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Nick's 2009 MAC Football Picks - Week #12 Preview & Picks

MAC News & Notes:

• Ohio WR LaVon Brazill led the Bobcats with 10 receptions and 99 yards in a 27-24 win at Buffalo.
• Western Michigan QB Tim Hiller threw for 275 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-14 win over Eastern Michigan.
• Bowling Green WR Freddie Barnes finished with 10 catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns, and also ran for another, in a 35-14 win at Miami.
• Miami QB Zac Dysert threw for 259 yards on 29-of-48 passing in a 35-14 loss vs. Bowling Green.
• Central Michigan RB Bryan Schroeder totaled 105 yards rushing on 13 carries and two touchdowns in a 56-28 win over Toledo.
• Temple OL Darius Morris graded out at 91% with five knockdown blocks in a 56-17 win at Akron.
• Central Michigan RB Antonio Brown had 13 receptions for 129 yards and one touchdown in a 56-28 win over Toledo.
• Ohio QB Theo Scott threw for 221 yards on 22-of-28 passing in a 27-24 win at Buffalo.
• Central Michigan LB Nick Bellore led the team with ten tackles, one tackle for loss and one interception in a 56-28 win over Toledo.
• Temple NT Andre Neblett had four tackles, including three solo, and one pass break up in a 56-17 win at Akron.
• Northern Illinois DE Sean Progar had three tackles, two and one half tackles for loss and one and one-half sacks in a 26-20 win over Ball State.
• Bowling Green DB P.J. Mahone added seven tackles, one recovered fumble and one interception in a 35-14 win at Miami.
• Ohio LB Noah Keller totaled a team-high eight tackles and one tackle for loss in a 27-24 win at Buffalo.
• Ball State DE Brandon Crawford totaled five tackles and three and one-half tackles for loss in a 26-20 loss at Northern Illinois.
• Toledo S Barry Church led the Rockets with eight tackles in a 56-28 loss at Central Michigan.
• Northern Illinois LB Pat Schiller led the club with 12 tackles, one tackle for loss and shared a sack in a 26-20 win over Ball State.
• Miami LB Jerrell Wedge led the club with 13 tackles, two and one-half tackles for loss and one sack in a 35-14 loss against Bowling Green.
• Buffalo DB Josh Copeland led the club with nine tackles and two tackles for loss in a 27-24 loss vs. Ohio.

This Week’s MAC Schedule

Wednesday, November 18

• Buffalo at Miami 6:00 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
• Central Michigan at Ball State 8:00 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Friday, November 20

• Akron at Bowling Green 5:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
• Eastern Michigan at Toledo 7:00 p.m. (*All-MACcess)

Saturday, November 21

• Kent State at Temple 1:00 p.m. ET (*All-MACcess)
• Northern Illinois at Ohio 2:00 p.m. ET (*All-MACcess)

Buffalo (3-7, 1-5 MAC) at Miami (1-10, 1-6 MAC)

Wednesday, November 18, 2009 • 6:00 p.m. ET • Oxford, Ohio • Yager Stadium (24,286); ESPNU

Series: Miami leads, 10-1

Nick’s Pick: Miami 27 – Buffalo 23

Comment: Even though both of these teams have poor records this year, this looks like a very entertaining game to watch from a fans point of view. Buffalo QB Zach Maynard has thrown a TD pass in each of the Bulls’ games this season and his 17 passing TDs are the fourth-most in a single season...WR Naaman Roosevelt set the school career receiving yards record with 3,551 career yards. Miami ranks 23rd in the nation in passing offense (271.5 ypg)...LB Jerrell Wedge rankes ninth in the nation with 18 tackles for loss...Last week Wedge finished with 13 tackles vs. Bowling Green, the second-highest total of his career.

Central Michigan (8-2, 6-0 MAC) at Ball State (1-9, 1-5 MAC)

Wednesday, November 18, 2009 • 8:00 p.m. ET • Muncie, Ind. • Scheumann Stadium (22,500); ESPN2

Series: Central Michigan leads, 23-19-1

Nick’s Pick: Central Michigan 38 – Ball State 17

Comment: Central Michigan is 6-0 in MAC play for the second consecutive season and fifth time in program history...Last week’s win over Toledo gives the Chippewas

four straight years with at least eight victories...Cental Michigan has scored 48 or more points in all four home games this season. Ball State ranks fourth in the MAC in rushing offense (163.2 ypg)...Cardinals lead the MAC in field goal percentage (.789) with 15-of-19 field goals made... Ball State ranks fourth in the conference for fewest penalty yards per

game (47.9).

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Akron (2-8, 1-5 MAC) at Bowling Green (5-5, 4-2 MAC)

Friday, November 20, 2009 • 5:30 p.m. ET • Bowling Green, Ohio • Doyt L. Perry Stadium (24,000); ESPNU

Series: Bowling Green leads, 10-7

Nick’s Pick: BGSU 41 – Akron 21

Comment: The Falcons are playing for a possible bowl birth if they can win out and finish 7-5 while Akron may be looking at a coaching change following this season. Akron ranks fourth in the MAC in kickoff returns with a 21.8 average and Dashan Miller ranks second with a 25.9 average. The Falcons rank fourth in the nation in passing offense (324.7 ypg)...WR Freddie Barnes leads the nation with 117 receptions and 12 receiving touchdowns, while his 1,285 yards rank second...QB Tyler Sheehan ranks fourth in the nation in total offense (311.5 ypg) and second in the nation in total passing yards (3,189).

Eastern Michigan (0-10, 0-6 MAC) at Toledo (4-6, 2-4 MAC)

Friday, November 20, 2009 • 7:00 p.m. ET • Toledo, Ohio • Glass Bowl (26,248); All-MACcess live video streaming via www.mac-sports.com

Series: Toledo leads, 25-11

Nick’s Pick: Toledo 42 – Eastern 21

Comment: The battle for the bottom of the MAC west…only Toledo has far superior offensive talent than the Eagles. For Eastern LB Andre Hatchett ranks tied for 16th in the nation with an average of 10.0 tackles per game...DB Chris May ranks fifth in the nation with his five interceptions. Toledo ranks 22nd in the nation in total offense (431.8 ypg)...LB Archie Donald ranks tied for 14th in the nation with 10.1 tackles per game...WR Eric Page ranks ninth in the nation in total receiving yards (986) and 12th with 7.1 receptions per game...QB Aaron Opelt ranks 20th in the nation in total offense (268.4 ypg).

Kent State (5-5, 4-2 MAC) at Temple (8-2, 6-0 MAC)

Saturday, November 21, 2009 • 1:00 p.m. ET • Philadelphia, Pa. • Lincoln Financial Stadium (68,532); All-MACcess live streaming via www.mac-sports.com

Series: Kent State leads, 2-1

Nick’s Pick: Temple 30 – Kent State 17

Comment: The Owls are really starting to click offensively and are becoming a solid all around football team and not just a solid defensive team. Kent State will put up a good fight but the Owls are on a roll. KSU’s defense ranks first in the MAC in sacks (30) and fifth in scoring defense (21.3 ppg)...S Brian Lainhart ranks tied for first in the conference with five interceptions. Temple DE Adrian Robinson ranks tied for eighth in the nation with 10 sacks...RB Bernard Pierce ranks fourth in the nation in rushing yards per game (130.8 ypg) and 12th in the nation in scoring 15 TDs (9.0 ppg)...Owls rank third in the MAC in scoring offense (29.9 ppg) and second in rushing offense (177.8 ypg).

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Northern Illinois (7-3, 5-1 MAC) at Ohio (7-3, 5-1 MAC)

Saturday, November 21, 2009 • 2:00 p.m. ET • Athens, Ohio • Peden Stadium (24,000); All-MACcess live streaming via www.mac-sports.com

Series: Ohio leads, 9-8

Nick’s Pick: Ohio 20 – NIU 16

Comment: This is “the big game” within MAC play this weekend as a bowl bid could be in the line for the winner while the loser of this contest could be outside looking in…The Huskies have won four consecutive games for the first time since 2006...RB Chad Spann added his 16th rushing touchdown of the year last week vs. Ball State and now is tied for sixth in the school’s single-season rushing chart...Spann ranks tied for fifth in the nation in scoring with his 17 total TDs (10.2 ppg). Ohio LB Noah Keller ranks tied for 22nd in the nation with 9.7 tackles per game...Ohio ranks third in the MAC in scoring defense (20.9 ppg) and sixth in rushing defense (147.8 ypg)...Bobcats are tied for first in the conference with

Northern Illinois in turnover differential (+10)...Freshman K Matt Weller has the most field goals (17) of any freshman kicker in the nation.