There are only two MAC games this Saturday in the first weekend of November because a great college football tradition will resume next week with weeknight MAC football, affectionately known as MACtion. The next four weeks through November will be filled with Tuesday and Wednesday games in the MAC ahead of the MAC Championship December 7 in Detroit. Here is a breakdown of a few teams that could star in these showcase opportunities with upset threats and entertaining play despite likely not being in contention in the MAC title race.
Northern Illinois Huskies 4-4 overall 1-3 MAC
The Huskies have the top scoring defense in the MAC allowing just 17 points per game, but Northern Illinois has only one MAC win. Allowing just 4.3 yards per play the Huskies rank in the top 10 nationally in yards per play defense and have by far the best defensive numbers in the MAC. Northern Illinois has the big win at Notre Dame from early September on its resume but also has losses to Buffalo and Ball State in MAC play. After beating Bowling Green and losing a close low-scoring game with Toledo, the Huskies lost 25-23 at Ball State in a game where Northern Illinois had a 4-0 turnover deficit. Ethan Hampton led the win over the Irish but has ceded time to Josh Holst in recent weeks with Hampton missing the Toledo game and both playing last week. Holst is a better rushing presence for a solid Huskies ground attack. The Huskies have a big MACtion opportunity November 6 as they play at Western Michigan in a great top offense vs. top defense pairing. The Huskies also play at Miami in MACtion November 19 as while a MAC title is likely out of the picture, NIU could play a role in determining who gets to Detroit.
Buffalo Bulls 4-4 overall 2-2 MAC
Not much was expected out of the Bulls this season, but Buffalo has played four of the best teams in the MAC so far and is 2-2, beating Northern Illinois and Toledo and giving MAC leader Western Michigan a great scare in a comeback attempt in late October. In the most recent game, the Bulls were blown out at Ohio, but two defensive scores against the Bulls contributed to the lopsided final. Buffalo had 383 yards despite only 16 points in that game as this is a team that can move the ball. Quarterback C.J. Ogbonna has taken a lot of sacks but has only two interceptions while Buffalo has averaged nearly 200 rushing yards per game in the past three games, well over the season average of just 142 yards per game. The Bulls seem like a long shot to climb into the MAC race, but the remaining schedule is favorable playing Akron, Ball State, Eastern Michigan, and Kent State as this is a team capable of finishing strong to earn a surprise bowl bid.
Eastern Michigan Eagles 5-3 overall 2-2 MAC
Losing last week at Akron kills any chance of making a championship run for the Eagles at 2-2 with a very difficult remaining MAC schedule. Eastern Michigan is a tough matchup as one of the fastest tempo teams in the nation however and the Eagles are capable of an upset down the stretch to shake-up the conference race. Eastern Michigan needs one more win to be bowl eligible, though the best wins of the season came vs. Jacksonville State and Central Michigan. The Eagles have made six bowl games in the past eight years for an impressive showing from Chris Creighton, who inherited a program in shambles. Cole Snyder has thrown for over 1,800 yards as the most prolific passer in the conference and he has had back-to-back 300 yard passing games and has just two interceptions this season in 272 attempts. The Eagles are one of the worst defensive teams in the conference and the nation, including allowing 7.2 yards per play the past three games, but winning an exciting shootout in MAC play at some point in November seems like a strong possibility for this group.
Ball State Cardinals 3-5 overall 2-2 MAC
Ball State looked like one of the worst teams in the nation in September, getting an opening FCS win over Missouri State in dramatic fashion and then taking blowout non-conference losses to Miami and James Madison by a combined score of 125-7, surrounding a MAC opening loss at Central Michigan. Ball State’s MAC games have all been decided by three or fewer points and while the Cardinals are likely to be an underdog in every remaining game, this is a team playing better than the season valuation. Ball State lost by only 10 at Vanderbilt a few weeks ago and last week upset Northern Illinois, putting up 25 points and 392 yards on the top MAC defense. A bowl game is a long shot for the Cardinals with a difficult remaining schedule, but freshman quarterback Kadin Semonza has shown significant improvement and has no interceptions in his last three games. Ball State will be in the Tuesday spotlight for the next two weeks and could be an intriguing play-on team moving forward.