MAC Blogger Roundtable

We are back for our weekly mind-bending exercise this week, as the collective wisdom of the MAC Blogger roundtable answers queries brought forth this week by Carter Adler of Eagle Totem.

1. What team and what player has been the biggest upside (better than expected) surprise so far? What team and what player has been the biggest disappointment so far?

In terms of the positive side, I would say that Bowling Green and Ball State have been the most pleasant surprises among teams, and among players, I propose Matt Schilz and Eugene Cooper just to lend a Falcon perspective and then add Tyler Tettleton from OU.

On the downside, I would say Kent is the biggest disappointment.  They weren't terrible last year and I really thought Hazell would get immediate results.  Which he has.  They are a lot worse.  Also, it is a surprise to me that CMU is not getting any better.  Perhaps Fire up Chips was right about Enos last year.    I hate to label players as disappointments.  I guess I thought Ryan Radcliffe would be doing more by now.

2. Evaluate your team's performance, relative to your pre-season expectations?

I am pleasantly surprised at the Falcons performance so far.  This team was very young and picked to finish near the bottom of the East, but has already beaten the team the media picked to win the East.  While BG is very young, they are playing well and I have high optimism for 2012 and beyond.

3. What is one key thing you'll be watching for over the next four games?

A BG win.  This is by far the toughest part of our schedule.  One win in the four games would be nice, two would be huge.  In the broader MAC, the Temple-UT game should be a donnybrook.

4. Although the PAC-12 seems to have put the breaks to the whole affair for now, how do you see conference realignment affecting the MAC?


I don't see much impact.  If the teams get to 4 superconferences, then I believe they will institute a playoff and cut the other schools out of the competition and the revenue stream.  Unlike some previous realignments, this one is all about consolidation and not about anyone getting called up from the chorus line into the show.  I suppose a MAC school could end up in Conference USA if they wanted.

5. If you could pick two (at least somewhat realistic) teams to join the MAC for football as a result of conference realignment or advancement from a lower division, what teams would you pick?

The most logical one would be Western Kentucky but as I recall, they already turned the MAC down once.  With no idea about I-AA teams that want to move up, let's figure Austin Peay and Dayton.  If you want to add a new media market, how about Fordham, Duquesne, Towson, or Richmond.

6. Rank 'em.

1. Temple
2. UT 
3. OU 
4. NIU
5. WMU
6. Ball State
7. BG
8. Miami 
9. CMU
10. Buffalo
11. Kent 
12. EMU
13. Akron