EIGHT FOR ALL: Unlike 2007 when MAC teams played an unbalanced schedule, each MAC school will play eight conference games in 2008. Due to seven teams compiling the East Division and six teams in the West Division, two East Division match ups will not occur [ Akron vs. Miami; and Bowling Green vs. Temple].

• SUPER SOPHS RETURN: The three MAC teams that went to a bowl game last year all were led by sophomore quarterbacks and each signal caller returns for 2008. Two-time defending league champion Central Michigan (Motor City Bowl) has Dan LeFevour returning to add to his career numbers of 6,683 passing yards and 53 touchdown passes. Bowling Green (GMAC Bowl) welcomes Tyler Sheehan after his first year as a starter that produced 3,123 passing yards and 23 scoring strikes. Ball State (International Bowl) will send out third-year starter Nate Davis and his numbers of 5,642 passing yards and 48 touchdown passes.
• THE BEST ARE BACK: Northern Illinois defensive end Larry English, voted by MAC head coaches as winner of the Vern Smith Leadership Award as a junior last year, returns to anchor the Huskie defense. English became just the second defensive player in 26 years to win the award, joining Central Michigan linebacker Ray Bentley (1982) in that category. English is also the first non-senior since Byron Leftwich in 2001 and 2002 to win the award and to return for the next season. Coupled with Huskie running back Garrett Wolfe capturing the honor in 2006, NIU is the only school in MAC history to have different players win the award in back-to-back years. English led the MAC with 10.5 sacks last season. In addition, MAC Defensive Player of the Year, linebacker Clayton Mullins of Miami, returns to the RedHawk defense. Mullins topped the league in tackles with 11 tackles per game while leading the RedHawks to the Marathon MAC Championship game. He also had 13 tackles for a loss. On the other side of the ball, Offensive Player of the Year in Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour is back for his junior season. LeFevour completed 355-of-543 pass attempts last year for 27 touchdowns and 3,652 yards. He led the Chippewas to their second consecutive MAC title and berth in the Motor City Bowl. CMU also was the recipient of the Freshman of the Year talent in 2007 with Antonio Brown capturing that honor. Brown accounted for 2,267 yards of total offense and eight touchdowns (6 receiving, 1 receiving and 1 via kickoff return). His total offense yards established a league record for freshmen. Brown gained 1,003 yards on 102 receptions, 1,048 yards on 40 kickoff returns and 142 yards on 13 punt returns.

This is the 10th year for Nick’s Picks and this publication carries a historic 78% accuracy mark lifetime in predicting the winners of MAC contests and 57% ATS. As we state every year, this information is for fun and to provide entertainment to MAC and college football fans everywhere and is not at all to be used to “contact your friends in low-places.”

Thank you,
Nick Gerogosian

MAC Matchups - Games for Thursday, August 28 (all records listed are from 2007)

UTEP (4-8, 2-6 C-USA) @ Buffalo (5-7, 5-3 MAC) - 7:00

SITE: UB Stadium (29,013/Sportexe Momentum) Buffalo, N.Y.
TELEVISION: Time Warner Cable Sports Network (Howard Simon and Brian Koziol)
SERIES RECORD: First meeting.
COACHES: UTEP-Mike Price (25-23, fifth season at UTEP; 154-145, 27th season overall); UB Turner Gill (7-17, third season).
GAME NOTES:

• For the second straight year the Bulls home opener will be against a team from the
  state of Texas (lost to Baylor 34-21 in 2007)
• Drew Willy begins his fourth campaign as a starter after completing 68.4 percent of his pass attempts last year ... also back for the Bulls is leading rusher James Starks (1,103 yds., 12 TDs)
• The Bulls last non-conference win was a 9-3 triumph over Temple (prior to TU’s MAC competition) in 2006 ... UTEP returns QB Trevor Vittatoe (3,101 yds., 25 TDs)
• Former EMU head coach (2000-03) Jeff Woodruff is the Miners’ LB coach - 18 starters return for UB and 15 for UTEP

Nick’s Pick: Buffalo 28 – UTEP 21

Line: UB by 3

Comment: This is a nice home game for UB and one they can win. In fact, the players and the coaching staff fully expect to win over a Miner team that is rebuilding. Look for the Bulls to pull out a close and entertaining game.

Northeastern (3-8, 2-6 CAA) @ Ball State (7-6, 5-2 MAC) - 7:00

SITE: Scheumann Stadium (22,500/FieldTurf) Muncie, Ind.
TELEVISION: None
SERIES RECORD: First meeting.
COACHES: Northeastern-Rocky Hager (15-29, fifth season at school; 106-54-1, 15th season overall: BSU-Brady Hoke (22-37, sixth season).

> Buy Ball State apparel & merchandise online through VanDelay Sports!

GAME NOTES:

• Both teams feature veteran QBs in this season opener - BSU’s Nate Davis has led the MAC in passing efficiency in each of the last two seasons, compiling 5,642 yards and 48 TD passes while Huskies senior Anthony Orio passed for 1,558 yards and 8 TDs last year while completing 60.7 percent of his pass attempts
• The Cardinals winning (7-6) campaign in 2007 was its first above .500 since winning the MAC in 1996 (8-4)
• BSU’s last non-conference season-opening home win was in 2003 vs. Indiana State (31-7) in Brady Hoke’s first game as a head coach.

Nick’s Pick: Ball State 44 – Northeastern 17

Line: N/A

Comment: Ball State has not gotten off to fast starts under the Hoke regime but this year’s schedule is made for success right off of the bat. Northeastern is a decent club but the Cardinals have the offense to really light up the scoreboard in this contest and should roll to a rather easy victory.

Indiana State (0-11, 0-6 Missouri Valley) @ Eastern Michigan (4-8, 3-4 MAC) - 7:00

SITE: Rynearson Stadium (30,200/FieldTurf) Ypsilanti, Mich.
TELEVISION: None
SERIES RECORD: EMU leads 9-3 ... the most recent meeting was in 2001, a 21-14 Sycamore
victory ... EMU last won vs. ISU in 1978 with a 27-8 triumph ... the series began in 1934 with a
34-14 Eagles win.
COACHES: ISU-Trent Miles (0-0, first season); EMU-Jeff Genyk (13-33, sixth season).
GAME NOTES:

• Trent Miles with 20 years of collegiate coaching experience (most recently Washington) makes his head coaching debut
• This marks the 40th season for EMU at Rynearson Stadium with the Eagles featuring a balanced returning team with 7 offensive and 8 defensive starters back
• QB Andy Schmitt started 10 of 11 games in which he played last year and completed 164-255 passes for 1,613 yards with 14 touchdowns against just six interceptions
• The Eagles’ DL will have to replace NFL draftee Jason Jones (19.5 tfl) but three-year starter LB Daniel Holtzclaw leads the D; neither team returns its starting tailback from 2007.

Nick’s Pick: Eastern Michigan 41 – Indiana State 17

Line: N/A

Comment: EMU is another team that has a schedule made for a fast start and it all begins at home against what was a putrid ISU club. Over the past two seasons, former Toledo DC Lou West was the head coach for the Sycamores and ISU was lousy giving up nearly 50 points per game. While new coach Trent Miles is an immediate goliath step forward for the program, the Eagles should be in a position to win by double-digits. If they don’t, it will be a very long season once again in ‘Ypsi.

Eastern Illinois (8-4, 7-1 OVC) @ Central Michigan (8-6, 6-1 MAC) - 7:00

SITE: Kelly/Shorts Stadium (30,255/FieldTurf) Mount Pleasant, Mich.
TELEVISION: None
SERIES RECORD: CMU leads 21-2 ... the last meeting came in 1979, a 33-17 Chippewa win ...
the Panthers last beat CMU 17-14 in 1964 when both schools competed in the Interstate Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference.
COACHES:EIU-Bob Spoo (127-102-2, 21st season); CMU-Butch Jones (8-6, second season).

> Buy CMU apparel & hats online through VanDelay Sports!

GAME NOTES:

• The Chippewas have lost their last five season openers last winning in 2002 (34-10 over Sam Houston State)
• CMU returns the MAC’s top rated offense (34.8 ppg) but its defense allowed 36.9 ppg, 12th of 13 MAC teams
• The Chippewas are led by MAC Offensive Player of the Year in QB Dan LeFevour and 2007 Freshman of the Year in WR-KOR Antonio Brown; LeFevour has career numbers of 6,683 passing yards and 53 TD passes, as well as 26 rushing TDs and 1,643 rushing yards
• EIU senior DE Pierre Walters and P Kevin Cook (44.6 ypk) are preseason All-Americans

Nick’s Pick: Central Michigan 36 – Eastern Illinois 31

Line: N/A

Comment: Don’t look now but the Panthers are coming – the Panthers are coming. For those who may not know much about Bob Spoo and his solid EIU program, they have not only produced guys like Dallas Cowboy QB Tony Romo – they have also been a thorn in the side of MAC teams. Even though Central is the preseason MAC champ by the MNMA and several national publications, look for a very close game here.

Vanderbilt (5-7, 2-6 SEC) at Miami (6-7, 5-2 MAC) - 7:30

SITE: Yager Stadium (24,286/FieldTurf) Oxford, Ohio
TELEVISION: ESPNU (Mike Gleason, John Congemi, Melissa Knowles)
SERIES RECORD: VU leads 2-1 ...the previous three meeting were in 1899 (VU 12-0), 2000
(Miami 33-30) and 2007 (VU 24-13) ... VU is the first-ever SEC team to play in Oxford.
COACHES:VU-Bobby Johnson (20-50, seventh year at VU; 49-63, 15th season overall); MU Shane Montgomery (15-21, fourth season).
GAME NOTES:

• Miami ’s three starting LBs of Clayton Mullins, Joey Hudson and Caleb Bostic are each on the Butkus Watch List for the nation’s premier linebacker
• This is the first time in the history of the award (24 years) that one school has had three honorees on the list; Mullins is the 2007 MAC Defensive Player of the Year
• RedHawk QB Daniel Raudabaugh is back for his second year as a starter after 2,431 yards and 12 TDs last year in leading the team to the MAC Championship game
• Vanderbilt returns just three offensive starters and six defensive starters but the Commodores have lost four in a row since beating Miami 24-13 last year in Nashville.

Nick’s Pick: Miami 24 – Vanderbilt 20

Line: Miami by 3

Comment: Miami is coming off of back to back losing seasons for the first time since 1988-1989 and there is still a sting after last season’s East Division championship but no bowl game due to that losing record. Miami is 11-12-1 lifetime against the mighty SEC and will do much better at home against ‘the Dores’ then they did last season in Nashville.

MAC Matchups - Games for Friday, August 29

Temple (4-8, 4-4 MAC) at Army (3-9, Independent) - 7:00

SITE: Michie Stadium (40,000) West Point, N.Y.
TELEVISION: ESPN Classic (Eric Collins, Shaun King)
SERIES RECORD: Army leads 4-1 ... the Black Knights won last year’s meeting 37-21 ... Temple’s
most recent win over Army came in 1994 by a 23-20 score.
COACHES: Temple-Al Golden (5-19, third season); Army-Stan Brock (3-9, second season).
GAME NOTES:

• The Owls will be after their first season opening win in three tries under Al Golden
• Temple’s four wins last year were the program’s most since a 4-7 mark in 2000; Temple started 2007 0-5 before winning four of its last seven games
• 21 starters return, including QB Adam DiMichele, DT Terrance Knighton (56 tackles) and all-MAC selections in DL Andre Neblett (60 tackles) and DB Dominique Harris (3 int.); Temple’s D was No. 1 in the MAC last year (363.5 ypg)
• Army also plays MAC foes Akron (9/20), EMU (10/11) and Buffalo (10/18) this season.

Nick’s Pick: Temple 21 – Army 16

Line: Temple by 7.5

Comment: It’s been a long time since Temple has been excited about starting a few football season. Even though Army won last year by 16 points, Temple actually had more yards (463-330) and more first downs (25-14). The Owls were done in by turnovers last season, but a team that is a year older and wiser should not be. Look for Temple to open 1-0 for one of the few times over the past two decades.

MAC Matchups - Games for Saturday, August 30

Akron (4-8, 3-5 MAC) at No. 12/13 Wisconsin (9-4, 5-3 Big Ten) - 11 a.m. (CT)

SITE: Camp Randall Stadium (80,321/FieldTurf) Madison, Wisc.
TELEVISION: Big Ten Network
SERIES RECORD: Wisconsin leads 1-0 .. the Badgers won 48-31 in 2003.
COACHES: UA-J.D. Brookhart (22-26, fifth season); UW-Brett Bielema (21-5, third season).
GAME NOTES:

• The Zips are facing a Big Ten opponent for the eighth consecutive season
• The Zips lone win vs. a Big Ten member came in 1894 in a 12-6 decision over Ohio State when John Heisman
  coached that Zips team vs. the Buckeyes’
• UA returns two of the top returners in the nation in KOR Bryan Williams (31.9 avg.) and PR Andre Jones (14.5 avg.); Williams, an all-MAC RB last year, was moved to SS, while Jones moved from FS to WR
• UW is 14-0 at home under Brett Bielema; the Badgers will start a new QB but return leading rushers P.J. Hill (1,212 yards, 14 TDs) and Zach Brown (568, 5).

Nick’s Pick: Wisconsin 38 – Akron 10

Line: Wisconsin by 26

Comment: Akron enters the season with a lot of question marks on both sides of the ball while Wisconsin enters the season as a very solid team with BCS aspirations. Akron may keep it close for a half but the Badgers will pull away.

Ohio (6-6, 4-4 MAC) @ Wyoming (5-7, 2-6 Mountain West) - 12:00 (MT)

SITE: War Memorial Stadium (30,514/Desso Challenge Pro 60) Laramie, Wyo.
TELEVISION: The Mtn (James Bates, Todd Christensen, Andrea Lloyd).
SERIES RECORD: Wyoming leads 1-0 ... the Cowboys won 34-33 in Athens last year after trailing
30-20 in the fourth quarter.
COACHES: Ohio-Frank Solich (19-18, fourth year at school; 77-37, 10th season overall); UW-Joe
Glenn (26-33, sixth season at school; 184-92-1, 24th season overall).
GAME NOTES:

• Ohio will look to replace the 4,398 career rushing yards from Kalvin McRae; QB Theo Scott has the most experience at the position, having played in 10 games last year as a sophomore; the RB spot is wide open among several candidates
• The Bobcats have started each of the last two seasons with wins in their first two games
• Ohio has non-conference road wins at Illinois (2006) and Louisiana-Lafayette (2007) in Solich’s first three years
• The Cowboys were 4-2 at home last year and also will host MAC member Bowling Green (9/27)
• UW’s passing game had 17 interceptions and just 12 TD passes in 2007.

Nick’s Pick: Wyoming 33 – Ohio 14

Line: Wyoming by 10

Comment: This is a game that Ohio blew at home when they led 23-6 in the 3rd quarter only to be outdone in the final moments in a gut-wrenching 34-33 setback in Athens, Ohio. Traveling to Laramie will not be fun and this year’s Ohio team on paper is not as good as last season.

> Attention Football Fans! Check out the 2008 NFL preview now live over at Pro Football Fans!

Bowling Green (8-5, 6-2 MAC) @ Pittsburgh (5-7, 3-4 Big East) - 12:00

SITE: Heinz Field (65,050/grass) Pittsburgh, Pa.
TELEVISION: ESPNU (Dave Armstrong, Larry Coker)
SERIES RECORD: Pitt leads 2-0 ... the Panthers won 30-10 in 1999 and 34-16 in 2000.
COACHES: BG-Gregg Brandon (38-24, sixth season); Pitt-Dave Wannstedt (16-19, fourth season).
GAME NOTES:

• Under HC Gregg Brandon, the Falcons are 3-2 in their first road game of the season; their wins are at #16 Purdue (2003), FIU (2006) and Minnesota (2007) with the losses at Oklahoma (2004) and Wisconsin (2005)
• BG was 4-3 on the road last year and is tabbed as the favorite in the MAC East
• The Falcons bring back 16 starters, eight each on offense and defense, as well as the team’s punter and place-kicker
• Pitt hosts MAC member Buffalo next week (9/6) as the Panthers will start a new QB while BG brings back junior Tyler Sheehan (3,264 yards, 23 TDs)
• BG features ball handlers Freddie Barnes (962 rec. yards, 9 TDs) and Anthony Turner (519 rush yards, 9 TDs)
• BG’s defense will be challenged by TB LeSean McCoy (Big East frosh record 1,328 rush yards, 14 TDs in 2007).

Nick’s Pick: Pitt 23 – BGSU 17

Line: Pitt by 13

Comment: This publication is having a difficult time picking against BGSU in this contest. Pitt has totally under-performed during the Wannstedt era and the Falcons return almost all of their offensive weapons from a year ago. Still, the Panthers have only lost twice to MAC teams in their long and successful history (2005 16-10 OT loss at Ohio and 2003 35-31 loss at Toledo). Lot for Pitt to find a way to win, but don’t be surprised if Bowling Green pulls the upset.

Northern Illinois (2-10, 1-6 MAC) @ Minnesota (1-11, 0-8 Big Ten) - 6:00 (CT)

SITE: H.H.H. Metrodome (64,172/FieldTurf) Minneapolis, Minn.
TELEVISION: Big Ten Network (Wayne Larrivee and Chris Martin)
SERIES RECORD: Minnesota leads 1-0 .. in 1988 the Gophers topped NIU 31-20.
COACHES: NIU-Jerry Kill (0-0, first season at NIU; 104-57, 15th season overall); UM-Tim Brewster (1-11, second season).
GAME NOTES:

• Jerry Kill leads his initial Huskie squad in the first of two consecutive road games (next week at Western Michigan) to open the season
• NIU welcomes back 2007 Vern Smith Leadership Award winner in DE Larry English (23.5 career sacks) as 18 players deemed starters return from the NIU 2007 squad, nine on each side of the ball
• Five of last year’s losses were by six points or less
• NIU has produced a 1,000-yard rusher for nine consecutive seasons dating back to 1999 with last year’s entrant Justin Anderson (1,245) joining the mix
• The Gophers have dropped 10 consecutive games since a 41-35 OT victory over Miami ( Ohio) on Sept. 8, 2007
• Former NIU Huskie TB Thomas Hammock is the RB coach for UM.

Western Michigan (5-7, 3-4 MAC) @ Nebraska (5-7, 2-6 Big 12) 6:00 (CT)

SITE: Memorial Stadium/Tom Osborne Field (81,067/FieldTurf) Lincoln, Neb.
TELEVISION: FSN Pay per view (Ron Thulin, Richard Baldinger, Stacy Paetz)
SERIES RECORD: First meeting.
COACHES: WMU-Bill Cubit (20-16, fourth season at school; 54-34-1, ninth season overall);
Nebraska-Bo Pellini (1-0, first full season at school).

> Buy Western Michigan apparel & hats online through VanDelay Sports!

GAME NOTES:

• The Broncos begin the season on the road for the fourth consecutive season (Virginia 2005; Indiana 2006; West Virginia 2007)
• The Broncos won three road games in 2007 ( Toledo, Northern Illinois, Iowa)
• QB Tim Hiller, the 2005 MAC Freshman of the Year, begins his third season as a starter after passing for 3,021 yards and 20 TDs last year with talented WR Jamarko Simmons (84 rec., 980 yds., 6 TDs) and TE Branden Ledbetter (38, 550, 6) providing ample targets while Brandon West (848 yards, 4 TDs) supplies the ground yardage
• The Cornhuskers must replace QB Sam Kellar, but have I back Marlon Lucky returning; Lucky is the only player in school history to surpass 1,000 career rushing (1,876) and receiving (1,091) yards
• Bronco CB Londen Fryar (63 tackles, 16 pbu) leads the WMU defense.

Nick’s Pick: Nebraska 30 – Western Michigan 21

Line: Nebraska by 15

Comment: Western Michigan is primed for a terrific season and has the talent on both sides of the ball to pull off an upset here in Lincoln. Still, new coach Bo Pellini should have his troops fired up for his first game. This publication sees a very entertaining game that will go to Nebraska with some late-game heroics to pull out the victory.

Boston College (11-3, 6-2 ACC) vs. Kent State (3-9, 1-7 MAC) - 7:30

SITE: Cleveland Browns Stadium (73,200/grass) Cleveland, Ohio
TELEVISION: ESPNU (Clay Matvick, David Diaz-Infante)
SERIES RECORD: First Meeting
COACHES: BC-Jeff Jagodzinski (11-3, second season); KSU-Doug Martin (15-31, fifth season).
GAME NOTES:

• This is the second annual Patriot Bowl matchup after last year’s Akron vs. Army contest
• The Golden Flashes feature talented ball handlers in Eugene Jarvis and Julian Edelman; Jarvis is the nation’s leading returning rushing leader with 1,669 yards while Edelman supplied 1,318 passing yards and 455 rushing yards in 2007
• KSU will have to replace three starting OL from 2007
• BC breaks out a new starting QB in fifth-year senior Chris Crane, whose only previous career start came in 2006 vs. Buffalo
• BC started last year with eight consecutive wins and ended the season with a 24-21 win over Michigan State in the Champs Sports Bowl.

Nick’s Pick: Boston College 34 – Kent State 14

Line: BC by 9.5

Comment: Both of these head coaches are good friends and Kent State has the talent to make this ballgame. Still, history is not on KSU’s side as BC has pulverized its last nine MAC opponents (since 2002) winning by an average of 24-points per game.