You are here > VanDelaySports.com > MAC Football > Nick's 2005 MAC Football Picks > Week #12 Picks

Nick's 2005 MAC Football Picks - Week #12 Picks

published 11.19.05, updated 11.20.05

Use these "quick links" to jump to the date of the game you want or scroll down the page for your favorite MAC matchups!

MAC Quick Notes

Monday, Nov. 21: Miami @ Ohio

Tuesday, Nov. 22: Toledo @ Bowling Green

Wednesday, Nov. 23: Western Michigan @ Northern Illinois

Thursday, Nov. 24: Kent State @ Akron

Saturday, Nov. 19 Games: Central Michigan @ Ball State,
Eastern Michigan @ Buffalo, Temple @ Navy

MAC Quick Notes

> Current MAC Standings (opens in new window)

• Central Michigan's Kent Smith set a MAC record with 70 pass attempts Saturday at Western Michigan. The former standard was 65 by Miami's Mike Bates in 1987 vs. Toledo
• CMU's Ontario Sneed boosted his rushing total this year to 1,004 yards, thus becoming the eighth freshman in MAC history to gain 1,000-plus yards. If Sneed can gain at least 114 yards Saturday at Ball State, he will set a single season MAC rushing record for freshmen. The current record is 1,117 yards by CMU's Jerry Seymour in 2003
• Western Michigan's Greg Jennings had 2 TD receptions Saturday to give him 39 for his career. One more score via the pass and Jennings will become the second player in MAC history with 40 TD receptions. Marshall's Darius Watts holds the career mark with 47
• Western Michigan scored 31 consecutive points to rally from a 14-0 deficit in its 31-28 win over Central Michigan. The Broncos had 3 consecutive scoring drives of one play (76 yard pass Tim Hiller to Greg Jennings; 7 yard pass Hiller to Jamarko Simmons; 40 yard pass from Hiller to Jennings) to spark the comeback
• Eastern Michigan's Andrew Wellock booted four field goals vs. Ball State, giving him 52 career three-pointers. Wellock's 52 field goals rank as the eighth most in MAC history
• Buffalo's 10-6 win at Kent State snapped the Bulls 27-game losing streak in MAC road games and is the program's first conference road win since joining the MAC in 1999
• Three MAC student-athletes were named as a semifinalist for national awards last week. Ohio defensive back Dion Byrum for the Jim Thorpe Award; Bowling Green quarterback Omar Jacobs for the Davey O'Brien Award; and Toledo PK Jason Robbins for the Lou Groza Award
• Western Michigan is one of three MAC teams which have bettered its win total from 2005. The Broncos are 7-3 overall after a 1-10 campaign in 2004. Central Michigan is 5-5 compared to 4-7 last year and Ball State is 4-6 following a 2-9 season in 2004
• Ohio's Dion Byrum took over the national lead with his sixth interception of the season two weeks ago. Byrum snagged an errant pass in the end zone to thwart a Toledo scoring drive.
• Two MAC head coaches will be coaching their last game at their respective institutions Saturday. Buffalo's Jim Hofher and Temple's Bobby Wallace will not have their contracts renewed as announced by their schools. Buffalo hosts Eastern Michigan while Temple closes at Navy

> Current MAC Standings (opens in new window)

Related VanDelaySports.com Links:

Recap of Week #11 mid-week games

MAC Team pages - all the info on your team!

2005 MAC football standings

Nick's recap for MAC football Week #10

MONDAY - November 21

Miami (6-4, 4-3 MAC) @Ohio (4-6, 3-4 MAC) - 7:30 pm ET

Television: ESPNU

Site: Athens, Ohio

Nick’s Pick: Miami 27 - Ohio 17

Line: Miami by 9

Comment: Miami still has a chance to win the MAC East title with a win over their long-time rival Bobcats. Both teams looked dreadful in their last game (OU at Akron and Miami hosting BG). Miami has more overall talent at this point, especially on offense. Look for a good game with the RedHawks pulling it out late.

TUESDAY - November 22

Toledo (7-3, 5-2 MAC) @Bowling Green (6-4, 5-2 MAC) - 7 pm ET

Television: ESPN2

Site: Bowling Green, Ohio

Nick’s Pick: Bowling Green 35 - Toledo 30

Line: BGSU by 2

Comment: The most heated rivalry in the MAC has huge implications on the overall standings. Each team has disappointed their fan base this season by delivering less than preseason expectations. Over the last two decades, the home team is virtually unbeatable in this series no matter what their records are going into the contest. Pick the home team Falcons in a close contest and ending any chance that UT had for getting a bowl bid in 2005.

WEDNESDAY - November 23

Western Michigan (7-3, 5-2 MAC) @NIU (6-4, 5-2 MAC) - 12:30 pm ET

Television: ESPN2

Site: DeKalb, IL

Nick’s Pick: NIU 31 - WMU 21

Line: Northern Illinois by 8.5

Comment: NIU finally got the monkey off of their back with a big come-from-behind win at Toledo. Western Michigan still has a slim a shot at a divisional title and possible bowl birth with a win in DeKalb. Expect a hard fought game by two schools that recruit the Chicago area very hard with the Huskies finally getting that long awaited MAC Championship game opportunity.

THURSDAY - November 24

Kent State (1-9, 0-7 MAC) @Akron (5-5, 4-3 MAC) - 10 am ET

Television: ESPN2

Site: Akron, OH

Nick’s Pick: Akron 24 - Kent State 17

Line: Akron by 12

Comment: The Zips can win the MAC East and represent the division in the MAC Championship game with a win over Kent State and losses by Miami and BG listed above. Even if one or both of those teams win, Akron is a better team than Kent State and should be able to win this local rivalry game played early on Thanksgiving morning. It may be a little closer than the odds-makers believe due to the ridiculously early starting time. Each team may not be awake until the second half.

SATURDAY - November 19

Central Michigan (5-5, 4-3 MAC) @Ball State (4-6, 4-3) - 12 pm ET

Television: Comcast Local (Ben Holden, play-by-play; Rob Otto, analyst).

Site: Muncie, Ind. - Ball State Stadium (22,500/Natural Grass)

Series: tied 18-18-1 ... CMU won last year 41-40 to snap a four game losing streak in the series.

Coaches: CMU-Brian Kelly (9-12, 2nd season at CMU; 127-47-2, 15th season overall); BSU-Brady Hoke (10-23, 3rd season).

Game Notes:

• Ball State has won three in a row, outscoring its opposition 80-59 during that time
• BSU last won four consecutive games in 2001
• The last time the Cardinals won 5 MAC games in a season came in 1996 when they went 7-1 in winning the MAC Championship
• CMU's Justin Harper set a school record last week with 14 receptions at Western Michigan
• DE Dan Bazuin's 12.5 sacks this season are also a school record for the Chippewas - with 1.5 more sacks Bazuin will tie for the fourth most single season sacks in MAC history
• Kent Smith set a MAC record with 70 pass attempts last week at WMU, completing 46 for 460 yards
• CMU has not allowed a second half touchdown in 6 of its last 7 games

Eastern Michigan (3-7, 2-5 MAC) @Buffalo (1-9, 1-6 MAC) - 1:30 pm ET

Site: Buffalo, N.Y. - UB Stadium (29,103/Artificial Sportexc 46)

Series: EMU leads 2-0 ... the previous meetings were both in Ypsilanti resulting in wins of 24-20 (2001) and 37-34 (2004) for the Eagles.

Coaches: EMU-Jeff Genyk (7-14, 2nd season); UB-Jim Hofher (8-45, 5th season at UB; 52-84, 13th season overall).

Game Notes:

• UB is coming off its first win of the year, a 10-6 triumph at Kent State
• EMU has dropped its last five games and the last three by a combined 10 points (two by one point; one by 8 points)
• UB won East Division honors for Offensive (Jared Patterson) and Defensive (Rob Schroeder) player of the week for last week's win
• The Bulls rank second in the MAC in total defense (368.0 ypg allowed)
• UB had no turnovers at Kent State a week after committing 8 turnovers at Miami
• EMU's Matt Bohnet has thrown just 5 interceptions in 334 pass attempts, completing 63% percent
• UB's pass defense ranks No.1 in the league (allowing 176.3 ypg)

Nick’s Pick: Buffalo 21 - Eastern Michigan 16

Line: EMU by 6

Comment: Buffalo is playing their final game for Coach Jim Hofher. This team has steadily improved under his direction but the wins haven’t shown up very often. UB won at Kent State last weekend giving the Bulls their first MAC road win ever. EMU is not playing well of late and UB should be able to close out the Hofher era on a winning note.

Temple (0-10, Independent) @ Navy (5-4, Independent) - 1:30 pm ET

Television: CSTV (Tom McCarthy, play-by-play; Scott Zolak, analyst).

Site: Annapolis, Md. - Navy-Marine Memorial Stadium (34,000/Natural Grass)

Series: Temple leads 4-1 ... the most recent meeting was a 45-26 Owls win in 2001 ... the Navy triumph came in 1997, 49-17.

Coaches: TU-Bobby Wallace (19-70, 8th season at Temple; 101-106-1, 18th season overall); Navy-Paul Johnson (25-21, 4th season at Navy; 87-31, 9th season overall).

Game Notes:

• This will be the final game for Temple head coach Bobby Wallace
• The Owls were idle last week while Navy was losing at No. 7 Notre Dame 42-21
• Navy's first five games of 2005 were decided by 7 points or less
• The Midshipmen have a 34-31 win over MAC member Kent State
• 28 seniors will be playing their last game for Temple
• The Owls will be looking to avoid their first winless season since 1959 (0-9)
• Navy will become bowl eligible with a win

Nick’s Pick: Navy 41 - Temple 17

Line: Navy by 27

Comment: OK, so I picked an easy game to boost my winning %.