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Nick's 2009 MAC Football Picks - Week #5 Preview & Picks

News & Notes:

• Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour became the seventh player in conference history to eclipse 10,000 career passing yards in a 48-21 win over Akron. LeFevour now has 10,192 career passing yards.
• Western Michigan senior running back and kick return specialist Brandon West became the MAC record holder for career all-purpose yards (6,207) and career kick return yards (2,549) this past weekend in a 24-10 win over Hofstra. West had 237 all-purpose yards and 51 kick return yards in the contest as he surpassed Travis Prentice (6,111, Miami, 1996-99) for the all-purpose yards mark and Trumaine Riley (2,541, Eastern Michigan, 2003-05) for the kick return yards record.
• Buffalo WR Naaman Roosevelt became only the second receiver in school history to total 3,000 yards as he added nine receptions for 120 yards in a 37-13 road loss at Temple.
• Northern Illinois WR Landon Cox had a career high five receptions for 53 yards and recorded his first career touchdown reception on a 4-yard score in a 34-31 loss to Idaho.
• Toledo RB DaJuane Collins carried 19 times for 151 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-31 road win at Florida International. Collins had a career-long 72 yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
• Bowling Green WR Adrian Hodges led the Falcons with six receptions for 56 yards and one score in a 49-14 loss to No. 8 ranked Boise State.
• Kent State RB Jacquise Terry rushed for 103 yards on 15 carries in his first action in the backfield this season in a 29-19 win over Miami.
• Miami WR Armand Robinson had a career-high 115 yards receiving on nine receptions in the RedHawks 29-19 road loss at Kent State.
• Temple RB Bernard Pierce rushed for 116 yards on 20 carries and one touchdown in the Owls 37-13 win over Buffalo. In only his third collegiate contest, Pierce currently leads the club with 184 yards on the year.
• Western Michigan WR Jordan White totaled nine receptions for 101 yards and one touchdown in the Broncos 24-10 win over Hofstra.
• Toledo WR Eric Page hauled in five receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns in the Rockets 41-31 road win at Florida International.
• Miami QB Zac Dysert accounted for 444 yards of offense, including 31-of-53 passing for 337 yards and one score, and 17 carries for 107 yards rushing, in a 29-19 road loss at Kent State.
• Western Michigan QB Tim Hiller threw for 338 yards on 34-of-43 passing and two touchdowns in the Broncos 24-10 win over Hofstra. Hiller ranks third in the nation in consecutive games with a touchdown pass (20).
• Toledo WR Stephen Williams had a team-high six receptions for 116 yards in the Rockets 41-31 road win at Florida International.
• Central Michigan LB Matt Berning totaled eight tackles, one and one half sacks for 11 yards in a 48-21 win over Akron; Berning spearheaded a defensive effort that limited Akron to only 196 yards of offense.
• Kent State LB Cobrani Mixon posted nine tackles, one sack and a recovered fumble in a 29-19 win over Miami. Mixon’s recovered fumble came at the Kent State five-yard line to halt a potential scoring drive.
• Toledo LB Archie Donald added 18 tackles in the Rockets 41-31 road win at Florida International.
• Bowling Green DB Keith Morgan led the Falcons and matched a career-high nine tackles in a 49-14 loss to No. 8 ranked Boise State.
• Ohio LB Noah Keller had nine tackles, one sack, one interception and one pass break up in the Bobcats 34-23 road loss at Tennessee.
• Northern Illinois LB Jordan Delegal recorded the Huskies’ first punt block of the season in the fourth quarter to set up a touchdown, which cut the game to a three point deficit with six minutes left, in a 34-31 loss to Idaho.
• Ohio KR Chris Garrett set a school record with 221 kick return yards in a 34-23 loss at Tennessee. Garrett recorded a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on the Bobcats first touch of the game. Garrett became the school’s all-time leader in kick return yardage.
• Temple KR James Nixon had two returns for 106 yards, including a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the Owls 37-13 win over Buffalo. Nixon’s 92-yard return for a score was the first of his career. Nixon also added 48 yards receiving and two yards rushing on the afternoon.

MAC Youth at QB this Season:

• NIU sophomore Chandler Harnish has started all four games and has the Huskies off to a 2-2 start on the year; Harnish has passed for 675 yards one touchdown and added 128 yards on the ground; he leads an offense that currently ranks fourth in the MAC with 359-yards per game.
• At Buffalo sophomore Zach Maynard has started all four games this year and has thrown for 1,012 yards and seven touchdowns ranking 23 rd in the nation with an average of 253 yards passing per game and tied for 17th in the nation with 1,012 total passing yards.
• Miami redshirt freshman Zac Dysert made his first career start in a 29-19 road loss at Kent State last Saturday and was very impressive as he led the offense to a season-high 552 total yards; Dysert accounted for 444 combined yards, fourth-best in school history, as he threw for 337 yards and also added 107 yards rushing.
• Akron sophomore Matt Rodgers made his second career start in the Zips 48-21 loss at
• Central Michigan ; Rodgers was 12-of-19 passing for 127 yards in the effort and also
• rushed for two scores
• Kent State true freshman Spencer Keith has seen plenty of action this season filling in for sophomore Giorgio Morgan, who has battled injury; in last week’s 29-19 win over Miami he connected on a 56-yard scoring strike to Jameson Konz to open a 26-10 lead in the third quarter; Keith has appeared in three games this year including one start and has totaled 381 yards passing and four scores.
• Ball State redshirt freshman Kelly Page has started four games this year and has totaling 509 yards passing and three touchdowns.

This Week’s MAC Schedule for Saturday, October 3

• Toledo at Ball State, Noon ET (ESPN Plus/Game Plan/ ESPN360.com)
• Temple at Eastern Michigan, 1:00 p.m. ET (*All-MACcess)
• Cincinnati at Miami, 1:00 p.m. ET (ESPN360.com)
• Central Michigan at Buffalo, 3:30 p.m. ET (Time Warner SportsNet Buffalo/ESPN Game Plan/ESPN360.com/ *All-MACcess)
• Western Michigan at Northern Illinois, 3:30 p.m. ET (Comcast Sports Net Chicago/ESPN Game Plan/ESPN360.com/ *All-MACcess)
• Ohio at Bowling Green, 4:00 p.m. ET (Buckeye Cable System/All-MACcess)
• Kent State at Baylor, 7:00 p.m. ET (FOX Sports Southwest)
• Bye: Akron

Toledo (2-2, 0-0 MAC) at Ball State (0-4, 0-0 MAC)

Saturday, October 3, 2009 • Noon ET • Muncie, Ind. • Scheumann Stadium (22,500)

ESPN Plus/Game Plan/ESPN360.com • Announcers: Michael Reghi, Doug Chapman

Series: Ball State leads, 17-16-1

Notes:

QB Aaron Opelt ranks second in the nation in total passing yards (1,282) and fifth in the nation in total offense (1,408 yards)...Toledo’s offense ranks ninth in the nation in passing offense (320.5 ypg) and 14th in total offense (478.25 ypg)...WR Eric Page ranks second in the MAC in receiving yards per game (108.2 ypg) and WR Stephen Williams ranks sixth (82.8 ypg). Ball State owns a 9-4 record at Scheumann Stadium in the past 13 games...MiQuale Lewis ranks sixth in school history with 2,648 career rushing yards, fourth with 27 career rushing touchdowns and third with 13 career 100-yard rushing games...S Alex Knipp ranks third on the team with 31 tackles and one forced fumble.

Nick’s Pick: Toledo 37 – Ball State 28

Comment: Historically Toledo has had the better team in this divisional rivalry and yet would lose to the Cardinals especially in Muncie. Case and point this year; Toledo has the more experience team and certainly has been playing better but will the ghosts of seasons past come and haunt UT once again at BSU? We believe the new Toledo coaching staff will get it done and avenge last year’s 31-0 ‘Cardinal beat-down’ at the Glass Bowl.

Temple (1-2, 1-0 MAC) at Eastern Michigan (0-3, 0-0 MAC)

Saturday, October 3, 2009 • 1:00 p.m. ET • Ypsilanti, Mich. • Rynearson Stadium (30,200); All-MACcess Live Streaming via www.mac-sports.com

Series: Temple leads, 4-0

Notes:

Temple RB Keer-ayre Griffin ranks eighth in the MAC in rushing (49.3 ypg) and fifth in all-purpose yards with 117.0 ypg through three games...QB Vaughn Charlton has thrown for three touchdowns and 617 yards...Sophomore WR James Nixon had a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the win over Buffalo, the first of his collegiate career. Eastern lost senior QB Andy Schmitt for the season with a knee injury suffered against Michigan (Sept. 19)...Prior to the injury, Schmitt had thrown for 428 yards and two TDs...Eagles lead the MAC in pass defense with only 78 ypg...Junior RB Dwayne Priest ranks among conference leaders with 301 yards rushing...Last week Eastern Michigan had a bye.

Nick’s Pick: Temple 30 – Eastern 21

Comment: Losing Schmitt is huge for EMU but at least Eastern had two weeks to break in a new QB for this contest. While the Eagles are playing very hard for the new coaching staff, Temple’s defense is very good and can score points as well. Look for the Owls to get to the .500 mark.

Cincinnati (4-0, 1-0 Big East) at Miami (0-4, 0-2 MAC)

Saturday, October 3, 2009 • 1:00 p.m. ET • Oxford, Ohio • Yager Stadium (24,286)

ESPN360.com

Series: Miami leads, 59-47-7

Notes:

Cincy’s Brian Kelly led the Bearcats to a school-record 11 wins, a BIG EAST Championship, and a Bowl Championship Series game berth in 2008...Last weekend

hosted Fresno State and a 28-20 victory...The Miami-Cincinnati series is the oldest non-conference college football rivalry in the United States. Miami QB Zac Dysert accounted for 444 total yards in his first career start...Junior WR Armand Robinson had a career-high 115 receiving yards and nine receptions last week at Kent State...Team rushed for a season-high 215 yards at Kent State…DB Jordan Gafford and senior WR Dustin Woods named team captains.

Nick’s Pick: Cincinnati 48 – Miami 17

Comment: What was once a terrific non-conference annual rivalry has become a one-sided massacre over the past three seasons. Since 2006 the Bearcats have won by 14, 37 and 25 points. Zac Dysert gives Miami hope to score some points but Cincy’s offensive show will light up the Yager Stadium scoreboard.

Central Michigan (3-1, 1-0 MAC) at Buffalo (1-3, 0-1 MAC)

Saturday, October 3, 2009 • 3:30 p.m. ET • Buffalo, N.Y. • UB Stadium (29,013)

Time Warner SportsNet Buffalo/ ESPN Game Plan/ESPN360.com/ All-MACcess Live Streaming via www.mac-sports.com

Series: Central Michigan leads, 4-1

Notes:

Central’s Antonio Brown has 723 all-purpose yards and ranks 10th in the nation with 180.75 ypg...Last week Central Michigan limited Akron to only 196 yards of offense, the first time since 1998 that the Chippewas held the opposition under 200 yards of offense...QB Dan LeFevour has 937 career completions, two shy of the MAC record (Byron Leftwich, 939). Buffalo’s WR Naaman Roosevelt became only the second receiver in school history to total 3,000 yards receiving...Roosevelt also set school record with his 20th career TD reception in a 23-17 road win at UTEP in the opener (9/5)...QB

Zach Maynard ranks tied for 17th in the nation with 1,012 yards passing...Bulls

defense ranks 18th in the nation in pass defense with 157.3 ypg.

Nick’s Pick: Central 38 – Buffalo 23

Comment: Most publications listed this game as the likely MAC Championship this December but turnovers are killing Buffalo as they break in a new starting QB and RB. Central is the best team in the MAC right now and will look like a champion this weekend at UB.

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Ohio (2-2, 0-0 MAC) at Bowling Green (1-3, 0-0 MAC)

Saturday, October 3, 2009 • 4:00 p.m. ET • Bowling Green, Ohio • Doyt L. Perry Stadium (24,000)

Buckeye Cable System/All-MACcess Live Streaming via www.mac-sports.com

Series: Bowling Green leads, 36-22-2

Notes:

The Bobcats rank ninth in the nation in pass defense with 136.75 ypg...LB Noah Keller ranks fifth in the nation with 48 tackles...RB Chris Garrett set a school record with 221 kick return yards, including a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, last week at Auburn...QB Theo Scott set career-highs with 319 yards passing and 30 completions in 34-23 loss at Auburn last week. Bowling Green QB Tyler Sheehan ranks 13th in the nation with 1,065 passing yards...WR Freddie Barnes ranks second in the nation with 46 receptions and 21st in the nation with 360 receiving yards...Suffered 49-14 loss last week versus 8 th ranked Boise State...DB Keith Morgan led the Falcons with a career-high

8 tackles last week vs. Boise State.

Nick’s Pick: Ohio 26 – BGSU 24

Comment: Without a doubt this is the hardest game to pick this week evident by the score above. Every time this publication gives up on the Falcon football program they rebound and win a big game. Ohio has certainly played more consistent football to date but BGSU has played a much more difficult schedule and lost two games they should have won. Flip your coin here; and for us, it came up Bobcats.

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Western Michigan (2-2, 1-0 MAC) at Northern Illinois (2-2, 0-0 MAC)

Saturday, October 3, 2009 • 3:30 p.m. ET • DeKalb, Ill. • Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium (24,000)

Comcast SportsNet Chicago/ ESPN Game Plan/ESPN360.com/All-MACcess Live Streaming via www.mac-sports.com

Series: Western Michigan leads, 23-11

Notes:

Western Michigan ranks 21st in the nation in pass offense with 271.3 ypg...LB Austin Pritchard ranks tied for 21st in the nation with 40 tackles...RB Brandon West ranks fourth in the nation with 770 all-purpose yards (192.5 ypg.)...QB Tim Hiller ranks 15th in the nation with 1,048 total passing yards. Huskie RB Chad Spann ranks tied for 15th in the nation in scoring with 7 TDs...Huskies lead the MAC with 188 rushing yards per game...RB Me’co Brown ranks second in the MAC in rushing yards per game (94.2)...WR Landon Cox recorded his first career touchdown last week in 34-31 loss to Idaho.

Nick’s Pick: NIU 27 – Western 23

Comment: The Huskies had a bad home loss to Idaho last week and Coach Kill will be on this team all week to turn it around on Saturday. Western has been less than impressive all season after being considered by every major publication to be the primary contender to Central Michigan this year. The Broncos have won three straight in this series by 2, 4 and 3 points respectively. Look for another close game Saturday but this time it will be NIU’s turn to win the close game.

Kent State (2-2, 1-0 MAC) at Baylor (2-1, 0-0 Big 12)

Saturday, October 3, 2009 • 7:00 p.m. ET • Waco, Texas • Floyd Casey Stadium (50,000)

Television: FOX Sports Southwest

Series: First Meeting

Notes:

Golden Flash S Brian Lainhart extended his interception streak to four games and now has forced 13 turnovers in the last 11 games (10 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles)...LB Cobrani Mixon ranks tied for 21st in the nation with 40 tackles...Kent State ranks seventh in the MAC in pass defense and total defense. Baylor defeated Northwestern State last Saturday 68-13...LB Joe Pawelek has with 345 career tackles, most among active FBS players and he needs one interception to become the 13th player in Baylor history to amass at least 10 career interceptions.

Nick’s Pick: Baylor 44 – Kent State 14

Comment: The Baylor Bears were a laughing stock BCS program not long ago but very quickly under Coach Art Briles this program has shot up the ranks of the very difficult Big 12 Conference. While KSU has the defense to keep this game close for a while, the offense is dreadful and the Bears will slowly suffocate the life away of Kent State in this game and the final score will not be close.

 

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