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Nick's 2009 MAC Football Picks - Week #10 Preview & Picks

MAC News & Notes:

• The Temple Owls increased their winning streak to six games with a 27-24 road win at Navy. Temple continues to lead the East Division with a perfect 4-0 record, as Kent State (26-14 win over Western Michigan) and Ohio (20-17 win at Ball State) are close behind with 4-1 marks
• Central Michigan had its seven game winning streak come to an end with a 31-10 loss at Boston College. The Chippewas’ maintain first place in the West Division with a perfect 5-0 record, however Northern Illinois improved to 3-1 in the conference with a 27-10 home win over Akron
• Kent State WR Tyshon Goode finished with career-highs in receptions (11), receiving yards (198) and touchdowns (2) in a 26-14 win over Western Michigan
• Akron WR Andre Jones collected six receptions for a career-high 154 yards receiving and one touchdown in a 27-10 loss at Northern Illlinois; Jones hauled in a 80-yard touchdown pass from running back Alex Allen to open a 10-6 third quarter lead
• Western Michigan QB Tim Hiller threw for 255 yards on 31-of-49 passing and two touchdowns in a 26-14 loss at Kent State. The two touchdown passes increased his career total to 93 touchdown passes
• Miami QB Zac Dysert threw for 344 yards on 31-of-51 passing in a 31-24 win over Toledo. The 344 yards passing marked the 10th-best single-game passing yards in school history
• Toledo WR Stephen Williams caught a game-high nine receptions for 137 yards in a 31-24 loss at Miami. Williams surpassed the century mark for the fourth time this season and the 11th time in his career
• Ohio WR LaVon Brazill had an impressive offensive game with six receptions for 82 yards and posted 43 yards rushing in a 20-17 win at Ball State
• Northern Illinois QB DeMarcus Grady rushed for 109 yards on 20 carries in a 27-10 win over Akron
• Toledo RB Adonis Thomas had a career-high 13 carries for 107 yards in a 31-24 loss at Miami
• Miami LB Jerrell Wedge collected a career-high three sacks and a game-high 12 tackles, four tackles for loss and a pair of forced fumbles in a 31-24 win over Toledo
• Toledo LB Archie Donald paced the Rockets with 10 tackles in a 31-24 loss at Miami
• Temple DE Muhammad Wilkerson led the club and posted a career high 13 tackles in a 24-27 win at Navy
• Northern Illinois DE Brandon Bice collected four tackles, one sack and one forced fumble in a 27-10 win over Akron
• Ohio LB Noah Keller totaled a game-high 13 tackles in a 20-17 win at Ball State. Keller and the Bobcats defense allowed only 78 yards passing in the road victory
• Kent State LB Cobrani Mixon totaled 10 tackles in a 26-14 win over Western Michigan
• Temple S Jaiquawn Jarrett collected his third interception of the season, seventh of his career, in the Owls 27-24 win at Navy
• Toledo S Barry Church added eight tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and three quarterback hurries in a 31-24 loss at Miami

This Week’s MAC Schedule

• Tuesday, November 3
• Bowling Green at Buffalo, 7:00 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
• Thursday, November 5
• Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
• Miami at Temple, 7:30 p.m. (*All-MACcess)
• Saturday, November 7
• Western Michigan at Michigan State, Noon ET (Big Ten Network)
• Kent State at Akron, 3:30 p.m. ET (FOX Sports Ohio)

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Bowling Green (3-5, 2-2 MAC) at Buffalo (3-5, 1-3 MAC)

Tuesday, November 3, 2009 • 7:00 p.m. ET • Buffalo, N.Y. • UB Stadium (29,013); ESPN2

Series: Bowling Green leads, 4-2

Nick’s Pick: Buffalo 30 – BGSU 27

Actual Score: BGSU 30 - Buffalo 29

Comment: Last year BG led 27-7 in 4Q before Buffalo came back and won in 2OTs. The Falcons offense has scored 104 points and averaged 492.3 yards of offense in the last three games...Sheehan threw for 376 yards and three scores last week at Ball State and now has 57 career touchdown passes, third-best in school history...Barnes leads the nation in total receiving yards (882). Buffalo QB Zach Maynard has thrown a TD pass in each of the Bulls’ games this season...Senior tailback Mario Henry had a career-best 20 carries in relief of Ike Nduka...Last week Naaman Roosevelt totaled 12 receptions for 100 yards and two scores, his 13th career game with more than 100 yards receiving.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Eastern Michigan (0-8, 0-4 MAC) at Northern Illinois (5-3, 3-1 MAC)

Thursday, November 5, 2009 • 7:30 p.m. ET • DeKalb, Ill. • Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium (24,000); ESPNU

Series: Northern Illinois leads, 23-14-2

Nick’s Pick: NIU 37 – Eastern Michigan 16

Comment: EMU Suffered a 63-27 loss at Arkansas last week...Eagles lead the MAC and rank fourth in the nation in pass defense (146.0 ypg)...Eastern Michigan ranks 22nd in the nation in time of possession (31:49). NIU RB Chad Spann ranks tied for fifth in the nation in scoring with 14 touchdowns and an average of 10.5 ppg...Huskies rank 15th in the nation in rush offense (206.0 ypg) and 22nd in rush defense (105.4 ypg)...Northern Illinois ranks second in the nation in red zone defense (63%) and 24th in the nation in scoring defense (18.1 ppg).

Miami (1-8, 1-4 MAC) at Temple (6-2, 4-0 MAC)

Thursday, November 5, 2009 • 7:30 p.m. ET • Philadelphia, Pa. • Lincoln Financial Stadium (68,532); All-MACcess Live Streaming via www.mac-sports.com

Series: Temple leads, 2-1

Nick’s Pick: Temple 28 – Miami 21

Comment: It should be interesting to see how Temple plays as “the hunted” versus “the hunter” while Miami continues to improve every week under Coach Michael Haywood. Miami QB Zac Dysert tossed for 344 yards last week vs. Toledo which ranks 10th on the school’s single-game passing yards list...Last week Miami scored 24 points in the first half, the most in a half since Oct. 13, 2007...LB Jerrell Wedge had a career-high three sacks against Toledo. Temple’s Bernard Pierce ranks third in the nation in rushing (129.1 ypg) and tied for 23rd in scoring with 11 touchdowns for 66 points (8.3 ppg)...DE Adrian Robinson ranks tied for fifth in the nation with nine sacks and tied for 17th with three forced fumbles...Temple defense ranks 22nd in the nation in total defense (311.1 ypg).

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Western Michigan (4-5, 3-3 MAC) at Michigan State (4-5, 3-3 Big Ten)

Saturday, November 7, 2009 • Noon p.m. ET • East Lansing, Mich. • Spartan Stadium (72,027); Big Ten Network

Series: Michigan State leads, 9-2

Nick’s Pick: Michigan State 38 – Western Michigan 14

Comment: The Broncos are clearly the most disappointing MAC team this season. Broncos RB Brandon West leads the nation in all-purpose yards (197.2 ypg)...QB Tim Hiller ranks fourth in the nation in total passing yards (2,509), 11th in passing yards per game (278.8 ypg) and 19th in total offense (270.0 ypg)...DB Doug Wiggins is tied for the MAC lead with four forced fumbles. The Spartans Suffered a 42-34 loss last week at Minnesota...Last week QB Kirk Cousins recorded his fifth 200-yard passing game of the season, throwing for 236 yards on 21-of-35 attempts...Keshawn Martin collected 284 all-purpose yards against Minnesota.

Kent State (5-4, 4-1 MAC) at Akron (1-7, 0-4 MAC)

Saturday, November 7, 2009 • 3:30 p.m. ET • Akron, Ohio • InfoCision Stadium--Summa Field (30,000) FOX Sports Ohio • Announcers: Jeff Phelps, Hanford Dixon

Series: Akron leads, 29-20-2

Nick’s Pick: Kent State 27 – Akron 17

Comment: The past few years KSU has outplayed the Zips but found a way to lose. This year should be different as the Golden Flashes are playing with uncommon confidence right now while Akron is in the middle of a season to forget. KSU S Brian Lainhart ranks eighth in the nation with five interceptions...LB Cobrani Mixon is tied for 20th in the nation with 9.89 tackles per game and has totaled 89 tackles on the year... Kent State defense ranks tied for 21st in the nation in red zone defense (74%). For Akron, llast week the 80-yard, Alex Allen-to-Andre Jones touchdown pass marked the longest Akron pass play of the season and the longest since Luke Getsy hit David Harvey on a 77-yard play on Nov. 9, 2006...LB Brian Wagner ranks 15th in the nation with 10.13 tackles per game and has totaled 81 on the year.