Our friends over at Bull Run (actually, friend, Tim Riordan is a one-man show over there) asked us to answer Week 1 questions and we are only too happy to oblige.
Here they are:
And here are the week one questions..
1) Lets start with the new blood. There are several new coaches in the conference, which coach was the best get and why?
TFF: I don't think that's possible to tell now but, hypothetically, the best coach should surround himself with the best staff. If that's the most important thing, it's hard to argue against Steve Addazio and Temple. Chuck Heater was the defensive coordinator for Utah went it went 11-0. He was the co-defensive coordinator for Florida last year. Urban Meyer called him "Mother Theresa because he's been a miracle-worker for us." Scot (one T) Loeffler is the new offensive coordinator. He was quarterbacks coach at Michigan for Tom Brady. He was QB coach at Florida for Tim Tebow. If Daz lets these coaches coach and he takes over the motivation, these SEC coaches are the best in the MAC.
2) Lets look at the old blood? Which coach is the most likely to be dumped after the season and which is most likely to be plucked away by a big AQ school?
TFF: I think Ron English is most likely to be dumped. I think Frank Solich gets another chance at an AQ school.
3) Which somewhat realistically winnable non conference game would give the MAC the most publicity? What are the odds of the MAC team winning that game
TFF: Penn State vs. Temple. 50/50. Last year's game was a 22-13 PSU win before 106,000 in State College. This year's game will be before 70K in Philly (30K Temple fans, 40K PSU fans). Temple is much better this year. I'm sure Chester Stewart won't get a chance to throw three picks like he did last year.
4) What do you think of the UMass addition and how would you realign the divisions?
TFF: I wish they would have gotten Marshall back instead. It's one thing for Temple fans to drive 4 miles south of the Main campus to a 70K stadium. It's another thing for UMass fans to drive 105 miles from their main campus for games in Gilette Stadium.
5) Who wins the East and what is their key game along that journey
TFF: Temple. Ohio at Temple. Solich and his read option confounded Golden and Mark D'Onofrio. Heater won't even be fazed by it.
6) Who wins the West and what is their key game along that journey
Northern Illinois.
7) Rank the teams first to last
1) Northern Illinois
2) Temple
3) Ohio
4) Central Michigan
5) Toledo
6) Western Michigan
7) Bowling Green
8: Akron
9) Ball State
10) Buffalo
11) Miami
12) Kent
13) Eastern Michigan
TFF's Week 1 MAC picks:
Temple 35, Villanova 14 _ Every fiber in my being says this is going to be a more epic beatdown, somewhere between 35-14 and 55-3. I'll avoid the temptation to split the baby down the middle and go for 46-19. I'll stick with 35-14 and leave it at that. Temple is a 6 1/2-point favorite. Easier money you'll never see.
Idaho 28, Bowling Green 24 _ BGSU covers the 8-point spread in defeat.
Ohio State 41, Akron 7 _ OSU barely covers the hefty 33-point spread.
Missouri 35, Miami (Ohio) 14 _ Twenty-one is good enough to lay for the Tigers, who are giving 17.
Alabama 45, Kent State 3 _ Trent Richardson runs roughshod over KSU and helps Bama cover the 37.
Michigan 31, Western Michigan 14 _ Western Michigan comes close, but not close enough to cover the modest 14-point spread. All that extra practice time helps the Wolverines.
PITT 42, Buffalo 0 _ Panthers beat Bulls by the same score Temple did a year ago and easily cover the 30.
Northern Illinois 42, Army 28 _ Huskies beat Army by the same score Temple did a year ago.
Indiana 14, Ball State 10 _ In an upset, Ball State covers the 6 1/2 against its in-state rival.
Ohio 34, New Mexico State 7 _ Frank Solich's crew has no problem on the road covering the 7 1/2.
Join the picking fun by joining Bull Run's pick 'em this year:
Remember, the group ID: 13180
user name: 2008champs
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