2015 Season Prediction Thread

[BoiseStateFan27]

Bowling Green Falcons




Preview: You want Maction? Well Bowling Green could single-handedly bring it to you this year. Last year was Bowling Green’s first year under Dino Babers and his “FalconFast” offense, they did not have the easiest of times adjusting to it though, as QB Matt Johnson was hurt after their first game, and the backup James Knapke was good at times but struggled in the offense in others, this year Johnson returns and Bowling Green has some more help at QB with 4 star freshman James Morgan. Rbs Travis Greene and Fred Coppet both are talented running backs and return this year. Bowling Green also returns their top 4 receivers from last year, as well as getting Chris Gallon back who was a talented receiver but has missed about the past year and a half thanks to injuries, Bowling Green also brings in Baylor transfer Robbie Rhodes to finish off what is probably the most loaded group of receivers inside the group of 5 conferences. The offensive line will return 4 of 5 starters from what was a good line last year, and is likely one of the best in the conference again this year. The defense meanwhile was awful last year, highlighted by giving up 68 points to Wisconsin, a new defensive coordinator is in after one year, as Bowling Green brought in Brian Ward from Western Illinois, who mysteriously somehow held Melvin Gordon to 38 yards on 10 carries last year. The defensive line loses 3 starters, but is still big and deep, and is the strongest unit of the defense, all the linebackers from last year are gone, and so are a lot of players in the secondary, which was already taking big losses prior to CB Nate Johnson, who was great as a freshman, got arrested and chances are won’t be with the team this year. So as you can see with this combination, Bowling Green will be in a lot of high scoring shootouts this year, they should be successful though. The schedule isn’t easy though, the non-conference is very tough with games against 3 power 5 teams and a Memphis team that won 10 games last year. Bowling Green should win the Mac East, and that will give them an excellent opportunity to win the Mac championship, an improvement on last year’s record is likely despite the schedule.

Predictions:

Sept. 5 Tennessee (Nashville) : Bowling Green will at least score some points in this game, but they will not be able to stop Tennessee, Bowling Green will almost certainly lose. L

Sept. 12 @ Maryland: Bowling Green will put up a good fight in this game, but having to play an entirely healthy Maryland won’t be easy and by the way this will be a shootout too with both teams running fast paced offenses, and Bowling Green gets edged out. L

Sept. 19 Memphis: Memphis is replacing a lot on what was a good defense, so the door is open for Bowling Green to score a lot of points in this game, they barely outscore Memphis in this game for a win. W

Sept. 26 @ Purdue: Purdue being a power 5 opponent is using the term lightly, but Bowling Green still won’t have it easy, they do get past them in a shootout though. W

Oct. 3 @ Buffalo: With Buffalo having improved coaching Bowling Green doesn’t have the easiest of times in this one, but they do still escape with the win. W

Oct. 10 Massachusetts: Yet another shootout, Bowling Green outscores UMass in this game. W

Oct. 17 Akron: This is one where Bowling Green doesn’t have the best of times scoring but their defense has one of its better matchups of the year allowing Bowling Green to still win. W

Oct. 24 @ Kent State: This will be a tough one for Bowling Green, Kent State is improved this year, but Bowling Green still outscores them for a win. W

Nov. 4 Ohio: Bowling Green downs Ohio after a long bye week. W

Nov. 11 @ Western Michigan: This will be tough game for Bowling Green, their offense struggles with Western Michigan’s defense and they are beaten in a close game. L

Nov. 17 Toledo: Bowling Green can’t seem to beat Toledo lately, they end up losing again. L

Nov. 24 @ Ball State: Bowling Green blows out Ball State in this one. W

Record: 8-4(6-2)

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

Buffalo Bulls




Preview: Last season was a major disappointment for the Buffalo Bulls, coming off a bowl the season before they were up against a much easier schedule as despite the losses of Branden Oliver and all world Khalil Mack, Buffalo was expecting to stay in bowl contention thanks to the easier schedule, well they disappointed, Buffalo was off to a 3-4 start, it was a pretty bad 3-4 start, they had lost to Army, barely beat Duquesne and Miami of Ohio, and worst of all they had just laid a complete egg against Eastern Michigan, Jeff Quinn was immediately fired after that Eastern Michigan loss, Buffalo could still have reached bowl eligibility had they gotten to play their home game against a struggling Kent State, but the game was cancelled thanks to an absurd amount of snow that week. Buffalo ended with a 5-6 record. Now in comes Lance Leipold who had a ridiculous 109-6 record at Wisconsin-Whitewater in Division 3, he obviously will have an adjustment in recruiting scholarship players, but one thing Buffalo is definitely getting is great player development and excellent coaching. There’s some good pieces here, especially on the offense. QB Joe Licata, who already has the school record for career touchdown passes, is back, so is a great RB in Anthone Taylor, yet another great RB for the Buffalo Bulls like Branden Oliver and James Starks before him. The receivers are a solid group who will catch the ball and are overall reliable, but none are explosive players, Ron Willoughby is the top returner and Buffalo gets help from a good UAB transfer in Collin Lisa, tight end Matt Weiser is a good player too. The offensive line is the offenses biggest question, only the tackles return. Buffalo’s defense will undergo a change of scheme, the defensive line will be solid and returns some good experienced players there, linebackers are good too with a top tackler back in Jarrett Franklin, the secondary is pretty experienced two with a good corner duo in Marqus Baker and Boise Ross, overall this defense is one that actually only returns 4 starters but a lot of players who are new starters at least have playing experience. The schedule is alright, non-conference games against Penn State and Nevada are the toughest, and they draw a tricky Central Michigan and always tough Northern Illinois from the West, this schedule is tougher than last year’s but Buffalo having an improvement in coaching will lead to a solid year in bowl eligibility.

Predictions:

Sept. 5 Albany: The Great Danes of Albany aren’t the toughest FCS opponent, but they are a tricky one as they had the best turnover margin in FCS last year, so that does make them a decent threat, but as long as Buffalo dodges turnovers they should roll. W

Sept. 12 @ Penn State: Buffalo won’t be much of a threat to win this game, their solid offense won’t have enough to score on Penn State while Hackenberg will have a lot of success scoring on Buffalo. L

Sept. 19 @ Florida Atlantic: Buffalo’s offense has a lot of success in this one, and their defense locks down Florida Atlantic’s unproven receivers. W

Sept. 26 Nevada: Nevada is replacing a lot this year, but they are still a very challenging matchup, especially for Buffalo who has a bad matchup with Buffalo’s offensive line being unproven and Nevada’s strength being a very good defensive line, Buffalo loses a close one. L

Oct. 3 Bowling Green: Buffalo’s defense will have a tough time with Bowling Green here, while they have some strong corners, Bowling Green is so deep at receiver that Buffalo will struggle to stop all of them, and Buffalo loses. L

Oct. 17 @ Central Michigan: Buffalo gets this game after a bye week, and that works to their advantage, Central Michigan is coming off a tough one against Western Michigan and Buffalo manages to outscore Central Michigan here. W

Oct. 24 Ohio: Buffalo takes down Ohio in a close one. W

Oct. 29 @ Miami(OH): It’s going to be a long year for Miami of Ohio, Buffalo should win. W

Nov. 5 @ Kent State: Buffalo loses a close game to a much improved Kent State: L

Nov. 11 Northern Illinois: Buffalo puts up a great fight in this game, falling just short of a big upset. L

Nov. 21 @ Akron: Buffalo’s offense has a tough time against Akron’s athletic defense, and falls short of the win in a low scoring game. L

Nov. 27 Massachusetts: Buffalo outscores Massachusetts in a high scoring game. W

Record: 6-6(4-4)

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

Central Michigan Chippewas




Preview: No team was in a tougher spot than Central Michigan was this offseason, as very late in the offseason head coach Dan Enos left for the offensive coordinator at Arkansas, and his career at Central Michigan wasn’t great especially when he was following Brian Kelly and Butch Jones there, he saw a more secure position and left. Central Michigan was in a tough spot and hired John Bonamego an alum who has no head coaching experience, he did keep the majority of the staff on to prevent a complete late change from happening, but this will be a challenge as either the coordinators are going to have to adapt to his ways or he will have to adapt to theirs, either way Central Michigan has one challenge already. The offense has some challenges too, QB Cooper Rush a junior returns after a good year last year, he is most well-known for his performance in the Bahamas bowl when he nearly led Central Michigan back from a 49-14 4th quarter deficit and went 28-45 493 yards and 7 touchdowns, one of the best passing displays in college football history, at least statistically, remember Western Kentucky’s defense was terrible last year. RB will undergo some change as Saylor Lavallii is gone, but Devon Spalding earned playing time as a freshman last year and is now the starter. Central Michigan is really going to miss WR Titus Davis who was incredible, he set school career records for touchdown receptions and receiving yards, and keep in mind star NFL receiver Antonio Brown went here, Thomas Rawls a former Michigan transfer who was great for this team is also gone. Jesse Kroll was a solid possession receiver and is the leading returning receiver so Central Michigan hopes he can become the top guy. The offensive line returns 3 starters including center Nick Beamish who is set to be a 4 year starter and is one of the better centers in college football. The defense was pretty good last year, and the defensive line returns all its starters, the linebackers are the biggest question with all their starters gone there, but the secondary returns about everyone too. This is a tough team to predict, the sudden offseason change along with losing some playmakers could drop this team into turmoil, or they could adjust and have a good year, Bonamego does plan running an extremely fast paced offense this year so regardless when Central Michigan starts playing on weekdays I recommend watching them.

Predictions:

Sept. 3 Oklahoma State: Yes Central Michigan actually hosts Oklahoma State in one of the weirdest contests this year, Central Michigan will get blown out though. L

Sept. 12 Monmouth: I honestly didn’t know Monmouth played football until I did this, they were mediocre last year at the FCS level, so Central Michigan should win, and at least have an easier time than they did last year when they went down 16-0 in the first half to Chattanooga and barely came back to win 20-16.

Sept. 19 @ Syracuse: Syracuse isn’t quite as good on defense as they were last year when they dominated Central Michigan’s offense, but this year Central Michigan is still downed by Syracuse. L

Sept. 26 @ Michigan State: Central Michigan will get pummeled in this game. L

Oct. 3 Northern Illinois: Central Michigan stunningly dominated Northern Illinois on the road last year, and it makes me wonder if they may have figured something out against them, so I say they put in one of their best performances of the year and upset Northern Illinois. W

Oct. 10 @ Western Michigan: Unfortunately Central Michigan is unable to follow it up as they are downed by Western Michigan. L

Oct. 17 Buffalo: Central Michigan gets a tricky Buffalo team who has improved coaching and a bye week prior to this game, Central Michigan struggles to pass and is taken down by Buffalo. L

Oct. 24 @ Ball State: Central Michigan struggles again and is beaten by Ball State: L

Oct. 31 @ Akron: Central Michigan’s offense struggles against Akron’s defense and Central Michigan loses. L

Nov. 10 Toledo: Central Michigan will extra time to prepare gives Toledo a really tough time, but Toledo’s skill position players are just too good for Central Michigan. L

Nov. 18 @ Kent State: Central Michigan’s fade continues as they lose to an improved Kent State team. L

Nov. 27 Eastern Michigan: Central Michigan beats Eastern Michigan to at least end the season with a win. W

Record: 3-9(2-6)

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

Eastern Michigan Eagles




Preview: Eastern Michigan had their typical bad season last year, but it was only head coach Chris Creighton’s first year, and at every stop he has won, just not right away, Creighton is a program builder and he has done it at different locations than the usual, so the hope for this program is very high. Last year they won by 3 over Morgan State in the opener, and surprisingly dominated Buffalo at home for their wins, for the most part they were pretty bad. The offense was primarily a running offense and that was because of the emergence of freshman QB Reginald Bell Jr, who was a good dual threat last year, starting the last 6 games, and becoming the team’s leading rusher during that time. There’s a variety of solid runners too, the receivers lack a top receiver but have a good group of targets. The offensive line is a big question though with only one returning starter and a lot of underclassmen. The defense for Eastern Michigan was bad as it couldn’t stop anyone, the defensive line returns some starters but is a really thin position, linebackers is probably the best area on the defense, with some fantastically named linebackers in Ike Spearman, Great Ibe, and Hunter Matt, along with some other good players. The secondary is promising too, but inexperienced which is a concern. For a team like Eastern Michigan the schedule isn’t a good one, they don’t have a FCS opponent to improve their chances of a win, so they need to beat a FBS opponent for one and they play in the Mac West, the tougher division. It will be tough for Eastern Michigan to get a win this year despite improving, but I think they could surprise someone at least.


Predictions:

Sept. 5 Old Dominion: This game is winnable for Eastern Michigan thanks to Old Dominion having a new starting QB, but Old Dominion ends up having too much success running the ball for Eastern Michigan to win. L

Sept. 12 @ Wyoming: Wyoming is a pretty bad matchup for Eastern Michigan, their defense gives Eastern Michigan’s offense a tough time and Eastern Michigan allows Wyoming’s long possessions to result in points. L

Sept. 19 Ball State: Eastern Michigan puts up a good fight but loses to Ball State. L

Sept. 26 Army: Eastern Michigan allows Army’s option offense to dominate possession resulting in a loss. L

Oct.3 @ LSU: Hide your kids, don’t let them see this. L

Oct. 10 Akron: Eastern Michigan can’t score in this one and loses. L

Oct. 17 @ Toledo: Toledo puts up a lot of points in a blowout. L

Oct. 24 @ Northern Illinois: Northern Illinois pummels Eastern Michigan. L

Oct. 29 Western Michigan: Another blowout loss. L

Nov. 7 @ Miami(Oh): Eastern Michigan has a good chance to win this one, but Miami of Ohio’s young talent comes through for a win. L

Nov. 14 Massachusetts: Eastern Michigan pulls a stunner and their young secondary has a good game to stun Massachusetts. W

Nov. 27 @ Central Michigan: Eastern Michigan is pummeled in this one. L

Record: 1-11(1-7)

 

[7Samurai13]

Eastern Michigan Eagles

View attachment 20798


Preview: Eastern Michigan had their typical bad season last year, but it was only head coach Chris Creighton’s first year, and at every stop he has won, just not right away, Creighton is a program builder and he has done it at different locations than the usual, so the hope for this program is very high. Last year they won by 3 over Morgan State in the opener, and surprisingly dominated Buffalo at home for their wins, for the most part they were pretty bad. The offense was primarily a running offense and that was because of the emergence of freshman QB Reginald Bell Jr, who was a good dual threat last year, starting the last 6 games, and becoming the team’s leading rusher during that time. There’s a variety of solid runners too, the receivers lack a top receiver but have a good group of targets. The offensive line is a big question though with only one returning starter and a lot of underclassmen. The defense for Eastern Michigan was bad as it couldn’t stop anyone, the defensive line returns some starters but is a really thin position, linebackers is probably the best area on the defense, with some fantastically named linebackers in Ike Spearman, Great Ibe, and Hunter Matt, along with some other good players. The secondary is promising too, but inexperienced which is a concern. For a team like Eastern Michigan the schedule isn’t a good one, they don’t have a FCS opponent to improve their chances of a win, so they need to beat a FBS opponent for one and they play in the Mac West, the tougher division. It will be tough for Eastern Michigan to get a win this year despite improving, but I think they could surprise someone at least.


Predictions:

Sept. 5 Old Dominion: This game is winnable for Eastern Michigan thanks to Old Dominion having a new starting QB, but Old Dominion ends up having too much success running the ball for Eastern Michigan to win. L

Sept. 12 @ Wyoming: Wyoming is a pretty bad matchup for Eastern Michigan, their defense gives Eastern Michigan’s offense a tough time and Eastern Michigan allows Wyoming’s long possessions to result in points. L

Sept. 19 Ball State: Eastern Michigan puts up a good fight but loses to Ball State. L

Sept. 26 Army: Eastern Michigan allows Army’s option offense to dominate possession resulting in a loss. L

Oct.3 @ LSU: Hide your kids, don’t let them see this. L

Oct. 10 Akron: Eastern Michigan can’t score in this one and loses. L

Oct. 17 @ Toledo: Toledo puts up a lot of points in a blowout. L

Oct. 24 @ Northern Illinois: Northern Illinois pummels Eastern Michigan. L

Oct. 29 Western Michigan: Another blowout loss. L

Nov. 7 @ Miami(Oh): Eastern Michigan has a good chance to win this one, but Miami of Ohio’s young talent comes through for a win. L

Nov. 14 Massachusetts: Eastern Michigan pulls a stunner and their young secondary has a good game to stun Massachusetts. W

Nov. 27 @ Central Michigan: Eastern Michigan is pummeled in this one. L

Record: 1-11(1-7)

You know you suck when you have to pull out a stunner against UMass to go 1-11.

 

[Boise4Life]

You know you suck when you have to pull out a stunner against UMass to go 1-11.

I can't get that image of them out of my head when they came out of the tunnel last season and that player holding the sledgehammer just could not break down that brick wall they had put up. The kid finally decided to give up and the team had to run around it. That shit was hilarious. Eastern Michigan football baby!

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

I can't get that image of them out of my head when they came out of the tunnel last season and that player holding the sledgehammer just could not break down that brick wall they had put up. The kid finally decided to give up and the team had to run around it. That shit was hilarious. Eastern Michigan football baby!

Probably why we let them be the only other FBS team to have a different colored field, we felt bad for them.

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

Kent State Golden Flashes




Preview: Last season was a very rough one for Kent State, they really went through a lot, before the season even began coach Paul Haynes was hospitalized and their starting center suddenly passed away, there were injuries especially on the offensive line and the final road game was cancelled due to a lot of snow. Kent State went 2-9. The offense will have a battle for the QB job between Colin Reardon and Nathan Strock, the running game struggled last year but the leading RB Trayion Durham was lost due to a season ending injury before the year started. Kent State faces a challenge with their top two receivers gone, the offensive line returns several experienced players thanks to last year’s challenges. The defense meanwhile was very young the past two years so this year should be a better year for it, the defensive line wasn’t great but there’s hopes that it will improve. The linebackers could be some of the best in the conference, and the secondary was the best group on the team last year with Nate Holley and Jordan Italiano having great years as safeties while former Ohio State corner Najee Murray was able to make big plays. The schedule is tough out of conference with games against Illinois, Minnesota and Marshall, but the conference schedule isn’t as bad with them being in the east division and they draw Toledo and Central Michigan. Overall after what Kent State went through last year I think they be surprise and improve quite a bit, and contend for bowl eligibility.

Predictions:

Sept. 4 @ Illinois: Illinois had a pretty controversial offseason and Kent State puts up a decent fight here to hint at Illinois’ struggles that are ahead. L

Sept. 12 Delaware State: Delaware State is one of worst FCS opponents you could pick out, Kent State will dominate. W

Sept. 19 @ Minnesota: Kent State struggles to score in this one and loses. L

Sept. 26 Marshall: Kent State is downed by Marshall. L

Oct. 3 Miami(OH) : Kent State dominates Miami of Ohio. W

Oct. 10 @ Toledo: Kent State’s defense struggles to stop Toledo’s good offensive options and their defensive line doesn’t take advantage of Toledo’s new offensive line in a loss. L

Oct. 17 @ Massachusetts: Kent State gets beat by Massachusetts in this game, they cant keep up with their offense. L

Oct. 24 Bowling Green: Another strong offense that Kent State won’t keep up with. L

Nov. 5 Buffalo: The extra time off allows Kent State to regroup and take down Buffalo. W

Nov. 10 @ Ohio: Kent State narrowly loses to Ohio in this matchup. L

Nov. 18 Central Michigan: Kent State’s secondary plays good in this one and they win. W

Nov. 27 @ Akron: Kent State surprises Akron in a low scoring game. W

Record: 5-7(4-4)

 

[7Samurai13]

Probably why we let them be the only other FBS team to have a different colored field, we felt bad for them.

Doesn't some Washington team have a red field? I think a Carolina team has a turquoise one as well.

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

Doesn't some Washington team have a red field? I think a Carolina team has a turquoise one as well.

Both FCS

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

Massachusetts Minutemen




Preview: Massachusetts improved in their first year of the return of Mark Whipple, especially on offense. That allowed them to get to a 3-9 record, that featured several close losses, the worst of which was when UMass blew a 41-14 halftime lead in a 42-41 loss to Miami of Ohio. Overall UMass spend the first half the year finding different ways to lose games before finally winning some towards the end. The offense was good last year, helped with transfer QB Blake Frohnapfel who threw for over 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns in just 10 games, he missed the last two games. The running backs will split carries, and the receivers all return and that includes Tajae Sharpe, who is a star. They will miss TE Jean Sifrin but the offensive line returns all 5 starters. The defensive will be looking to improve with a lot of starters back, and they bring back 3 starters on the defensive line, the linebackers are good especially Jovan Santos-Knox who was first team all-Mac last year. The secondary all return with some players that have been playing since their freshman year. The schedule isn’t favorable when Massachusetts is hoping to make their first ever bowl, 4 of their first 5 games are challenges. Overall Massachusetts will compete for bowl eligibility this year which is a major improvement.

Predictions:

Sept. 12 @ Colorado: Massachusetts has an extra week before the start of their season, it never is entirely advantageous though, Massachusetts puts up a good fight, but comes up short against an improved Colorado. L

Sept. 19 Temple: Massachusetts struggles against Temple’s defense, and ends up losing in a close one. L

Sept. 26 @ Notre Dame: Massachusetts gets blown out in this game. L

Oct. 3 FIU: Massachusetts passes all over FIU in this one, and wins. W

Oct. 10 @ Bowling Green: Bowling Green’s offense will be unstoppable for Massachusetts’ defense, Massachusetts will score a lot too, but will come up short. L

Oct. 17 Kent State: Massachusetts has good offensive success in this game and stops Kent State’s offense for a win. W

Oct. 24 Toledo: Massachusetts won’t be able to keep up with Toledo’s offense in this game, and they lose in a shootout. L

Oct. 31 @ Ball State: Massachusetts does pass all over Ball State in this game, and Ball State fails to keep up. W

Nov. 7 Akron: Massachusetts have some offensive success, and upset Akron. W

Nov. 14 @ Eastern Michigan: After going on a roll UMass goes to a complete halt and lays an egg against Eastern Michigan. L

Nov. 21 Miami(OH) : Massachusetts has a lot of success scoring and dominates Miami of Ohio. W

Nov. 27 @ Buffalo: Massachusetts is beaten by Buffalo in this game. L

Record: 5-7(4-4)

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

Miami of Ohio Redhawks




Preview: Miami of Ohio quietly took a nice step forward in Chuck Martin’s first year, it was quiet because they only won two games, but they improved a whole lot more than that, they had closer than expected losses to Marshall, Cincinnati, Northern Illinois, and Ohio, with more close losses throughout the year, in fact the only times they lost by a lot were to Michigan and Western Michigan. They didn’t improve their record much but they improved, problem is they lose quite a bit, they recruited well but that just means they have talented inexperienced freshmen. The offense was a big part of that improvement, but the problem is QB Andrew Hendrix who followed Martin to Miami from Notre Dame was the one that made the offense go, he is now gone. The running back position is young, but the receivers are pretty good and experienced, the offensive line is a major concern as it’s inexperienced. The defense for Miami returns more starters, and they look good on the front 7 experience wise, and the secondary will badly miss CB Quinten Rollins who is now in the NFL. The schedule isn’t the best for a team that is searching for wins, they at least get Presbyterian out of conference, but they draw Northern Illinois and Western Michigan from the west, but thanks to the odd 13 team alignment instead of getting Bowling Green, Miami gets a break and gets a 3rd game against a west team and they play Eastern Michigan in that game. Miami won’t be as good as last year, but thanks to home games against Eastern Michigan and Presbyterian they could still match last year’s record.

Predictions:

Sept. 5 Presbyterian: They actually went 6-5 last year but played 3 FBS teams last year, Miami should still win though. W

Sept. 12 @ Wisconsin: Miami gets pummeled. L

Sept.19 Cincinnati: Cincinnati’s offense will be unstoppable for Miami, they lose big. L

Sept. 26 @ Western Kentucky: Miami won’t be able to stop Western Kentucky in this one either. L

Oct. 3 @ Kent State: Miami is unable to score much on Kent State and they lose. L

Oct. 10 @ Ohio: Miami gets downed by Ohio. L

Oct. 17 Northern Illinois: Northern Illinois pummels Miami of Ohio. L

Oct. 24 @ Western Michigan: Miami is dominated by Western Michigan. L

Oct. 29 Buffalo: Miami of Ohio will be dominated by Buffalo in this game. L

Nov. 7 Eastern Michigan: Miami of Ohio does finally get a FBS win beating Eastern Michigan. W

Nov. 14 Akron: Miami will lose in a close one here, they keep it close thanks to their defense, but they lose thanks to not being able to score themselves. L

Nov. 27 @ Massachusetts: Massachusetts passes all over Miami in another loss for Miami. L

Record: 2-10(1-7)

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

Northern Illinois Huskies




Preview: The most consistent program in the Mac is Northern Illinois, and the run they have been on is absolutely incredible, the last time Northern Illinois won less than 10 games and didn’t play in the Mac championship is 2009. Last year both were a little under threat, Northern Illinois was off to a 3-2 start and got dominated at home by Central Michigan, but Northern Illinois made a living winning close games, then beating Western Michigan in the battle for the division in the final week, and then destroying Bowling Green for revenge in the Mac championship, they were blown out by Marshall in their bowl game, but an 11-3 season with all they replaced is still good. The offense is a solid, consistent offense, led by QB Drew Hare who really exemplifies the offense, he’s not as talented as the last two QBs Northern Illinois had, but he is solid and doesn’t make too many mistakes, Northern Illinois likes to use multiple RBs, and they return all of them except for Cameron Stingley. They return a good receiver in Juwan Brescacin, and return Tommylee Lewis from injury. The offensive line is a possible concern with only two experienced returning starters having to lead a younger group. The defense was one of the best in the Mac last year, and this year it should still be good, they return more experienced than in years past on the defensive line, and are good and deep at linebacker, the secondary is good too despite the loss of Dechane Durante. The schedule isn’t bad, they will have to suffer their blows against Ohio State, but they get a solid opportunity of beating a power-5 opponent when they play Boston College, they draw Ohio and Buffalo from the East who aren’t the toughest off opponents, but they could be tricky. Overall Northern Illinois is in contention for another appearance in the Mac Championship.

Predictions:

Sept. 5 UNLV: UNLV is in for a rough this year, Northern Illinois should roll. W

Sept. 12 Murray State: Murray State isn’t the best FCS opponent, Northern Illinois has no trouble. W

Sept. 19 @ Ohio State: This is just a blow they will have to take. L

Sept. 26 @ Boston College: Northern Illinois plays good football in this one and comes out with a nice win. W

Oct. 3 @ Central Michigan: Central Michigan may have figured something out last year, I’m going to think that continues and have Central Michigan upsetting them. L

Oct. 10 Ball State: Northern Illinois beats Ball State pretty easily. W

Oct. 17 @ Miami of Ohio: Northern Illinois dominates this game. W

Oct. 24 Eastern Michigan: Another typical blowout win over Eastern Michigan. W

Nov. 3 @ Toledo: Toledo is very talented at the skill positions but Northern Illinois will continue their dominance over Toledo in this game. W

Nov. 11 @ Buffalo: Northern Illinois struggles in this one, but just barely avoids the upset. W

Nov. 18 Western Michigan: Big battle for the division, and Northern Illinois takes it. W

Nov. 24 Ohio: Northern Illinois outlasts Ohio in this game for another win. W

Record: 10-2(7-1)

 

[HuskerinBig10]

I can't get that image of them out of my head when they came out of the tunnel last season and that player holding the sledgehammer just could not break down that brick wall they had put up. The kid finally decided to give up and the team had to run around it. That shit was hilarious. Eastern Michigan football baby!

Had to look it up

CFB AM: Eastern Michigan's attempt to bust block wall ends horribly | FOX Sports

 

[HuskerinBig10]

Doesn't some Washington team have a red field? I think a Carolina team has a turquoise one as well.

I think it is Eastern Washington, Oregon's first opponent for 2015.

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

Ohio Bobcats

Preview: Ohio has dropped off a little bit the past few years after Frank Solich had them at the top of the Mac, it wasn’t long ago that they were good, 2012 they upset Penn State in week one and were off to a 7-0 start as well as receiving a top 25 rankings, then down they went, they suffered through injuries, were upset by Miami which began a run of losing 4 out of 5, before a bowl win, they’ve been dropping since. Last year they fell to 6-6, and weren’t selected for a bowl. The offense returns both QBs that played last year, and it wasn’t the best spot last year, they will be hoping for more consistency there. The running game featured running backs who had problems with fumbles, but eventually AJ Ouellette took over and looks promising for this year, the receivers struggled last year too, but are expected to be better this year. The offensive line returns a lot of experienced players but did have injury issues in the spring. The defensive line looks good starting wise but depth is a concern, the linebackers are the strongest part of Ohio’s defense, Blair Brown, Jovon Johnson and Quentin Poling are all great players. The secondary is a concern especially with injuries in the spring. The schedule has tough non-conference games against Marshall and Minnesota, Ohio draws Northern Illinois, Western Michigan and Ball State from the West which is pretty tough. Overall I think Ohio will hover around the same record this year.

Predictions:

Sept. 3 @ Idaho: Ohio dominates Idaho for a season opening win. W

Sept. 12 Marshall: Ohio struggles to contain Marshall’s offense in this game and loses. L

Sept. 19 SE Louisiana: They were a good fcs team last year, but not as good this year, Ohio should win. W

Sept. 26 @ Minnesota: Ohio will struggle too much to score in this one, they lose. L

Oct. 3 @ Akron: Ohio once again struggles to score and loses a low scoring game. L

Oct. 10 Miami of Ohio: Ohio dominates Miami of Ohio in this game. W

Oct. 17 Western Michigan: Ohio pulls off a needed upset and takes down Western Michigan. W

Oct. 24 @ Buffalo: Ohio loses a close one to Buffalo. L

Nov. 4 @ Bowling Green: Ohio has had a rough time against Bowling Green lately, and their secondary struggles to stop them in a loss. L

Nov. 10 Kent State: Ohio gets past rival Kent State in a close battle. W

Nov. 17 Ball State: Ohio barely beats Ball State. W

Nov. 24 @ Northern Illinois: Ohio puts up a good fight in this game but falls short. L

Record: 6-6(4-4)

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

Toledo Rockets




Preview: Toledo has been under an excellent run under head coach Matt Campbell so far, but Toledo is aiming higher this year, primarily to capture the three things that have eluded them so far under Matt Campbell. The first of those three things is beating a power 5 opponent, Toledo has fallen short of beating power 5 opponents thus far, and they get two this year Arkansas and the much more beatable Iowa State. The second is beating Northern Illinois, whether home or away Toledo has been just incapable of beating the Huskies, they even scored 60 points once in regulation, and still lost! Finally the 3rd can be helped by the second and that is an appearance and victory in the Mac championship. It certainly must be frustrating to Toledo fans that despite them having a nice winning streak over rival Bowling Green the past few years, Bowling Green has accomplished all 3 of these things that Toledo hasn’t in the past two years. The offense is one of the most productive in the Mac, Toledo had injuries at QB throughout the year last year resulting in 3 different starters, and all 3 were effective, Phillip Ely formally of Alabama is expected to be the starter. The running back Kareem Hunt is one of the better rushers in college football, he’s potentially the best in the Mac and he ran for over 1,600 yards last year, including 271 and 5 TD’s in their bowl win. Receivers are great too including senior receiver Alonzo Russell who is a 4 year starter and has over 50 catches each year. The offensive line lost all 5 starters from last year and only has a few guys with experience, this is the part of the team that could bring Toledo down. The defense should be one of the best under Matt Campbell, the defensive line returns 9 experienced players, while the linebackers are the least experienced group, they will at least have Chase Murdock as a leader, the secondary struggled last year to defend the past, but it also went through several injuries and now returns a deep experienced unit. Toledo doesn’t have the worst schedule, but they do get Bowling Green from the east in a rivalry game. Toledo overall is in contention for a Mac championship, with so much experience it’s Mac championship or bust this year.

Predictions:

Sept. 3 Stony Brook: Stony Brook is a decent and pesky FCS opponent, as they are good defensively, Toledo could have some issues but should still win, Toledo usually is very well prepared for FCS opponents, they blew out New Hampshire last year who was a FCS semifinalist, and a few years ago Toledo blew out Eastern Washington and Vernon Adams the same year they upset Oregon State. W

Sept. 12 @ Arkansas: Toledo will just have to suffer with this one. L

Sept. 19 Iowa State: Toledo has a great chance to finally beat a power 5 opponent, but I think they fall short. L

Sept. 26 Arkansas State: Toledo beat Arkansas State 63-44 in last year’s bowl game, lets hope for more of that, I have Toledo winning. W

Oct. 3 @ Ball State: Toledo will just be too much for Ball State. W

Oct. 10 Kent State: Toledo pummels Kent State in this game. W

Oct. 17 Eastern Michigan: Toledo will destroy Eastern Michigan in this one. W

Oct. 24 @ Massachusetts: Toledo dominates Massachusetts in this one. W

Nov. 3 Northern Illinois: Both have extra time to prepare, once again though Toledo falls short. L

Nov. 10 @ Central Michigan: Toledo’s offense runs and passes all over Central Michigan in a win. W

Nov. 17 @ Bowling Green: Toledo continues to beat Bowling Green though. W

Nov. 27 Western Michigan: Toledo wins a big battle barely over Western Michigan. W

Record: 9-3(7-1)

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

Western Michigan Broncos




Preview: Western Michigan was easily one of the most improved teams last year, as they improved from 1-11 to 8-5. They had a young team and it came together and improved so greatly quicker than expected. The big question is where do they go from here? Do they keep improving, or with a tougher schedule this year do they take a minor drop off or stay the same? Well the offense was good last year and returns a lot of great players, QB Zach Terrell is back and he had a breakout year last year, the concern is with depth, the QB position is lacking it, the backup currently is Tom Flacco the little brother of Joe Flacco but he’s to Joe Flacco as Jordan Rodgers is to Aaron Rodgers. The running back Jarvion Franklin was an instant star as a freshman and he was a freshman all-american there. The receivers are all back and that includes Corey Davis who has some NFL potential. The offensive line returns 3 starters, and they already found a good new starter at center. The defense improved significantly last year, but the defensive line has concerns inside, the linebackers though are athletic and deep, the secondary should be solid again too. Western Michigan’s schedule is tough, they get Michigan State and Ohio State OOC along with Georgia Southern who was one of the better Group of 5 teams last year. Western Michigan plays in the tougher Mac West and draws Bowling Green from the East, the tough part is a lot of the toughest games come in stretches. Overall I think with the tougher schedule they will stay around the same record.

Predictions:

Sept. 4 Michigan State: Rare home game for Western Michigan against Michigan State, as good as they were last year, they couldn’t even beat Purdue, they lose in a blowout. L

Sept. 12 Georgia Southern: Western Michigan gets them at a good time with Georgia Southern having to figure out their whole new offensive line, Western Michigan takes advantage of them having protection issues and wins. W

Sept. 19 Murray State: Murray State isn’t too threatening, Western Michigan wins. W

Sept. 26 @ Ohio State: This will just have to be something they deal with. L

Oct. 10 Central Michigan: Western Michigan has a bye week prior to this one and they dominate Central Michigan. W

Oct. 17 @ Ohio: Western Michigan gets caught sleeping in this one, allowing Ohio to show they aren’t quite gone yet, Western Michigan is upset. L

Oct. 24 Miami of Ohio: Western Michigan wins this easily. W

Oct. 29 @ Eastern Michigan: As well as this one. W

Nov. 5 Ball State: Ball State puts up a good fight but Western Michigan wins. W

Nov. 11 Bowling Green: Western Michigan gives Bowling Green’s offense a struggle again this year, while their own offense scores at will in a win. W

Nov. 18 @ Northern Illinois: Western Michigan can’t beat Northern Illinois again and they fall short in a loss. L

Nov. 27 @ Toledo: Once again they fall short and lose another tough one in this stretch. L

Record: 8-4(6-2)

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

Mac

East:

1. Bowling Green Falcons 8-4(6-2)

2. Akron Zips 6-6(5-3

3. Ohio Bobcats 6-6(4-4)

4. Buffalo Bulls 6-6(4-4)

5. Massachusetts Minutemen 5-7(4-4)

6. Kent State Golden Flashes 5-7(4-4)

7. Miami of Ohio Redhawks 2-10(1-7)

West:

1. Northern Illinois Huskies 10-2(7-1)

2. Toledo Rockets 9-3(7-1)

3. Western Michigan Broncos 8-4(6-2)

4. Ball State Cardinals 4-8(2-6)

5. Central Michigan Chippewas 3-9(2-6)

6. Eastern Michigan Eagles 1-11(1-7)

 

[BoiseMike19]

Had to look it up

CFB AM: Eastern Michigan's attempt to bust block wall ends horribly | FOX Sports