Over The Pylon

Admittedly, the MAC blogosphere has been an evolving little gem over the last several years. I guess as the MACtion on the field hit fever pitch, the MACtion on the web stepped up their game as well. What has also evolved is the MAC Roundtable. It’s not like King Arthur’s with turkey legs and wenches running around in corsets, because let’s be honest: turkey legs are a gigantic pain in the ass to eat and the service region for the MAC doesn’t lend itself well to females capable of squeezing into anything other than a giant rubbermaid trash can (Exception: the state of Indiana and BSU specifically). Have you seen some of the slumpbusters from Michigan and Ohio? Gooo. I’d rather spend an evening with a lit piece of sandpaper. But I digress.

The host of this week’s roundtable is the fantastic Toledo blog LetsGoRockets. One of the early MAC blogs and a fellow fan of putting style on equal footing with substance, LGR should be a site you check frequently to stay on top of the Rockets and the Toledo goings on. Off we go…

1. What one game left on your respective team’s schedule is an absolute must-win?

Obviously it’s our MOST HATED RIVAL NIU because that’s the only game that we won’t be a significant favorite for. In my mind, “should wins” can’t also be “must wins” because those are games you should win just by showing up and playing halfway decent. So, the midweek matchup that may very well be billed as The MAC Game of the Century between the Fighting Football Cardinals and OUR MOST HATED RIVAL NIU will not only be awesome to watch and a BSU victory, but it is a must-win for the Cardinals to achieve the first of their goals this season… win the MAC West.

2. Disregarding record and tie-ins, based on what you’ve seen through 9 weeks of the season, what one team would you like to have a shot at in a bowl or playoff game and why?

Bring on Alabama! I know, I know. People call Finebaum all the time and talk their garbage about Saban being the best ever, the Tide being the modern day version of the 40’s and 50’s Oklahoma, etc. etc. Roll Tide. But they have holes. They have issues. Hell, Jason remarks every week on our podcast about how Alabama’s defense is trash this year. I’m always a big fan of Keith and the boys getting to go up against a swiss cheese defensive unit. It won’t happen of course, because BIG FOOTBALL refuses to have their show ponies broken down by an up and comer, but it would be fantastic if it did. I may or may not have already reserved a billboard in Tuscaloosa to do some tauntin’.

3. We’ve seen a bevy of new bowl games with MAC tie-ins. What’s your take on the additional bowl games — good exposure for MAC teams, too many bowl games already, or something in the middle?

I think as sad as it is to admit, with the playoffs coming the writing is on the wall that there may be a split in big time football between the big time programs and the not so big time programs. There’s too much on the line, the NCAA has lost too much face, and frankly, there is only room for improvement. Kudos to the MAC for being proactive for once instead of being reactionary after everyone else has decided what they’re doing. No matter if the outcome is good or bad, the conference made a decision, and that I have nothing but support for.

4. Power poll… rank the MAC teams 1-13.

1A. Northern Illinois
1B. Ball State
3. Buffalo
4. Ohio
5. Toledo
6. BG
7. CMU
8. Akron
9. Kent State
10. UMass
11. Western Michigan
12. Eastern Michigan
13. Miami

Filed under: MAC Roundtable |