Strongest season ever for MAC?

[zipboy]

The latest Sagarin ratings show the MAC as the #8 conference in power ratings ahead of C-USA, Sun Belt, and either WAC or Mt West (I forget now). Zips are ranked 81st. 4 wins over Big Ten teams but in the past how often would a MAC team lose their star QB and possible MAC POY candidate, go on the road and beat a Big 10 Team, or a MAC team would lose the highest player projected to be taken in the draft early in the game to a career ending injury and double up a Big 10 team, or have the 10th or 11th best MAC team win on the road against a bad Big 10 team?In the past there were always 2 really good MAC teams, Marshall and either a Toledo, WMU, or Miami would break in and there would be 2 legitimate top 25 teams. Then there would be a huge drop off and 5-6 teams would be mediocre and 3-4 teams downright horrible. Ball State is a definite top 15-20 team but the depth after that is the strongest that I can remember. There are no dogs this year. The worst you get is Toledo, Can't, or EMU all have played well OOC.Watching the UC vs WVU game last night, I thought while our bball program to me is stronger than our fball program, in my head thinking about being in the Big East someday, fball would be able to compete much quicker. Seeing how the league has peformed this year and how the Zips have played, I just think that we are so much stronger as a program than 5 years ago.Ramblings on a Sunday morning as we get ready to play a meaningful game in Nov for the 4th time in the last 5 years.

[Blue & Gold]

I was also watching the Cincy game last night and had the same thoughts that you did. Cincy was the aggressor in that game and all the cards fell just the right way for WV to force the overtime. Cincy really controlled most of last night's game. Cincy may win the Big East this year; they deserve to as they're a good team! To think we almost (should have) beat them. We'd likely finish 4th in the MAC West this season, but we could win the Big East. Huh.

[GP1]

Good timing on this topic. I was thinking the same thing yesterday. Yes, this is the best year ever for the MAC. Considering the league has been around since 1946, that isn't saying much. Time shows that it could be a few years before the league is this good again. As far as Big East basketball and the Zips, we would get absolutely killed. The Zips have five good players. Big East teams have eight good players and two great players and three other guys who never get in who would get playing time for the Zips. There is no comparison between Big East bb and fb. They are one of the best if not the best BB conference.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Let's take a look at Pitt's 2008 schedule and see how competitive the Zips would be:Date / Opponent / Competitve?Aug. 30 Bowling Green - Highly Sept. 6 Buffalo - Highly Sept. 20 Iowa - Low-moderateSept. 27 at Syracuse - HighlyOct. 2 (Thurs.) at USF - Low-moderate Oct. 18 at Navy - HighlyOct. 25 Rutgers - HighlyNov. 1 at Notre Dame - Medium-high Nov. 8 Louisville - HighlyNov. 22 at Cincinnati - HighlyNov. 28 (Fri.) West Virginia - Medium-highDec. 6 at Connecticut - Medium-highJust for kicks: vs. Pitt = Highly CompetitiveI think Zipboy's observation is correct. If we played a typical Big East schedule in 2008, we'd be on course for a .500 season. We'd be competitive in every game. USF is a bad matchup because of their speed. Iowa would likely wear us down with their depth and strength. Other than that we'd be fine.

[skip-zip]

I want to again point out something that I mention from time to time on here.The lowering of scholarships from 95 to 85 a few years ago is having a big impact on closing this gap. The days of the top conferences being able to stockpile all of the nation's best talent on their rosters is over. Just think...that's 10 players from each of those top-level schools that cannot get in, and have to go to a "lower" school.As far as our conference goes, we are certainly getting more competitive with higher ranked leagues. If my recollection is correct, we have been ranked below every conference in the country except the sun belt for quite a few years. And we appear to be better now than at least two other conferences besides teh sun belt. That's great progress. And to see the MAC ranked ahead of C-USA is just incredible. I hope the trend continues.

[MDZip]

This is a very good year for the MAC but I don't think it compares with 2003, when the MAC knocked off five ranked teams in a year (and three in one weekend). Marshall took out #6 K-State, Toledo beat #9 Pitt, Bowling Green beat #16 Purdue and Northern Illinois beat both #21 Alabama and #14 Maryland. Miami and Bowling Green were ranked at the end of the season and we were 7-5 and there were five teams that were better than us (only BG and Miami went to Bowl games). That was probably the MAC's best year ever. The conference as a whole might be better this year but most of the BCS scalps have been against some of the lesser teams, the only "ranked" team was Bowling Green over Pitt. Of course that will happen again when we take out Ball St. in the MACC. If we do meet Ball St. in the MACC, I think we need to offer up a challenge to David Letterman.

[ZippyTuba11]

The bottom half of the MAC right now is a combined 13-43 (.232)The top half is a combined 44-21 (.676)Overall winning percent: .459We're still a sub .500 conference. We need to get those 5 teams with two wins to either be competitive or drop them to D-II (Can't and EMU specifically)

[Big Zip]

As good as Ball State is this year is is looking more and more like they have no shot at a BCS game given that Utah and Boise State are both ahead of them in the polls.

[GP1]

Let's take a look at Pitt's 2008 schedule and see how competitive the Zips would be:Date / Opponent / Competitve?Aug. 30 Bowling Green - Highly Sept. 6 Buffalo - Highly Sept. 20 Iowa - Low-moderateSept. 27 at Syracuse - HighlyOct. 2 (Thurs.) at USF - Low-moderate Oct. 18 at Navy - HighlyOct. 25 Rutgers - HighlyNov. 1 at Notre Dame - Medium-high Nov. 8 Louisville - HighlyNov. 22 at Cincinnati - HighlyNov. 28 (Fri.) West Virginia - Medium-highDec. 6 at Connecticut - Medium-highJust for kicks: vs. Pitt = Highly Competitive

Allow me to take a more realistic look at this schedule.BG - LossBuffalo - WinIowa - LossSyracuse -WinUSF - LossNavy - LossRutgers - LossNortre Dame - LossLouisville - WinCincinnati - LossWVU - LossConnecticut - LossEnjoy that 3-9 season. We could throw in a loss against Pitt if we want to as well in the annual Toilet Bowl. That's OK though, we could spend the next 20 years "building" the program up to a consistent 5-6 wins per season. In 20 years, we could get the BB program back to an NIT participant as well. Man, that's exciting to think of. Just think of how crowded InfoCision Stadium would be. When do we get started?

[GP1]

The bottom half of the MAC right now is a combined 13-43 (.232)The top half is a combined 44-21 (.676)Overall winning percent: .459We're still a sub .500 conference. We need to get those 5 teams with two wins to either be competitive or drop them to D-II (Can't and EMU specifically)

Stop making sense ZT11! In most years, the MAC is Dollar General. This year, it is a little better than that, but not much...I'd call it "Army/Navy Store".

[Z.I.P.]

As good as Ball State is this year is is looking more and more like they have no shot at a BCS game given that Utah and Boise State are both ahead of them in the polls.

I have to disagree -- rather strongly. First I see Utah losing, most likely to BYU in the Beehive Bowl. Boise likely goes to the (BCS) house again. But if I'm not mistaken, any non-BCS team that finishes in the top-12 ...or yada, yada, yada... is entitled to a BCS bowl spot. Someone who actually follows American football, please fill in all the yada yadas.

[RowdyZip]

As good as Ball State is this year is is looking more and more like they have no shot at a BCS game given that Utah and Boise State are both ahead of them in the polls.

I have to disagree -- rather strongly. First I see Utah losing, most likely to BYU in the Beehive Bowl. Boise likely goes to the (BCS) house again. But if I'm not mistaken, any non-BCS team that finishes in the top-12 ...or yada, yada, yada... is entitled to a BCS bowl spot. Someone who actually follows American football, please fill in all the yada yadas.

The top ranked non-BCS conference team is guaranteed a BCS spot only if they're in the top 12 of the final BCS rankings. The problem in the system lies in the increasing frequency of "BCS Busters." Say Utah finishes 7th and Ball State finishes 10th...Utah likely goes to the Orange Bowl, Ball State likely goes to the Motor City or GMAC, while a much lower ranked Big East champion heads for a big payday in a BCS bowl.

[ZippyTuba11]

With Ball St. now being ranked 14 in the BCS, a move to 12 or higher doesn't seem all that far-fetched with a few big games left. Big wins over Central/Western might be enough to catapult them higher, especially with Central/Western receiving votes in a few polls (5 and 6 respectively). And if any team falls that is currently ahead of them, Ball St could easily make the big payday game. I really wish Ball St. luck. If they can actually make the BCS game, we will benefit from the payday as the conference will share the wealth. However, if we actually make the MACC, may no team stand between us and the championship!EDIT: The sad truth of this is if the rankings finish as they are now, only Utah will get to go to a BCS game out of the three non-BCS teams in the top 14 even though those three teams are currently ahead in the polls of THREE of the BCS conference leaders (ACC, Big 11, Big East). If Michigan St best Penn St, OSWHO and Penn St are irrelevant as to where they end up ranked.In some sad way, I hope that Ball St cracks the top 12 and the other non-BCS teams (Utah and Boise) stay there too. While it likely won't have any effect this year, it may be enough to get people to call for a change in the system as 6 non-BCS teams are currently ranked. Ball St still has a great shot at this because Missouri still has to play one of those teams from Texas in the Big 12 championship, Penn St still has to play Michigan St, Oklahoma St still has to play Texas Tech, and OSWHO can still lay and egg against Michigan (wouldn't that just take the cake?).

[ZippyRulz]

We're not that far from having 3 ranked teams in the AP poll. BSU is #14, WMU is #31 and CMU is #36. Once we're in Infocision the Zips should be able to maintain the #25-45 range consistently and get an occasional ranking.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Allow me to take a more realistic look at this schedule.BG - LossBuffalo - WinIowa - LossSyracuse -WinUSF - LossNavy - LossRutgers - LossNotre Dame - LossLouisville - WinCincinnati - LossWVU - LossConnecticut - LossEnjoy that 3-9 season. We could throw in a loss against Pitt if we want to as well in the annual Toilet Bowl. That's OK though, we could spend the next 20 years "building" the program up to a consistent 5-6 wins per season. In 20 years, we could get the BB program back to an NIT participant as well. Man, that's exciting to think of. Just think of how crowded InfoCision Stadium would be. When do we get started?

You missed the point entirely, while also making convenient assumptions on very competitive potential match ups.The point was that we would be competitive with a "Big East" schedule. Pitt's 2008 schedule is hardly daunting. Racking up Rutgers & Navy as sure losses is laughable. Navy is no better than Temple, as proven on the field. And 2008 Rutgers is bad. Beyond that, while we lost to BG and Cincinnati, we gave them those games. We didn't lose by 30. Could we be 3-9 with that 2008 schedule? Sure. We could just as easily be 7-5. Would Infocision be fuller with home games vs. Louisville, WVA, Syracuse, South Fla, etc than EMU, Toledo, Northern Illinois, Miami Oh, etc. Yes. By a mile.Would the Zips get a better student athlete with the backing of a Big East logo on their jerseys? Yes.Would the administration step up to the plate and spend what it needed to spend to be competitive in the Big East? Probably not.