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Nick's 2009 MAC Football Picks - Week #11 Preview & Picks

MAC News & Notes:

• MAC wins by non-BCS schools since 2003...With Northern Illinois’ 28-21 road win at Purdue on Sept. 19, the Huskies joined Bowling Green with four wins each against BCS
• schools since 2003; in this span, Toledo has five wins against BCS schools – 8 th best
• in the nation; Bowling Green, Northern Illinois are tied with Boise State and Houston for ninth.
• Western Michigan ’s Brandon West broke the NCAA Division I FBS record for kick return yards in a career. West added 142 kick return yards at Michigan State and now holds the mark with 3,045 career yards, breaking the previous mark held by Jessie Henderson of SMU (2,945). West totaled 262 all-purpose yards in the contest against the Spartans.
• Kent State QB Spencer Keith set career-highs for attempts (59), completions (30) and yards (377) in a 28-20 loss at Akron. Keith added two touchdowns and became the first signal caller since 2004 to record consecutive 300 yard passing games.
• Akron WR Jeremy LaFrance finished with eight catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-20 win over Kent State. LaFrance connected with freshman quarterback Patrick Nicely on a 59-yard score in the second quarter and a six-yard strike in the fourth stanza.
• Western Michigan RB Brandon West rushed for 98 yards on seven carries, and added an 80-yard score in a 49-14 loss at Michigan State.
• Bowling Green WR Freddie Barnes led the club with eight receptions for 122 yards and one touchdown in a 30-29 win at Buffalo.
• Miami QB Zac Dysert threw for a career-high 426 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-32 loss at Temple. Dysert’s 426 yards passing marked the fourth-best single-game total in school history.
• Eastern Michigan RB Dwayne Priest led the Eagles with 75 yards on 17 carries in a 50-6 loss at Northern Illinois.
• Northern Illinois QB DeMarcus Grady rushed for 104 yards on 10 carries and one touchdown and added 119 yards passing on four-of-five passing for two scores in a 50-6 win over Eastern Michigan.
• Temple RB Bernard Pierce had a career-high 40 carries for 178 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-32 win over Miami.
• Miami WR Armed Robinson led the club with 10 receptions for 118 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-32 loss at Temple.
• Buffalo RB Jeffvon Gill had a career-high 172 yards rushing on 23 carries and one touchdown in a 30-29 loss to Bowling Green.
• Western Michigan LB Mitch Zajac totaled a career-high eight tackles,
• including three tackles for loss in a 49-14 loss at Michigan State.
• Bowling Green LB James Schneider added five tackles, two tackles for loss, two sacks and one forced fumble in a 30-29 win at Buffalo.
• Miami DB Anthony Kokal collected a team-high nine tackles in a 34-32 loss at Temple.
• Temple DE Muhammad Wilkerson posted five tackles, two tackles for loss and two sacks in a 34-32 win over Miami.
• Northern Illinois LB Cory Hanson collected nine tackles and added two tackles for loss in a 50-6 win over Eastern Michigan.
• Eastern Michigan DB Marty Cardwell led the club with 17 tackles, including seven solo, one tackle for loss and one sack in a 50-6 loss at Northern Illinois.
• Buffalo DB Domonic Cook led the club with eight tackles and one-half
• tackle for loss in a 30-29 loss to Bowling Green.

This Week’s MAC Schedule:

Tuesday, November 10

• Ohio at Buffalo 7:00 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Wednesday, November 11

• Toledo at Central Michigan 8:00 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Thursday, November 12

• Ball State at Northern Illinois 6:00 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
• Bowling Green at Miami 6:00 p.m. ET

Friday, November 13

• Temple at Akron 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPNU)

Saturday, November 14

• Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan 1:00 p.m. ET (All-MACcess)

Ohio (6-3, 4-1 MAC) at Buffalo (3-6, 1-4 MAC)

Tuesday, November 10, 2009 • 7:00 p.m. ET • Buffalo, N.Y. • UB Stadium (29,013)

ESPN2

Series: Ohio leads, 10-6

Nick’s Pick: Ohio 17 – Buffalo 16

Comment: I shudder at picking this game since I expect this contest to be the tightest of the six MAC games this week. Ohio LB Noah Keller ranks tied for 17th in the nation with 9.9 tackles per game...After playing at Buffalo, finish final two regular season games at home (Northern Illinois, Temple)...Ohio defense ranks third in the MAC in total defense (332.7 ypg) and scoring defense (20.6 ppg). Buffalo QB Zach Maynard has thrown a TD pass in each of the Bulls’ games this season...Buffalo ranks second in the MAC in total offense (410.9 ppg) and fifth in total defense (353.8 ypg)...Maynard ranks fourth in the conference in total offense (259.4 ypg)...Naaman Roosevelt (87.7 ypg) and Brett Hamlin (80.0 ypg) rank fourth and fifth respectfully in receiving yards per game.

Toledo (4-5, 2-3 MAC) at Central Michigan (7-2, 5-0 MAC)

Wednesday, November 11, 2009 • 8:00 p.m. ET • Mount Pleasant, Mich. • Kelly/Shorts Stadium (30,255)

ESPN2

Series: Series tied, 17-17-3

Nick’s Pick: Central 45 – Toledo 34

Comment: Expect a shoot-out as these two long-time rivals usually play close and exciting games. Central has too much firepower and their defense is superior to Toledo’s. Toledo ranks 18th in the nation in total offense (440.6 ypg)...LB Archie Donald ranks tied for ninth in the nation with 10.7 tackles per game...Eric Page

(909) and Stephen Williams (884) rank seventh and ninth respectfully in the nation

in total receiving yards. CMU has their first home game in over a month (Oct. 10 vs. Eastern Michigan)...LeFevour ranks 23rd in the nation in passing efficiency (145.5 rating)...Chippewas’ rank 16th in the nation in red zone offense (92%) and tied for tenth in red zone defense (71%)...Antonio Brown ranks eighth in the nation in all-purpose

yardage (176.9 ypg).

Ball State (1-8, 1-4 MAC) at Northern Illinois (6-3, 4-1 MAC)

Thursday, November 12, 2009 • 6:00 p.m. ET • DeKalb, Ill. • Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium (24,000)

ESPNU

Series: Ball State leads, 20-14-2

Nick’s Pick: NIU 36 – Ball State 21

Comment: Is there anyone in the league playing better football right now than NIU? Even Temple & Central Michigan may not be playing to the high level of the Huskies over the past two to three weeks. Cardinal DL Robert Eddins ranks tied for 23rd in the nation in tackles for loss (12)...Cardinals rank fourth in the MAC in rushing offense (164.8 ypg)...RB Mi-Quale Lewis ranks fifth in the conference in rushing (724 yards)...Eric Williams ranks third in the MAC in kick return average (25.4 avg.). NIU’s Chad Spann ranks third in the nation in scoring with 16 touchdowns for 96 points (10.7 ppg)...Huskies rank 11th in the nation in rushing (229.6 ypg)...Defensively, the Huskies rank 21st in the nation in rush defense (104.8 ypg) and 17th in scoring defense (16.8 ppg)....Northern Illinois ranks second in the nation in red zone defense (64%) and tied for tenth in red zone offense (94%)...Huskies rank 15th in the nation in time of possession (32:20).

Bowling Green (4-5, 3-2 MAC) at Miami (1-9, 1-5 MAC)

Thursday, November 12, 2009 • 6:00 p.m. ET • Oxford, Ohio • Yager Stadium (24,246)

All-MACcess live video streaming via www.mac-sports.com

Nick’s Pick: Miami 35 – BGSU 33

Comment: Look for another shoot-out here and if history has anything to do with this rivalry, the “Miami-Whammy” will once again hit the Falcons and the RedHawks will prevail. The Falcons rank fourth in the nation in passing offense (338.2 ypg) and 12 th in time of possession (32:30)...Freddie Barnes ranks first in the nation in receptions (107) and receiving yards (1,176)...Tyler Sheehan ranks second in the nation in total offense (325.3 ypg). Miami’s Zac Dysert had a career-best performance last week at Temple with 426 yards passing and three scores....Dysert has thrown for 300+ yards in three consecutive games...Dysert is averaging 297.6 yards per

game in seven starts...LB Jerrell Wedge ranks 11th in the nation with 15.5 tackles for loss... Miami ranks 24th in the nation in passing offense (272.7 ypg).

Temple (7-2, 5-0 MAC) at Akron (2-7, 1-4 MAC)

Friday, November 13, 2009 • 8:30 p.m. ET • Akron, Ohio • InfoCision Stadium--Summa Field (30,000)

ESPNU

Series: Temple leads, 11-7

Nick’s Pick: Temple 26 – Akron 17

Comment: Nothing comes easy for Temple and the Zips will prove to be a sturdy foe even though their record is 2-7. Temple RB Bernard Pierce ranks third in the nation in rushing (134.6 ypg) and tied for tenth in scoring (14 TDs, 84 points, 9.3 ppg)...DE Adran Robinson ranks tied for eighth in the nation in sacks (9)...Temple defense ranks 24th in the nation in run defense (106.7 ypg). Akron’s 28-20 win over Kent State last week snapped a six-game losing streak...Win over Kent State started a stretch of playing three of final four games at home...LB Brian Wagner ranks tied for ninth in the nation with 10.7 tackles per game...DB Miguel Graham ranks tied for eighth in the nation with 12 passes broken up.

Western Michigan (4-6, 3-3 MAC) at Eastern Michigan (0-9, 0-5 MAC)

Saturday, November 14, 2009 • 1:00 p.m. ET • Ypsilanti, Mich. • Rynearson Stadium (30,200)

All-MACcess live streaming via www.mac-sports.com

Nick’s Pick: Western 31 – Eastern 16

Comment: This is basically a “fell-good” game for the winner as each program has disappointed this year. Broncos RB Brandon West ranks second in the nation in all-purpose running (203.7 ypg)...QB Tim Hiller ranks seventh in the nation in total passing yards (2,620)...Broncos rank fourth in the MAC in passing offense (267.7 ypg) and fifth in total offense (375.2 ypg). This week’s game vs. Western Michigan marks the final home game for Eastern as they finish final two on the road (at Toledo, at Akron)...DB Chris May ranks tied for 12th in the nation with four interceptions...LB Andre Hatchett ranks 21st in the nation with 9.7 tackles per game.