By Woodrow Carroll
Two weeks into the college football season, the Mid-American Conference (MAC) combined record was 10-13. Each of the 12 MAC members had played two games with the exception of Toledo, which had a bye. At first glance, a record of 10-13 doesn’t look bad, however, a closer examination paints a less-favorable picture.
In theory, MAC teams are eligible to contend for the National championship. In practice, the Clemsons and Alabamas of college football have little to fear from MAC sides such as Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, or Toledo in the NCAA championship countdown.
We have come to expect MAC teams is to pull the occasional upset. So far, the MAC has faltered.
Even by MAC standards the conference picture is none too pretty. Ten of the 14 Big Ten teams are undefeated two weeks into the season. In the MAC, all 12 teams have suffered at least one defeat. Of the 10 victories by MAC teams, nine have come against non-Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) sides.
The lone victory by a MAC team over a FBS team was Eastern Michigan’s 30-23 conquest of the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in week one. Coastal Carolina, in Conway, S.C., plays in the Sun Belt Conference.
The MAC was 3-8 Saturday, Sept. 7. MAC victories were: Kent State over Kennesaw State; Ball State over Fordham; and Miami, Ohio over Tennessee Tech, all second division teams. Wisconsin defeated the MAC’s Central Michigan, 61-0. Eight losses by MAC members were by 10 or more points!
Eastern Michigan’s victory did look good following Coastal Carolina’s 12-7 victory at Kansas Saturday, Sept. 7.
Eastern Michigan, 1-1, will seek a second victory over FBS opposition at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 14 in Champaign against the University of Illinois. EMU will try to stop Illinois, 2-0, from making it three straight victories in non-conference games prior to the Fighting Illini games in Big Ten Conference the following week against Nebraska.
Northern Illinois has a Big Ten team to contend Saturday. The Huskies will play at Nebraska at 7 p.m. Saturday.
It may be small consolation, yet, NIU has fared about as well as any team in the MAC. Northern Illinois, 1-1, dropped a 35-17 decision at Utah Saturday, Sept. 7. The Utes, who were ranked No. 11 or 12 depending on the poll, may well end up the best team Northern Illinois will play this season.
After Nebraska, Northern Illinois will be off a week, then conclude non-conference games by playing in Nashville against Vanderbilt Saturday, Sept. 28. NIU will play host to Ball State October 5 to begin MAC play.