Welcome to Week 2: Your Saturday MAC Sheet
All the games, all the spreads, and our predictions.
We’ve got a handful of interesting games today, most with double-digit spreads, and our friends in the Mid-American Conference are not on the wrong side of all of them! Let’s take a look at a full slate of Saturday MACtion.
VMI @ Kent State (-19.5)
11:30 AM, ESPN3
What happened last week:
The VMI Keydets (1-0), ranked #18 in the FCS and defending champions of the Southern Conference, opened their season by thumping last spring’s Pioneer Football League champs, Davidson, 45-24. Redshirt sophomore QB Seth Morgan tossed a pair of TDs, senior RB Korey Bridey rushed for 68 yards and VMI led by 28 points midway through the fourth quarter before Davidson cashed in a pair of meaningless TDs.
Keydets coach Scott Wachenheim was pleased.
“Our defense runs to the ball well and I thought they did a good job of tackling in the game for the most part,” he told reporters after the game. “I liked that they were aggressive and they were physical against a very physical opponent. Offensively, when we are executing on all cylinders we're very difficult to stop and I thought we executed at a decent level for an opening ballgame. Our big-time players stepped up and made big-time plays. I liked the fast start we got out to. That was something we really emphasized in training camp."
Kent State (0-1) had a tougher go of it, falling 41-10 to #5 Texas A&M.
Look, it didn’t go great for the Golden Flashes—QBs Dustin Crum and Collin Schlee combined to go 14-for-30 for 110 yards and two INTs. While Kent State actually ran the ball pretty well, posting 226 yards on the ground, the Aggies, in turn, ran for 303. A&M turned the ball over five times—five times!—and still won by 31 points.
But the Flashes did come away with some grudging respect from the A&M community. As the writers at Good Bull Hunting noted:
This game was fine. Like...it was just...fine. We did what we were supposed to do and covered a 4 TD spread against an overmatched team...and in some ways we did it pretty well. Kent State averaged 323 passing yards and 262 rushing yards last year, and we held then well below both of those averages. We racked up 600 yards of offense behind a first year starting QB and a retooled OL. Those are all good things.
But we also didn't look great for big portions of the game. That second quarter was pretty bad—0 points and 2 turnovers. But again we pulled it out and ran away with the game in the second half on the back of solid talent and adjustments.
It was fine. And I hate to say that given that we won by 30. But fine is fine for game 1 with this team. Fine gives us room to grow and room to work on things before next week.
What to watch this week:
Can Kent State turn on the #FLASHfast offense and put some serious points on the board? Will Dustin Crum rebound from a miserable performance? Can Elvis Hines, who had two picks last week, and the Kent secondary shut down WR Jakob Herres, last season’s Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year?
We predict:
Kent State won its last four home openers, but failed to cover the spread in three of its last five games against FCS opponents—and VMI is no joke. The Flashes win, but the Keydets cover that fat 19.5-point spread.
Miami (Ohio) @ Minnesota (-18)
Noon, ESPNU
What happened last week:
Minnesota (0-1) led #3 Ohio State at halftime before falling, 45-31. Adding injury to insult was the loss of senior RB Mo Ibrahim, a second-team All American who had 163 rushing yards and two TDs before suffering an apparent season-ending Achilles injury. His Golden Gopher career is likely over as he’ll rehab for a leap to the NFL.
Miami (0-1), on the other hand, was flat-out whipped by #8 Cincinnati. RedHawks coach Chuck Martin essentially shrugged his shoulders at the result.
“They were very well-prepared," Martin said. "They executed on both sides of the ball… When you're less talented and you don't execute, you're looking at 35-0 by halftime.” Such is life.
The Associated Press added that “Miami scored on its 11th possession with 3:20 left in the game on a 19-yard run by Kenny Tracy. Prior to breaking the shutout, the Redhawks had 10 possessions, six ended in punts. Four possessions ended on downs, with two of them inside the Cincinnati 20. Miami head coach Chuck Martin passed up field goal opportunities.” No one can say Chuck wasn’t trying!
What to watch this week:
Miami has a brutal non-conference schedule, but is still considered a legit contender in the MAC East. The RedHawks have 13 starters from 2019’s MAC championship team and got 80 yards from freshman Keyon Moses on the ground against Cincy.
The Bearcats have the 16th ranked offense in FBS; Minnesota is 61st. That said, Cincy landed in the top 20 by beating up the Miami defense, which has 10 returning starters from 2020, when the RedHawks’ defense was ranked 57th in the country by Football Outsiders.
We predict:
Look, Miami travels to Minnesota this week, gets a glorified scrimmage against LIU next week, and then hits the road again for what are always brutal games with Army. By the end of this month, we’ll know if the RedHawks can stop the run, that’s for damn sure. Half the defense may also be injured.
Even with Ibrahim out, I just don’t think the RedHawks can hang with a Big 10 team that put a scare into the Buckeyes. I’d take Minnesota, even with the 18-point spread.
Wyoming @ Northern Illinois University (+7)
1:30 PM, ESPN+
What happened last week:
NIU (1-0) beat Georgia Tech on an absolutely ballsy two-point conversion in the final seconds of the game to pull off a road upset. QB Rocky Lombardi was 12-for 17 for 136 yards and two TDs, while Harrison Waylee ran for 144 yards in the win. LB Lance Devaux Jr. racked up 12 total tackles.
“I know the toughness of our team, and the harder you work, the harder it is to surrender,” NIU Coach Thomas Hammock said after the game. “We were not gonna quit, we were not gonna give up, we were going to find a way to make a play and those kids did that.”
Wyoming (1-0) clipped #11 FCS squad Montana State, 19-16, in its home opener.
“The Wyoming Cowboys and Montana State Bobcats waged a war of wills against each other on Saturday in Wyoming's War Memorial Stadium,” GoWyo.com reported. “In the end, it was an eight-play, 75-yard drive by the Cowboys that gave Wyoming a 19-16 lead with only 47 seconds remaining in the game to give UW the victory. Montana State fought to the very end, running out of time on its final possession of the game at the Wyoming 40-yard line…
“Individually, (QB Sean) Chambers ended the day completing 15 of 26 passes (.577) for 196 yards, 1 TD pass and 1 interception. (RB Xazavian) Valladay led Wyoming in rushing, carrying the ball 19 times for 77 yards and 1 TD run. Chambers added 51 yards rushing. Chambers spread the ball around, connecting with eight different receivers for his 15 completions. The Pokes top pass catcher was wide receiver Eberhardt, who caught a team high four passes for 71 yards...Outstanding middle linebackers Chad Muma fdidn't disappoint, (ending) the game with 11 tackles... Muma added one fumble recovery, one blocked field goal, a huge sack and 2.0 tackles for loss.”
A war of wills! WHO WANTS IT MORE, GENTLEMEN.
What to watch this week:
Are either of these teams actually any good? Wyoming is #52 in team defense, allowing over 350 yards per game; NIU is #96 after giving up 429 yards to a Georgia Tech team playing without its star QB, Jeff Sims, for the entire second half. The Cowboys’ offense seems a bit more dynamic, and while I apologized for smack-talking Rocky Lombardi last week, I just don’t think he’s a very good QB.
We predict:
Wyoming doesn’t travel well, and is 2-8 in its last 10 road games—and are they really a full TD better than NIU? I’d stay away from this one, but if I had to choose, I’d take the Huskies, who picked off what was supposed to be an improved GA Tech squad.
Duquesne @ Ohio (-28.5)
2 PM, ESPN3
What happened last week:
Ohio (0-1) laid a big ol’ egg is what happened last week. With a great opportunity to beat a down-and-out Syracuse team—an ACC squad with a coach on an increasingly warm seat—the Bobcats played with the sense of urgency of a tree sloth on ketamine. Ohio lost, 29-9, in its home opener.
Reading Keith Gregorski’s write-up on SB Nation, however, you’d think it was a fine old time for the Bobcat gang: the o-line was great! The running game was fine! Passing will improve! The secondary was swell! But, oops, we gave up 283 yards rushing and lost by 20 to a bad Orange team. Otherwise, heck of an effort, boys.
Duquesne was stomped, 45-3, by TCU. Gotta make that money and play the patsy sometimes. Unfortunately, that means you can also get a little bloodied and bruised. Writes Nubyjas Wilborn of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
The Dukes won’t have usual starting quarterback Joe Mischler, who threw for 1,195 yards and nine touchdowns during Duquesne’s 4-1 2020-21 spring season. Mischler was hurt during the first quarter, bringing Darius Perrantes in the game. Perrantes threw a 37-yard pass to Cyrus Holder, setting up (K Brian) Bruzdewicz for the field goal.
“I think Darius is very level-headed doesn’t get too excited,” (Dukes coach Jerry) Schmitt said. “I also think he has a powerful arm. He’s continuing to learn our system, so that’s why we’ve simplified offense.”
Duquesne has 17 all-NEC preseason players and is consistently one of the best programs in the conference with five NEC titles since 2011. Schmitt has a 102-69 record in his 17 seasons at Duquesne. He knows playing two FBS opponents for the second time in four seasons isn’t easy.
“You always learn in any first game, but it was stepped up playing an FBS team like TCU,” he said. “We learned it the hard way that if you make any mistakes, they’re going to capitalize. So it was enough for us to play a team with that kind of size, speed, strength, and depth. But then it multiplied itself because of some of the mistakes that we made. We’re able to correct them this week.”
What to watch this week:
Will the Bobcats awake from their catnap? Does playing a backup FCS QB guarantee a 28.5-point cover? Does first-year coach Tim Albin get his first win?
“A game without any touchdowns whatsoever is unacceptable to Albin,” writes Jack Gleckler of The Post-Athens. Well, good!
“The Bobcats were handed plenty of chances but were unable to capitalize,” Gleckler continues. “Albin wants the offense to be more aggressive going forward. ‘We had opportunities, and for us to beat a school like that, we're going to have to make some plays, and we have to take some chances,’ Albin said.’”
We predict:
I just can’t do it. I’m taking Duquesne and the points. Prove me wrong, Ohio. Prove me wrong.
Toledo @ Notre Dame (-17)
2:30 PM, Peacock
What happened last week:
We all saw it: Notre Dame blew an 18-point fourth quarter lead before winning on an OT field goal. Probably none of us saw this: Toledo beat the doors off of Norfolk State, 49-10.
What to watch this week:
Compare last week’s numbers between these two teams, and they are similar in many ways:
Toledo scored 49 points, ND scored 41.
Toledo had 441 yards on offense, Notre Dame 431.
Notre Dame threw for significantly more yards—366 to 236—but Toledo out-rushed the Irish 205 to 65.
The big difference was in yards allowed, where Notre Dame was gashed for 442 on defense, while the Rockets gave up only 272.
The other big difference: Notre Dame played Florida Freaking State in Tallahassee and Toledo had a home game against a bad FCS team. Yes, Toledo is supposed to be a MAC West contender this year, but Notre Dame, if things break right, could be in the FBS Playoff again.
The Irish did have a nasty habit of letting mediocre teams stick around last year, but I really like the way Jack Coan moves the ball in a way Ian Book and his gaudy numbers couldn’t quite match. He was inaccurate, people! I don’t care what the numbers said.
We predict:
The Irish win big, maybe after a close first half. Notre Dame to cover.
Robert Morris @ Central Michigan (-38.5)
3 PM, ESPN3
What happened last week:
CMU (0-1) lost, 34-24, to Missouri in a game that was almost shockingly close. Mitch Vosburg of Central Michigan Life had a great piece, and here’s a sample:
2 The number of quarterbacks ranked ahead of (CMU’s) Jacob Sirmon in ESPN’s Top 300 list. Those quarterbacks were Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields, who were both selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
7 The number of combined third downs converted. CMU finished 6-of-18. The Tigers converted just one of their 11 third down opportunities.
101 The Number of first-half rushing yards for Lew Nichols III. The Detroit Cass Tech alum also had a touchdown off 12 carries and finished with 135 yards on the day.
150 The number of first half yards by Missouri after its opening drive. The Tigers were out-gained 294-225 by CMU in the opening two quarters.
CMU was in this one! Some timely mistakes cost them the game, but going into an SEC house and putting on a show as a two-TD underdog shows a little something.
FCS Robert Morris, on the other hand, apparently has a football team. It’s season opener was cancelled due to pandemic concerns.
Some notes from RMUColonials.com:
- The Colonials are led by Bernard Clark, Jr., who is in his fourth season leading the Colonials with the 2021 fall season. In his first head coaching position, Clark was named the 2019 Northeast Conference (NEC) Co-Coach of the Year and owns an overall record of 9-17 (.346).
- According to a poll of Big South head coaches and a media panel, the Colonials were picked to finish eighth in the league for the 2021 fall season. Senior linebacker Aniello Buzzacco was named to the 2021 Big South Football Preseason All-Conference Team.
- Returning under center for RMU this fall is redshirt senior quarterback George Martin. In 23 career games, Martin has completed 50.6 percent (161-for-318) of his attempts for 2,093 yards and 10 touchdowns.
We predict:
Feels like the Chippewas are going to be eager to blow someone out after that near-miss with Mizzou, and Robert Morris (0-0) is coming off an 0-3 spring season. The Colonials were pretty decent (7-5) in 2019, but that’s over two years ago now—and it was the program’s only winning season since 2010. Chips with the points.
Akron @ Temple (-6.5)
3:30 PM, ESPN3
What happened last week:
I am morbidly attracted to this game the way one watches a funeral procession or the remnants of a car crash.
Is Akron (0-1) as bad as it looked in its 60-10 loss to #25 Auburn, a game about which Jack Condon wrote, “Auburn had absolutely no trouble with the Akron Zips tonight in Bryan Harsin’s first game, as the Tigers rolled easily 60-10 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Tigers looked exceptionally clean and prepared for a season opener, while the starters made hardly any mistakes and scored on every drive they ran. Auburn didn’t punt until the final minutes of the third quarter, and the team exhibited a business-like focus and got started quickly and efficiently.” Auburn, I should add, is considered to be down this season.
But Temple...the Owls were demolished by Rutgers (!), 61-14, in a game postponed two days by Hurricane Ida.
“RU forced the Owls into many more miscues on the day including five turnovers and was able to capitalize throughout the game. Special teams play was excellent as well,” wrote Aaron Breitman of On The Banks.com. “Overall, Rutgers outgained Temple in total yards by a margin of 365-261 but it was the +5 turnover margin that was the big difference. RU did average 4.5 yards per carry and finished with 220 rushing yards while holding a 21-12 advantage with first downs…
”The two most impressive stats of the game were Rutgers only committing 1 penalty for 15 yards and having zero turnovers. That shows tremendous discipline in just the first contest of the 2021 campaign. Playing mistake free football is a major key to Rutgers improving on its 3-6 record from last season. While (QB Noah) Vedral and the offense struggled at times, costly mistakes were avoided. This is a huge takeaway from the victory. ...In the opening game of the 2021 season, Rutgers dominated an FBS opponent in a way they haven’t in years.”
Getting demolished by Rutgers is like...getting demolished by Rutgers. How does that even happen? At least Akron lost to a legit SEC team.
What to watch this week:
Who plays QB for Akron?
“(T)here are a couple of things that can be pointed to that provide the Zips some optimism for the future and the season going forward,” wrote George M. THomas of the Akron Beacon-Journal. “The first is the play of 6-foot-6, 215-pound quarterback D.J. Irons. Irons completed 13-of-13 passes for 129 yards and a touchdown. Irons came in after Auburn had the game well in hand with a 53-0 lead. He engineered two scoring drives. On his first as a Zip, he found running back Jonzell Norrils for a 4-yard touchdown. He again helped put points on the board in the form of a 40-yard field goal by Cory Smigel with his second drive. Irons’ efforts led to the Zips not being shut out on national television and he certainly showed some of what he displayed in training camp.”
Does Tom Arth pull the trigger (a sensitive subject, perhaps, with star RB Teon Dollard off the team on firearms charges, and who could have helped since the Zips ran for -3 yards) and replace QB Kato Nelson with Irons? Or was Irons just a flash in the pan playing against Auburn’s benchwarmers? We shall see.
We predict:
College Football News is all over Temple for this game, with Pete Fiutak claiming “Temple will finally get to have some fun. That was a miserable performance against Rutgers after a 1-6 2020 and losing four of its last seven games in 2019. The offense won’t be perfect, but it’ll run well, the defense will start to look the part, and even with a few mistakes and turnovers, there won’t be a whole lot of drama against a punchless Akron attack.”
Not so fast, Mr. Fiutak (dons the head of Zippy, the Akron mascot, a la Lee Corso). I believe Irons will either get the start or come in early for a struggling Nelson and help keep this game close, if not pull out the victory over a Temple team that has not recovered from its own success: the loss of former coach Matt Rhule and six former Owls to the Carolina Panthers. I’m taking Akron and the points in a stinker.
Buffalo @ Nebraska (-14.5)
3:30 PM, Big Ten Network
I’m on the record taking Buffalo at +13.5, and the damn line slid by a point in the last day. Still feel good about it! The Bulls are ranked higher (56) than Illinois (78) on ESPN’s FPI index, and the Illini took out the Huskers (in fairness, the Huskers kind of took out themselves, too). Nebraska tneeded to warm up for a half to even beat up Fordham, and they have to worry about Oklahoma next week. I’m calling a Buffalo win outright.
Ball State @ Penn State (-22)
3:30 PM, Fox Sports 1
What happened last week:
Defending MAC champ Ball State went up against Western Illinois as 22-point favorites and ended up tied with the Fighting Leathernecks early in the third quarter until breaking away with a 17-point run. Western cashed in a late and somewhat meaningless touchdown to close the scoring at 31-21, but it was still a bit of a flat start for the Cardinals.
So how do you spin this? Ball State, with 20 returning starters, made a big deal of its youth. From Ian Hansen of Ball State Daily:
Redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Tavion Woodard got his first two career sacks in two consecutive plays. Freshman running back Carson Steele scored his first career touchdown. Junior cornerback Nic Jones picked up his first career interception. Redshirt senior Jake Chanove kicked his first career field goal.
It was also the first game of the season for Ball State Football (1-0). There were a lot of firsts for the Cardinals in their 31-21 win against Western Illinois. Head Coach Mike Neu said he knows the importance of younger players stepping up.
It’s very important,” (Head coach Mike) Neu said. “When you play a season of football, injuries are going to happen. They work really hard in the offseason, the young players work really hard in the weight room, they work really hard on the practice field. and it's good to see those guys capitalize when they got some snaps in the game. We're fortunate to have good depth here and to see some of those guys step up and deliver in different situations and critical moments.
OK, great, but you still struggled to put away an FCS team that went 1-5 last spring and is 7-23 over the past three seasons. A win’s a win, unless you’re playing the spread.
I’m sure Ball State, with experienced QB Drew Plitt, the RB combo of Will Jones and Carson Steele, WRs Justin Hall and Yo’Heinz Tyler, and a defense led by four All-MAC LBs, will be just fine this season. They’ve won eight games in a row, including upsets over UB in last year’s MAC championship and San Jose State in the Arizona Bowl.
But do you want to bet on them to cover against Penn State?
The #11 Nittany Lions (1-0) struggled last week, albeit against #18 Wisconsin rather than a stumbling FCS program.
“Penn State’s offense was anything but dynamic in the first half last weekend at Wisconsin, gaining a meager 43 total yards and one first down,” wrote Rich Scarcella of The Reading (Pa.) Eagle. “Noah Cain and other running backs kept encouraging the offensive linemen on the sideline, telling them to stay the course despite the struggles. ‘The whole offense, we were thinking too fast,’ Cain said. ‘Once we settled down we started to get things going.’ With Cain playing a leading role, the Nittany Lions gained 254 yards in the second half against a traditionally strong defense and beat the Badgers 16-10 in their opener.”
Penn State QB Sean Clifford finished 18-of-33 for 247 yards and one TD with a 127.4 rating, numbers that were (small sample size!) well below his career averages.
“Depending on when you turned on Penn State’s game against Wisconsin on Saturday, you may think Sean Clifford either had a horrendous game or that he’s well on his way to the Davey O’Brien Award,” Scarcella added in The Morning Call. “Of note, Clifford did not turn the ball over in the game, something that can’t be said for Wisconsin signal caller Graham Mertz, a fact that likely decided the outcome. The final stat line for Clifford is largely indicative of what he seems to be as a college quarterback. Not quite a game-changer, but more than a game manager. A player that will wow you one play and make you pull your hair out the next.”
It’s also worth noting Ball State gave up 367 passing yards last week. This may be a get-right game for Clifford and a Penn State offense that wasn’t exactly awful against a tough Wisconsin defense last week.
What to watch this week:
Ball State’s been playing the role of giant-killers; can they slay the Nittany Lions (or at least the 22-point spread) in Happy Valley? That’ll call for a big game from Plitt, Hall, and Tyler—the Badgers only managed 185 passing yards in its loss to Penn State.
Can the Cardinals do better against the Lions, who will be playing without LB Keith Ellis for the first half courtesy of a targeting call against Wisconsin?
Lawrence Santa Maria of Victory Bell Rings expounds on this particular issue:
Ball State wide receiver Justin Hall is the active FBS leader in receptions and can quickly become a nightmare for the Nittany Lions if the secondary isn’t careful.
The five-foot-nine, 186 pound Hall has 265 receptions for 2,909 yards in his career and picked up where he left off in week one against Western Illinois, hauling in eight passes for 137 yards and two scores.
Coming into the season this looked to be potentially the best secondary Penn State Football has had during Franklin’s tenure, and they played like it against Wisconsin, allowing only 185 yards while intercepting two Graham Mertz passes.
They held the leading Badger wide receiver Danny Davis to eight catches for 99 yards.
Hall is the type of player that can single handedly keep the Cardinals in this game Saturday but did have his struggles the last time he faced power five competition. Back in 2019 they opened the season with Indiana and he caught only six passes for 39 yards in a loss.
Look for Penn State Football to be rotating a lot of bodies in the secondary to keep guys fresh and get some younger players more reps, but they must know where Hall is at all times on the field, because he is there one true game changer on offense.
Great points, all.
Finally: can Penn State, which eked out 50 yards on the ground against Wisconsin, run on Ball State’s stingy defense, which allowed only 70 rushing yards to Western Illinois?
We predict:
Twenty-two points is a lot, man, and it’s hard to believe Ball State will be as rusty against a big-time opponent like Penn State as they were with Western Illinois. That said, Penn State is a dark horse national playoff contender, playing in its likely-to-be-insane home opener. The Lions need to lay a whipping on a MAC opponent before facing Auburn next week. I don’t see Penn State losing this one, and expect them to pull away late to cover. I’m personally staying away from this one, though; three TDs may be a little much.
South Alabama @ Bowling Green (+14)
4 PM, ESPN+
What happened last week:
Bowling Green (0-1) handed America a bad beat by collecting a Marcus Pierce fumble in the final three minutes of its 38-6 loss when Tennessee seemed destined to score a spread-covering TD. Thanks, guys.
South Alabama slapped Southern Mississippi, 31-7, in its home opener. Consider these notes from that big win:
The Jaguar defense recorded four takeaways while limiting Southern Mississippi to just 258 total yards in South's season-opening victory last weekend, a figure that included surrendering only 27 yards in the second quarter as the Jags scored twice to take command of the contest. Not only was it the second time in the last four games going back to last November that USA has forced the opposition into four turnovers, it was the first occasion since their 2019 debut at 24th-ranked Nebraska that the Jaguars have allowed less than 300 yards against an NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision foe. The unit's four sacks were also the most it has finished with since posting four in a defeat of Coastal Carolina in the 2018 finale.
WR Jalen Tolbert recorded 168 yards — the most in the Sun Belt and the second-highest total in the country the opening week of the season — on just five receptions to help lead South to a 24-point victory over Southern Miss. His first catch of the year went for 49 yards and put the Jaguars on the two-yard line to set up the team's opening score, while his 27-yard reception on USA's initial possession of the second half led to a touchdown and a 21-7 advantage two plays later. Tolbert began the Jags' next drive with a 47-yard catch to help set up a field goal as well, ending the night with the school's all-time record for receiving yards in a career (he now has 1,834) and also having surpassed 100 receptions in his time with the program. It was the fourth time that he has recorded a 100-yard game as a Jaguar, and the second straight year that he has accomplished the feat in USA's first outing of the season.
Senior transfer Jake Bentley accounted for every touchdown scored by the Jag offense in the USM contest, running for one score and throwing for two others, while passing for 269 yards in his Jaguar debut. In fact, after connecting on 17-of-22 (77.3 percent) passes on the night, the quarterback recorded the fifth-highest completion percentage (minimum 10 attempts) in a contest in the school's record books.”
In his first fall at South, Yam Banks was credited with two stops in seven appearances; not only did he surpass that total before the end of the third quarter against the Golden Eagles, posting four tackles in all, he ended the night with a pair of forced fumbles as well. It was the first time that an individual in the program has forced multiple fumbles in the same game since Jeremy Reaves — currently a member of the Washington Football Team's practice squad — accomplished the feat on Sept. 23, 2017.
What to look for this week:
Bowling Green lost by 32 points to a pretty average Tennessee team. Still, the Vols are significantly more talented—according to ESPN’s RPI, anyhow—than the Jaguars, and the Falcons did occasionally give Tennessee fits.
“Defensively, the Falcons had what they considered a pretty good game against Tennessee. The glimmer that was the second quarter showcased what BGSU hasn’t been able to display much over the previous two season,” writes Corey Crisan of The Toledo Blade. “Entering the quarter down 14-0, the Falcons’ defense showed resolve in temporarily shutting the door on the Volunteers and quarterback Joe Milton. BGSU’s defense held Tennessee to 13 yards in two possessions that lasted for a combined 2:26. The defense forced one three-and-out and sacked the Michigan transfer Milton once on the final drive of the quarter. Milton threw for 100 yards and a touchdown in the first half, but he completed just one pass for 5 yards in the second quarter.”
Can BGSU get anything going offensively against South Alabama?
“Receiver Austin Osborne was high-school teammates with Falcons quarterback Matt McDonald,” Crison added, “and the two renewed their chemistry in Week 1 at Tennessee. Osborne caught eight passes for 46 yards — both team highs — and Osborne should be a key factor once again Saturday in his Doyt Perry Stadium debut.”
Still, South Alabama held Southern Miss to 258 yards of total offense and forced four turnovers. They’re not going to Ohio looking for a moral victory the way the Falcons did last week in Knoxville.
We predict:
BGSU will be in the game, but just won’t be able to put enough points on the board to cover a two-TD spread. This smells like a 31-14 loss, something along those lines. Sorry, guys.
Illinois State @ Western Michigan (-10.5)
5 PM, ESPN3
What happened last week:
Western Michigan (0-1) got their lunch stolen by Michigan at the Big House, 47-14. Illinois State, the #36 FCS team in the nation, whipped Butler, 49-7, in its home opener.
Patrick Nothaft of mlive.com laid out the truth this week:
Generous helpings of humble pie were on the menu during Western Michigan’s football film sessions this week, as the Bronco players and coaches analyzed what went wrong in Saturday’s 47-14 season-opening loss to Michigan. Missed tackles, poor pass blocking and terrible special teams play were the three ingredients that made this meal especially tough to digest, but the Broncos cleaned their plates in an attempt to the lopsided loss behind them. ...
Up next for the Broncos is an Illinois State team that doesn’t have Michigan’s mystique attached to its program, but the Red Birds are coming off a 49-7 victory over Butler, in which head coach Brock Spack tied the school record for career wins at 86. No. 87 would certainly be an historic achievement for Spack and his Football Championship Subdivision squad, but Illinois State is no stranger to pulling off upsets over Football Bowl Subdivision opponents, with the Red Birds defeating Colorado State in 2018 and Northwestern in 2016, which came one week after WMU edged the Wildcats to open their Cotton Bowl campaign.
What to expect this week:
I’m looking for a big bounce-back from WMU. Things couldn’t have gone much worse for the Broncos last week after a pretty decent first quarter, and the embarrassment of that blowout must have this team a bit more focused than they were on the big trip to Ann Arbor.
Look for QB Kaleb Eleby to show the talent that’s made him a top MAC signal-caller, and, as Ben Epstein of the Western Herald writes, “Early in the contest against Michigan, the Broncos were able to utilize the one-two punch of La’Darius Jefferson and Sean Tyler to charge down the field after giving up a touchdown early. If Western Michigan can properly use it’s uber-talented backfield, it not only keeps Illinois State’s defense reeling but also sets up Kaleb Eleby and Tim Lester to run some RPOs.” I concur.
We predict:
WMU wins by a couple TDs against a game Illinois State squad. We’ve got the Broncos this week.
Eastern Michigan @ Wisconsin (-26)
7 PM, Fox Sports 1
What happened last week:
EMU hung a 35-15 win on FCS St. Francis (Pa.), jumping out to a 35-7 lead before the Frannies added a meaningless eight-point fourth quarter. RB Samson Evans tallied three touchdowns and earned his first career multi-touchdown game.
The Crystal Lake, Ill. native was the first Eagle to score three rushing touchdowns since Preston Hutchison rushed for three scores at Ball State, Nov. 11, 2020. Evans now has four career rushing touchdowns, according to EMUEagles.com, and highly-touted QB Preston Hutchison was able to hand the reins to senior backup Ben Bryant early in this blowout.
Ah, but here comes #18 Wisconsin, losers of a 16-10 grinder to #11 Penn State. Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz threw a pair of late INTs in Nittany Lion territory—including a turnover at the Penn State two-yard line with just over two minutes left in the game.
In general, the Badgers’ defense made Penn State QB Sean Clifford look pretty mediocre (69.3 QBR) and held the Lions to 50 rushing yards—34 of which came on a single Noah Cain run.
What to look for this week:
Frankly, a beatdown. It’s tough to see how EMU is going to be able to move the ball on Wisconsin, and the Eagles defense—stout against FCS St. Francis—ain’t going up against the Red Flash this week.
EMU held the St. Francis to 105 rushing yards last week; Wisconsin’s Chez Mellusi ran for 121 alone against Penn State, a team that had a top-50 defense in 2020, a season considered in Happy Valley to be a massive disappointment.
We predict:
Always a little leery of these big spreads, but this feels like a breakout game for the Wisconsin offense in front of a hysterical Camp Randall crowd.