MDZip

He is getting noticed all over the place.

Lol I thought you were calling out a player. I was wondering why because he doesn't really play.

And interestingly they have Buffalo as the worst FBS school at 160 (behind a bunch of FCS schools). At least the Zips are rated ahead of every FCS school (including North Dakota State who is the highest FCS member). We better win this game.

That same publication likes to rank each FBS team from 1-128 each week. Buffalo is 123 and the Zips are 92nd (Ohio is 93 - seems fair :)). For other remaining opponents -Toledo is 41 and last years MAC Champ, BGSU is ranked dead last. Wow.

Looks like we're finally one of the schools that has the equipment ready for ESPN3 streaming. The article mentions 11 out of the 12 schools are ready. Wonder who's missing?

At least the best of the East is not worse than the worst of the West. Akron has the only victory against the West (the East is 1-6 vs. the West) and looking at the rest of the schedule I don't see another obvious victory for the East. Its reverse basketball

I believe the highest rated MAC schools of all time were Miami and Marshall who each reached #10. For WMU I think its more a function that no one above them lost other than to other very highly ranked teams.

Didn't even know that was a possibility that would have been devastating to the team. Glad they stuck around wonder if they got any overtures?

Hustler Belt would be a whole different preview my friend.

Looking at the East standings I just don't see any way the East title doesn't come down to Akron at Ohio on the last game of the regular season. Miami and Kent are the next two teams in the standings and both have already lost to the Zips (Ohio plays at Kent this weekend). I can't see any way any of the bottom four can rise up enough to challenge either Akron or Ohio. They all have tough west schedules too because every team in the West is tough. So if it comes down to the Zips and Ohio, both could have a few more losses going into that game. The Zips will have a hard time against Toledo and could possibly slip up against BGSU (although I expect a win there). OU still has to go to Toledo and CMU so they have it rough in the west. I just can't see much of a chance that the Zips and Bobcats will be separated by more then a game going into that final game. And in the event of a tie that game would decide it.

BUT DO NOT MAKE FUN OF THE ROW THE BOAT THING. (sigh)

Here are the division tiebreakers for the MAC. Two teams: Head-to-head Three or more teams: Head-to-head record among tied teams Record of tied teams within the division (versus rank order, highest to lowest, of division teams) Comparison of conference winning percentage of cross-over opponents of tied teams So if the Zips end up tied with Ohio the last game of the year will be the deciding factor. And all games count equally. Incidentally the last MAC East Championship in 2005 was won on the last of the criteria on the three or more teams tied.

I think the report of the soccer Zips demise might have been greatly exaggerated. This is largely the same team that made the Final Four last year. I wouldn't count them out of it. If I'm a highly ranked team in the NCAA tournament I'd hate to see the Zips early.

The East played four games against the West today. Lost all four. I think there is a chance that every West team is better than every East team. I guess we'll know next week when we play Ball State. That's looking like it might be critical for the East title. And congrats to EMU, they are only one win from Bowl eligibility.

And since Western Michigan is ranked we will be treated to this score all over the place for the next week. Hoorah

Switching to the Indians game will come back if it gets any better but I'm guessing it won't

Not going to beat WMU when you lose interceptions on penalties

I hear you too :), and I'd love a little more recognition for a program that has made at least the conference semifinals for a decade and more often than not the finals, but in those ten years the MAC has sent six different champions to the NCCAs. That's still pretty wide open.

I thought it was a fair preview with a lot of the "usual suspects" named. In the college basketball pecking order Akron and the MAC are still considered small. And even with Akron near the top for ten years we've still only won the tourney three times so I think its also fair to call it a wide open league. Could this finally be the year to win an NCAA tournament game? I think its within the realm of the possible.

After traveling to Akron, the Broncos next four games are EMU, Ball State, Kent and Buffalo. Not exactly murderers row. They can afford a loss. #sinktheboat

He's such a humble guy too. Think we all knew what he had in him but this?! I think any talk of moving him to safety has disappeared. Nice ESPN piece on him and that was before last nights game. Selected in the fifth round by San Diego this season, Brown was taken with an eye toward depth at his position, along with an ability to contribute on special teams. But with Manti Te'o suffering an Achilles tendon tear in Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts, Brown was thrust into a starting role and told to sink or swim. So far, Brown's doing the backstroke. Through five games, Brown leads the Chargers in tackles (28), is tied for tackles for loss (4) and also has two sacks, a forced fumble and five pass breakups. So now make that 42 tackles, 5 TFL's, 3 sacks and two forced fumbles. Funny thing is the article says he fits the mold of leaner, more athletic linebackers patrolling the middle which was the exact knock on him out of college. And with him being good at defending both the pass and run he hardly ever leaves the field.

They certainly did on his back to back sack and forced fumble. :-) I believe the Chargers are very happy with their fifth round pick. :-)

I'd like to be upset at the BJ for being incorrect (maybe they just mean at Infocision) but I think our own Sports Information Dept. is also wrong. They are missing our game at OSU in 2011 where they were ranked #18 in the preseason poll. I think this also helps point out the big disparity in almost always having to play away games against ranked opponents. The only two we ever got at home were a victory and very close loss. So I'm going with another close loss. WMU 45-38.

Wish I would have known this when we were playing Wisconsin but Akron had a bit part to play in the Wisconsin tradition of playing the song "Jump Around". Controversy briefly followed in 2003, when Richter, then the athletics director, asked for the song not to be played in the home opener against Akron because the stadium was under construction, and he feared the shaking could be dangerous. Outrage reached such high levels that Chancellor John D. Wiley was forced to step in. He announced "Jump Around" could be played the next week during a home game against UNLV after a study determined the building would remain structurally sound. So the last time that Wisconsin did not use that song at a home game was against the Zips. Fear the Roo.

Turnovers - WMU hasn't had any and that may be the one big thing that can tip the game balance. You can row the boat as hard as you want but it won't make a difference if there's a hole in it. Loved the hashtag zipsoutsider #sinktheboat