Over The Pylon

The games this week in the MAC for our midweek slate had significant impact to the Conference Championship race. In the East, Ohio is now out of contention following their loss to Bowling Green. Buffalo’s loss to Toledo made the Bulls’ road a bit tougher than it was, and has led to a play-in game for the MAC East title on Black Friday. That Rocket win also kept Toledo’s hopes for a MAC West title on life support, but the Rockets do have a feasible way in to Detroit, albeit a small one. The same could be said for BSU who will need help, and a considerable amount of it.

MAC East

• Bowling Green:
  • Current Record: 7-3 (5-1)
  • Remaining Games: @EMU, @BUFF
  • MACC Bound If:
    • W @Buffalo
• Buffalo:
  • Current Record: 7-3 (5-1)
  • Remaining Games: @MIA, BG
  • MACC Bound If:
    • W vs BG
• Ohio:
  • Current Record: 6-4 (3-3)
  • Remaining Games: KENT, UMASS
  • MACC Bound If:
    • Not possible. Mathematically eliminated
• Akron:
  • Current Record: 3-7 (2-4)
  • Remaining Games: @UMASS, TOL
  • MACC Bound If:
    • Not possible. Mathematically eliminated.
• UMass:
  • Current Record: 1-8 (1-4)
  • Remaining Games: AKR, @CMU, @OHIO
  • MACC Bound If:
    • Not possible. Mathematically eliminated.
• Kent State:
  • Current Record: 3-8 (2-5)
  • Remaining Games: @OHIO
  • MACC Bound If:
    • Not possible. Mathematically eliminated.
• Miami:
  • Current Record: 0-10 (0-6)
  • Remaining Games: BUFF, @BSU
  • MACC Bound If:
    • Not possible. Mathematically eliminated.

MAC West

• Northern Illinois:
  • Current Record: 10-0 (6-0)
  • Remaining Games: @TOL, WMU
  • MACC Bound If:
    • W @ Toledo -OR-
    • Tol L @ AKR and BSU L v MIA
    • L @ Toledo and W vs WMU and BSU W vs MIA: Tiebreaker ensues where cross over opponent record determines divisional champion
• Ball State:
  • Current Record: 9-2 (6-1)
  • Remaining Games: MIA
  • MACC Bound If:
    • W vs MIA and NIU L @ TOL and NIU loss vs WMU
    • W vs MIA and NIU loss @TOL and TOL W @AKR: Tiebreaker ensues where cross over opponent record determines divisional champion
• Toledo:
  • Current Record: 7-3 (5-1)
  • Remaining Games: NIU, @AKR
  • MACC Bound If:
    • W vs NIU and W @AKR and BSU loss vs MIA
    • W vs NIU and NIU W vs WMU and BSU W vs MIA: Tiebreaker ensues where cross over opponent record determines divisional champion
• Central Michigan:
  • Current Record: 3-6 (2-3)
  • Remaining Games: @WMU, MASS, EMU
  • MACC Bound If:
    • Mathematically Eliminated
• Eastern Michigan:
  • Current Record: 2-8 (1-5)
  • Remaining Games: BG, @CMU
  • MACC Bound If:
    • Mathematically Eliminated
• Western Michigan:
  • Current Record: 1-9 (1-5)
  • Remaining Games: CMU, @NIU
  • MACC Bound If:
    • Mathematically Eliminated

So as you can see, the road to Detroit for the Cardinals is a tough one. With the current projections, Toledo would win the tiebreaker if NIU, BSU, and Toledo all finish with one loss. If BSU and one other opponent finishes with one loss, the tiebreaker is head to head record, and BSU wins out over only Toledo. So for the Cards to make it to Detroit they’ll need NIU to lose to both Toledo and Western Michigan. Toledo may give them problems but Western sucks something awful. What a strange twist of fate that I may have to actually root for PJ Fleck and the Broncos to close the season. Of course, all the speculating is a moot point if the Cards don’t come out and take care of business against Miami on the 29th. That’s 15 days away and there’s still a ton to play for like a potential division title and bowl placement.

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