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Nick's 2009 MAC Football Picks - Week #7 Preview & Picks

News & Notes:

• BGSU scored 19 points in the fourth quarter to collect a 36-35 come-from-behind win at Kent State as the combination of quarterback Tyler Sheehan and receiver Freddie Barnes set numerous single-game school records. Sheehan was 44-of-63 passing for 505 yards and Barnes hauled in 22 receptions for 278 yards.
• Bowling Green QB Tyler Sheehan accounted for five scores in a 36-35 win at Kent State. Sheehan threw for 505 yards on 44-of-63 passing and four scores. He added a nine-yard game-winning touchdown run.
• Buffalo WR Brett Hamlin made six catches for 132 yards and one touchdown in a 40-3 win over Gardner Webb.
• Ohio QB Theo Scott completed 11-of-21 passing for 132 yards and one touchdown in a 19-7 road win at Akron.
• Central Michigan WR Kito Poblah hauled in five receptions for 126 yards and one score in a 56-8 win over Eastern Michigan.
• Temple RG Colin Madison graded out 88 percent on his 75 plays with three pancake blocks and no sacks allowed in Temple’s 24-19 win over Ball State.
• Western Michigan WR Jordan White collected five receptions for 117 yards and two touchdowns in a 58-26 win at Toledo.
• Ball State WR Torieal Gibson added five receptions for 110 yards and one score in a 24-19 road loss at Temple.
• Toledo RB Morgan Williams made his second consecutive start and carried 17 times for 97 yards in a 58-26 loss vs. Western Michigan.
• Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour accounted for six touchdowns in a 56-8 win over Eastern Michigan. LeFevour was 16-of-22 passing for 318 yards and three touchdowns and added 11 carries for 44 yards and three rushing touchdowns.
• Temple RB Bernard Pierce rushed for 125 yards on 26 carries and two touchdowns in a 24-19 win over Ball State. Pierce becomes the first freshman running back to rush for over 100 yards in three consecutive games.
• Buffalo RB Ike Nduka rushed for 131 yards on 24 carries and two scores as the Bulls earned a 40-3 win over Gardner Webb. Nduka has rushed for over 100 yards in each of the last two contests.
• Akron LB Brian Wagner led the team with 11 tackles and one recovered fumble in a 19-7 loss vs. Ohio.
• Bowling Green LB Jerett Sanderson led the team with nine tackles, one pass break up and one quarterback-hurry in a 36-35 win at Kent State.
• Ohio LB Lee Renfro posted a team-high nine tackles, one-half a sack, one recovered fumble and one pass break up in a 19-7 road win at Akron. Renfro and the Bobcats defense forced five turnovers.
• Kent State LB Cobrani Mixon had a career-high 18 tackles, including one and one-half tackles for loss and one sack in a 36-35 loss vs. Bowling Green. Mixon’s 18 tackles are tied for fifth-best total in the country this season.
• Buffalo DE Steven Means made his first career start and responded with four tackles, two and one-half tackles for loss and two sacks in a 40-3 win over Gardner Webb.
• Western Michigan DE Justin Braska led the team with nine tackles and two tackles for loss in a 58-26 win at Toledo.

This Week’s MAC Schedule: Saturday, October 17

• Bowling Green at Ball State, Noon ET (*All-MACcess)
• Army at Temple, 1:00 p.m. ET (*All-MACcess)
• Miami at Ohio, 2:00 p.m. ET (*All-MACcess)
• Akron at Buffalo, 3:30 p.m. ET (*All-MACcess); (Time Warner SportsNet Buffalo/ FOX Sports Ohio/*All-MACcess)
• Central Michigan at Western Michigan, 3:30 p.m. ET; (FOX Sports Detroit/ESPN Game Plan/ESPN360.com/*All-MACcess)
• Kent State at Eastern Michigan, 4:00 p.m. ET (*All-MACcess)
• Northern Illinois at Toledo, 7:00 p.m. ET (*All-MACcess)

Bowling Green (2-4, 1-1 MAC) at Ball State (0-6, 0-2 MAC)

Saturday, October 17, 2009 • Noon ET • Muncie, Ind. • Scheumann Stadium (22,500)

All-MACcess Live Streaming via www.mac-sports.com

Series: Bowling Green leads, 19-8-1

Notes:

The Falcons pass offense ranks fourth in the nation (335.3 ypg)...Sheehan ranks second in the nation in passing completions per game (32.0) and fourth in passing yards (326.7 ypg)...Barnes leads the nation in receptions (75) and receiving yards (722). MiQuale Lewis ranks fifth in Ball State’s record books for career rushing yards with 2,726...QB Kelly Page threw a career-long 51-yard touchdown pass to Torieal Gibson last Saturday at Temple...Eric Williams leads the club with a 24.6 average on kickoff returns and is also averaging 4.7 yards per rush...Robert Eddins leads the club with nine tackles for loss and tied for team lead with four sacks.

Nick’s Pick: BGSU 35 – Ball State 30

Comment: Neither team has much defense this year so expect a high scoring game. Right now the Falcons have the confidence and superior QB to win a close game down the stretch.

Army (3-3 Independent) at Temple (3-2, 3-0 MAC)

Saturday, October 17, 2009 • 1:00 p.m. ET • Philadelphia, Pa. • Lincoln Financial Field (68,532); All-MACcess Live Streaming via www.mac-sports.com

Series: Army leads, 4-2

Notes:

Army earned a 16-13 overtime win over Vanderbilt last week...Three of the Black Knights’ last four games have been decided by seven points or less...Army’s last two outings have been decided by a total of four points...Freshman QB Trent Steelman recorded a season high in rushing for the second straight week, finishing with 97 ground yards on a season-high 25 carries vs. Vanderbilt. Temple’s RB Bernard Pierce leads the MAC and ranks 22nd in the nation with 97.8 rushing yards per game (489 total on the year)...Temple leads the MAC and ranks 13th in the nation in rush defense (90.4 ypg)...Owls also rank third in the MAC in total defense (333.2 ypg)...Temple ranks third in the MAC in turnover differential with a +5.

Nick’s Pick: Army 20 – Temple 16

Comment: Last year Temple beat up on the Black Knight but Army is a much better team this year under first year coach Rich Ellerson. Army has a real shot to becoming bowl eligible this year for the first time since 1996. If Temple does win this contest it will be through superior speed from punt or kickoff returns.

Miami (0-6, 0-2 MAC) at Ohio (4-2, 2-0 MAC)

Saturday, October 17, 2009 • 2:00 p.m. ET • Athens, Ohio • Peden Stadium (24,000)

All-MACcess Live Streaming via www.mac-sports.com

Series: Miami leads, 51-32-2

Notes:

Miami’s redshirt-freshman QB Zac Dysert has started the last three contests...LB Jerrell Wedge had a career-best seven solo tackles and two tackles for loss last week...The 16 points allowed at Northwestern were the fewest allowed this year...FS Anthony Kokal had his first career interception against the Wildcats...Freshman DL Austin Brown recorded his first career blocked kick last week. Ohio has passed for 1,253 yards, a total that is on pace for third in school’s single-season records (2,506), behind the 2008 total of 2,795 yards and 2007 mark of 2,564 yards...Linebacker Noah Keller is tied for ninth in the nation with an average of 10.7 tackles per game...Last week’s 19-7 road win at Akron snapped a five-game road losing streak to the Zips...Bobcats rank second in the conference with a +7 turnover differential.

Nick’s Pick: Ohio 26 – Miami 17

Comment: Miami is improving every week under the new coaching staff but still is learning how to not beat themselves week in and week out. Ohio is just finding ways to get it done. Don’t be surprised if Miami has much better offense stats this week but it will be their turnovers that will lead a Bobcat win.

Akron (1-4, 0-2 MAC) at Buffalo (2-4, 0-2 MAC)

Saturday, October 17, 2009 • 3:30 p.m. ET • Buffalo, N.Y. • UB Stadium (29,013)

Time Warner SportsNet Buffalo/ FOX Sports Ohio/ All-MACcess Live Streaming via www.mac-sports.com

Series: Akron leads, 8-2

Notes:

Akron ’s QB Matt Rodgers suffered a season-ending knee injury vs. Ohio...Freshman QB Patrick Nicely takes over for the Zips...LB Brian Wagner ranks fourth in the nation with 11.4 tackles per game (57 on the year)...Akron begins a three game road swing (at Buffalo, Syracuse, Northern Illinois). Buffalo QB Zach Maynard has thrown a TD pass in each of the Bulls’ games this season...RB Ike Nduke has rushed for over 100-yards in each of his last two games... Buffalo totaled 508 yards of offense last week vs. Gardner Webb, the second time this season to eclipse 500 yards (500 vs. Pittsburgh)...Naaman

Roosevelt has 238 career receptions, tying him for seventh in MAC history.

Nick’s Pick: Buffalo 34 – Akron 16

Comment: Two programs going in different directions. UB is on the rise under Turner Gill while JD Brookhart is likely on his last leg at Akron. This game may not be as close as the predicted score.

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Kent State (2-4, 1-1 MAC) at Eastern Michigan (0-5, 0-2 MAC)

Saturday, October 17, 2009 • 4:00 p.m. ET • Ypsilanti, Mich. • Rynearson Stadium (30,200); All-MACcess Live Streaming via www.mac-sports.com

Series: Kent State leads, 14-13

Notes:

KSU LB Cobrani Mixon had a career-high 18 tackles last week and ranks tied for ninth in the nation with an average of 10.7 tackles per game (64)...Senior DL Aaron Hull had a career-high six tackles and three sacks last week...RB Jacquise Terry had the first multiple-rushing touchdown game of his career last week. Eastern lost senior QB Andy Schmitt for the season with a knee injury suffered against Michigan (Sept. 19)...Eagles rank first in the MAC and fourth in the nation in pass defense (135.0 ypg)...RB Dwayne Priest ranks sixth in the MAC with an average of 67.2 yards rushing per game.

Nick’s Pick: Kent State 23 – Eastern 21

Comment: From a talent standpoint, the Golden Flashes are far superior to Eastern but somehow the hard luck KSU program never makes anything easy for themselves.

Central Michigan (5-1, 3-0 MAC) at Western Michigan (3-3, 2-1 MAC)

Saturday, October 17, 2009 • 3:30 p.m. ET • Kalamazoo, Mich. • Waldo Stadium (30,200); FOX Sports Detroit/ESPN Game Plan/ESPN360.com/All-MACcess Live Streaming via www.mac-sports.com

Series: Western Michigan leads, 43-35-2

Notes:

Central’s 48-point margin of victory last week over Eastern Michigan was the largest over a MAC opponent since 1981 (63-14 win over EMU)...Head Coach Butch Jones is 16-3 against MAC opponents...Antonio Brown had his seventh 100-plus yard receiving game of his career (110 yards last week). Western’s 58 points scored last week were the most scored by the Broncos since 1996 (76 vs. Kent State)...RB Brandon West had a season-high 153 yards rushing last week and currently ranks sixth in the nation in all purpose rushing yards (184.1 ypg)...Jordan White added 117 yards and two scores last week at Toledo...The Broncos did not allow a sack for the second consecutive game.

Nick’s Pick: Central 38 – Western 35

Comment: Folks, this game may go into overtime and is clearly the MAC’s most fierce rivalry right now. Two years ago this game ended in controversy which only adds to the game’s intrigue. With Western waking up and crushing Toledo last week in the Glass Bowl, perhaps the Broncos will be playing like the team everyone thought they would be while Central is playing like the team they are; a champion. Look for Central to squeeze out a win in a tightly fought contest. MAC football doesn’t get any better than this people.

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Northern Illinois (3-2, 1-0 MAC) at Toledo (3-3, 1-1 MAC)

Saturday, October 17, 2009 • 7:00 p.m. ET • Toledo, Ohio • Glass Bowl (26,248); All-MACcess Live Streaming via www.mac-sports.com

Series: Toledo leads, 28-8

Notes:

NIU’s RB Chad Spann ranks tied for third in the nation in scoring with an average of 12.0 points per game (10 rushing TD)...Huskies rush offense leads the MAC and ranks 21st in the nation with an average of 201.4 yards per game...Chandler Harnish ranks 23rd in the nation with a passing efficiency with 148.9. Toledo ranks seventh in the nation in passing offense (335.3 ypg) and ninth in total offense (470.2 ypg.)...Rockets host Northern Illinois and then Temple at the Glass Bowl in its next two contests...LB Archie Donald ranks tied for 15th in the nation with an average of 10.5 tackles per game (63)...Opelt ranks sixth in the nation in total offense (320.8 ypg) and ninth in passing yards (1,784).

Nick’s Pick: NIU 44 – Toledo 20

Comment: Just when you thought Toledo turned the corner, they get buried at home by 32-points to a Western team that lost by 35 to NIU the week before. The Huskies have proven to be road warriors with a solid effort at Wisconsin and winning at Purdue. Toledo lost at Purdue 52-31 in week #1. NIU will run through Toledo’s porous defense and it will be another beat-down in the Glass Bowl.

 

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