Playing Catch-Up

Hey, sorry fellow MAC fans! I've been getting sort of lazy with the blog plus I've got this basement that will occupy me all winter. Big thanks to GMoney and Don though for helping me out!

Anyway, I have to admit I watched only part of the CMU/Akron game and only part of the Bowling Green/Toledo game and I'm probably not the most fit to comment. I was watching the Colorado/Nebraska, Mississippi State/Ole Miss, and LSU/Arkansas games more attentively.

So, I'm just going to throw some random MAC items floating around in this blogger's head:



It really is a shame that Joe Novak's tenure had to end the way it did.

This was from the article on NIU's official Web site:

"I feel good about this decision," Novak said. "It's time. It's the right time for me personally, for my wife [Carole] and family, and for this program. Everyone says you know when it's time and this is it for me.

"Overall, it's been a wonderful ride," he continued. "There have been good days and bad days, but a lot more good than bad. I'm leaving the program in better shape than I found it, which you always want to do. We accomplished some things, but there are some things we didn't get done, too."

I am a little confused by the timing of it all. If he waited for another year to announce his retirement, he could've rode off into the sun set as Northern Illinois shouldn't be nearly as bad as they were in 2007 with all of the youth and injuries.

This might come to a surprise to some folks, but Novak had a losing record during his time at NIU. Most of those losses came in his first season when he went 3-30 which shows you what kind of challenge he was up against.

Obviously, his most notable season as a head coach was 2003 and 2004 where he went a combined 19-5 and he won the old Silicon Valley Classic (which, in my opinion, was anything but a classic).

Anyway, coach Novak will be missed and the potential replacements are yet to be rumored-off. It'll be interesting to see where the university turns.


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Here's how the bowl picture is shaking down for the MAC:

Motor City Bowl: Michigan State vs. Central Michigan

Obviously, it would be in the Bowl's best interest to have two Michigan schools face off against each other. MSU + CMU = Sellout. I was at the 2006 Motor City Bowl and the Chippewa fans flocked in some pretty good numbers. If those were MSU fans instead of MTSU fans, Ford Field would have easily sold out.


International Bowl: Rutgers vs. Bowling Green

Rutgers would draw the most fans across the border into Toronto, but I think the Bowling Green folks could make it up there was well. The International Bowl could easily go with UConn here, but the Scarlet Knights would be the most attractive team. Bowling Green would have to go bowling at 8-4 and, I'm not 100% positive, but I think the Falcons would travel better than, say........


GMAC Bowl: Ball State/Miami OH vs. UCF

Personally, I'm a little undecided on the MAC title game. Central Michigan either isn't as good as we thinking judging by their last few games against Easten Michigan and Akron or they just weren't focused. The RedHawks loss last week to Ohio was devastating to their bowl hopes meaning that they would most likely have to beat CMU to get a bid. Keep in mind, Akron in 2005 was playing for their bowl survival and the loser of that game, Northern Illinois, didn't get invited to go bowling.

Ball State will be cheering for the Chippewas as they sit back at 7-5. Should Miami OH win, Ball State might end up going to the Papajohns.com Bowl but that would also require both the Sun and Gator Bowl selecting a Big East team (and Rutgers beating Louisville next week).

The GMAC Bowl usually takes the C-USA championship loser and that could be UCF or Tulsa. These two teams are pretty evenly matched but I'd put my money on that Golden Hurricane offense.


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Also, if you didn't see over at Saturday Sound Offs, Brian Kelly has my full support to become the next head coach at Michigan.

As we saw at Central over the past few seasons (and at Grand Valley State), he's about as innovative as coaches come and he knows how to push the right buttons.

GVSU was always a good program, but he took it to the next level. Central Michigan was wallowing in mediocrity and in three seasons, they became MAC champions.

Even if the Michigan job is not in his best interest, I wish him the best in whatever he does.

FIRE UP CHIPS!


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Also, I'll throw in some stuff from the CCHA for the heck of it:

Captain's Blog (an interesting red from Miami RedHawk captain, Ryan Jones)

Western Michigan earned a split over the weekend against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Click here for the box score of Game 1 and here for the box score of Game 2.

Ranked Bowling Green dropped a tough one last Tuesday against Notre Dame.