Ten MAC Out of Conference Games To Watch

No conference does a better job on a yearly basis of scheduling compelling G5/G5 games than the MAC. From CUSA to the MWC, every conference is represented with games you must watch. Let's just hope that more of the MAC can win a few games in these matchups and make the entire conference look better this fall.

Let's take a look at the ten MAC non-conference games to watch.

• Tulsa at Toledo (September 16): Why do we not get games like this every year? Two quality G5 teams playing one another rather than wasting it with a lower quality opponent. The Golden Hurricane will have time to recover from the Oklahoma State game to start the season and should be able to control the line of scrimmage in the run game. Toledo could be in position to make some noise nationally if they can get through Elon, Nevada, Tulsa, and Miami (Fl.) to start the season. This game could be the toughest of the season for the Rockets.

• Miami at Marshall (September 2): A matchup that goes well into the history of both programs, the Thundering Herd and RedHawks could end up giving us one of the most interesting games of the non-conference season. Among the many aspects of the game to watch, the battle of quarterbacks Gus Ragland and Chase Litton nearly guarantees us a high-scoring affair. Currently, Miami looks like the early favorite to win this game.

• Boston College at NIU (September 1): After the disaster of the 2016 season, the Huskies host a solid P5 team with a chance to make national news. The Eagles are coming off of their third bowl berth in the last four seasons, attempting to improve on a consistent 7-6 record in those three seasons. NIU must quickly have players step up in the offensive backfield and at wide receiver if they want to win. Expect this game to be a lower scoring affair with the winner scoring no more than 24 points.

• UAB at Ball State (September 9): This is the first FBS game for the Blazers since putting together the pieces of a disbanded program not all that long ago. UAB is a complete mystery full of players that have been with the program more than a year before playing their first game. Do not expect them to beat Ball State, but it may be more competitive than many think. Ball State needs a hot start to the season if they want to go bowling and this is a must win game.

• Idaho at WMU (September 16): This is a sneaky good game that could make up for the two duds we got from the Georgia Southern-Western Michigan series. The Vandals are in their final year of FBS play and could be sending out their best team in a very long time. Led by star quarterback Matt Linehan, they can put up points in bunches. Idaho scored 37+ points in each of the last four games of the 2017 season. The Broncos have arguably the best duo of running backs in the nation this season. Between Bogan and Franklin, WMU can run over the majority of its schedule without resorting to the passing game all that much. Expect lots of points. 

• Ohio at Purdue (September 8): In what has become a common occurrence, the Bobcats are again favored to win the MAC East Division and play for the conference title. Ohio is a very disciplined team that makes other teams work to beat them. Purdue is a big of a question mark with former WKU head coach Jeff Brohm taking the reins. The Boilermakers are probably a year or two away from amassing the talent that can make Brohm’s system run, but they are still a dangerous team. I feel like this is a game Ohio can and should win.

• Toledo at Nevada (September 9): What this game could have been if James Butler decided to stay with the Wolfpack. The star running back took advantage of the graduate transfer rule and headed to Iowa in the offseason. Instead of Butler, the Wolfpack will likely rely upon Alabama quarterback transfer David Cornwall to light up the Rockets defense. Toledo has players to replace (especially at running back and tight end), but there are players on the roster to fill the gaps. I can’t see anyone handling wide receiver Cody Thompson in man coverage. Expect the Rockets to roll.

• Cincinnati at Miami (September 16): This is a game that will show just where both teams are headed into conference play. The Bearcats are in rebuilding mode, but have some talent on the roster left over by Tuberville. The program is being built the right way by Fickell and company, but that means a rough 2017 is in store. Miami has high expectations and a win over, albeit down, Cincinnati would do wonders for the RedHawks.

• Ball State at WKU (September 23): A year after watching MAC rival Miami nearly knock off one of the top three G5 teams in the nation last season, the Cardinals look to do the same. There is quite a bit of talent on the Ball State roster, but it will take a nearly perfect effort to knock off the kings of Conference USA. The Hilltoppers are in a very slight rebuilding process, but still have Mike White, a stable of talented running backs, and the most dynamic return man in the nation. WKU has questions on defense, but they can normally score enough for that to be only a small problem.

• Northern Illinois at San Diego State (September 30): I have never seen a team struggle more with games they should win than the Aztecs. They lost in back to back seasons to a decent at best South Alabama squad and the Huskies had every chance to take control of their matchup last season. SDSU loses a lot on defense and must replace Donnel Pumphrey, but recruiting is not a problem in San Diego. The Huskies would love to have a signature win like this in 2017, but this is asking a lot. A win here could quell many of the shouts for Rod Carey’s job.

Just missed the list: Buffalo at Minnesota, Charlotte at EMU, Ball State at Illinois, WMU at Michigan State, Bowling Green at Michigan State, Kent State at Clemson, Western Michigan at USC.

Group Of Five Coaches On The Hot Seat

Every year, we see multiple programs make changes at the head coaching position. Whether it is due to losing that coach to another program, the coach resigning, or a firing, it happens. 

Most of the time, warning signs are there and coaches are put on the proverbial hot seat. There, they stew as an administration takes a look at accomplishments, failures, and the in between. It is a rough time for any coach and something that I wouldn't wish upon my enemies.

With that said, let's take a look at some coaches that are on the hot seat in 2017. 

David Bailiff, Rice:

The question has been asked on multiple occasions by many different people. What does David Bailiff have on Rice in order to keep his job? I honestly have no idea at this point.

Well, it is put up or shut up time for Bailiff and company this fall as they attempt to recover from an 8-16 swoon over the last two years. The Owls didn’t quite fall off in 2015 and 2016 as they began to freefall with no end in sight. Consider some of these losses from 2016: 46-14, 38-10, 44-28, 61-16, 42-25, 41-17.

The only wins for Bailiff last season came over Charlotte, UTEP, and Prairie View. That does not get many on the Rice bandwagon.

The saving grace for Bailiff that may get him another year is all the good will be bought from a magical season in 2008 and a three-year stretch of bowls from 2012-2014. Outside of those four seasons, he is 21-51 at Rice.

Sean Kugler, UTEP:

By UTEPAthletics - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.

No offense to Kugler, but maybe he is one of those coaches that excel at assistant duties while struggling to run the entire operation. Think Wade Phillips on the NFL side. Kugler was an impressive assistant coach that came running when the Miners needed someone to replace Mike Price. Heading into his fifth season as head coach, maybe it is time to think about another direction.

Again, I really like Kugler as a vital assistant and he will likely get multiple NFL job offers to coach an offensive line if UTEP goes in a different direction. While the respect is there, college football is a result driven enterprise and winning 18 games in four seasons is hard to justify to an administration looking for a winning program.

If Kugler is unable to reverse a trend that has seen the Miners fall further and further away from bowl contention, he could be forced to resign at the end of the year.

Paul Haynes, Kent State:

Let’s be honest with ourselves. Kent State does not really care if the football team goes 10-3 or 3-9. Sure, a boost in the profile of the program is nice, but it does not matter in the long run. That much is clear by the fact that Haynes is still leading the program heading into a fifth season. He is 12-35 in four seasons and has finished no better than fifth in the weaker of the MAC divisions in the last four seasons.

Since Haynes has been head coach, the Golden Flashes have won a total of eight MAC games while losing to FBS program North Carolina A&T last season. There is no reason to expect Kent State to be any better this season, but there is little to no buzz about the possibility of a new head coach in 2018.

The only thing keeping Haynes with a job at this point is apathy. Another 3-9 season may force the administration to make a chance.

Lance Leipold, Buffalo:

For a coach that lost all over 6 games in eight seasons at Wisconsin-Whitewater, coaching at the FBS level was a rude wakeup call. Leipold lost more games in 2015 (seven) than in his entire college head coaching career combined.

Hindsight 20/20, Leipold may have waited a season or two longer for a more sustained program to come calling. Buffalo is a tough place to win with a fan base that desperately wants a winner. The athletic department is trying to show some initiative and get at least in the same ballpark as other programs, but Buffalo is a place where football dreams come to die.

I wouldn’t quite call Leipold’s seat all that hot at the moment, but he has to prove that he and his coaching staff are not overwhelmed by “big time” college football. Patience from the AD could see Buffalo turn into a situation like Wyoming where Craig Bohl finally flourished in his third season.

Doug Martin, New Mexico State:

Another coach that I have the utmost respect for, Martin may be about to ride off into the sunset with the Aggies. He has in his fifth season and has a total of ten wins in the previous four seasons. His best record has been 3-9 and the team has been unable to stop air from scoring in the last few seasons.

So much uncertainty surrounds this program, from the surprisingly high expectations to the unknown wilderness that is college football independence; it would make sense for the Aggies to stick with Martin after this season. That includes another 3-9 season.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Aggies take a bold approach and go with a young FBS coach full of energy and fire to take the reins. Overall, put it this way. If NMSU were staying in the Sun Belt beyond the 2017 season and went 3-9 this fall, I would pretty much expect Martin to get the ax. Since they are completely independent in 2018, who really knows what will happen?

Tyson Summers, Georgia Southern:

By Bobak Ha'Eri - Own work, CC BY 3.0.

Summers is in a precarious situation at Georgia Southern. The Eagles were one of the most storied teams in FCS history with six national titles. They made the move to the FBS and never seemed to break stride under Willie Fritz. The program went 18-7 in two years, including a win over Florida and the program’s first bowl appearance (and win).

Summers, a member of the 2006 coaching staff, took over to the surprise of some but had a group of loyal fans expecting the best. Then, 2016 happened. The Eagles fell to 5-7 and looked like a completely different (in a bad way) team under Summers.

There were fan’s calling for Summers to be fired after last season, but there was no chance of that happening. Instead, he must prove that he can turn this team into a winner once again. I am not saying that he would be fired after a poor 2017…. Well, it really depends on how poor that season ends up.

Put simply, a poor 2017 season would turn his seat into one of the hottest in the nation.

Matt Wells, Utah State:

By Bobak Ha'Eri - Own work, CC BY 3.0.

Remember not all that long ago when Matt Wells was a coach on the rise, earning a 19-9 record and two straight bowl berths? He was mentioned as a coach that would someday lead a P5 program. That seems so long ago as Wells is coming off of back to back losing seasons and a 3-9 year that no one expected. 

The Aggies just have not looked like a top tier MWC team in the last two seasons and much of the blame has to fall on the man at the top. Unimpressive recruiting and being outcoached on the field have turned 2017 into a make or break year for Wells. 

Bonus Pick: Rod Carey, Northern Illinois:

While this would be a complete out of nowhere firing and a crazy decision, there is a significant portion of the Huskies fan base that would be thrilled to see Carey get the ax. Despite winning 23 of his first 28 games as head coach, it could be argued that the Huskies have been on a downward slide since he took over for Dave Doeren.

A 5-7 season that was only that good due to a very poor MAC last season got a very intense group of fans very riled up and could be the undoing of Carey. How well NIU is able to bounce back this fall after missing the postseason for the first time since the 2007 season will determine how much leash is given moving forward.

Top Group Of 5 Quarterback Battles For 2017

The 2017 season is quickly approaching and many teams do not know who will take the first snap as starting quarterback. For some teams, it may come down to the final moments before the opening drive while others already have a strong idea. 

Some, like Georgia Southern, may not have a clue what they are going to do with the season just a few short weeks away. 

Let's take a look at some of the top G5 quarterback battles heading into the season. 

Temple:

• 2016 Quarterback: PJ Walker
• 2017 Candidates: Anthony Russo (R-Fr.), Logan Marchi (So.)

It seems like PJ Walker was the quarterback for Temple for seven years. The four-year starter finally left for graduation and professional football after throwing for over 10,000 yards and 74 touchdowns in 49 games played.

A redshirt in 2015, Logan Marchi won the backup role as a redshirt freshman, seeing action in five games. He only attempted six passes for 29 yards, barely making a dent in the 2016 final statistics. The Connecticut native was a dual threat in high school with over 3,000 yards passing and over 500 yards rushing as a senior. Marchi is the most experienced quarterback on the current roster.

Arguably the best quarterback prospect to sign with Temple in program history, Anthony Russo is likely the top challenger for Marchi. Russo redshirted as a freshman to save as much eligibility as possible for the future. For many within and outside the program, it is not a matter of if but when Russo finally earns the job. Currently, this race is a toss-up with Marchi holding a slight advantage.

Do not count out junior Frank Nutile or freshman Todd Centeio, but they are both long shots for the starting job.

• 2017 projected season opening starter: Logan Marchi.

East Carolina:

• 2016 Quarterback: Philip Nelson/Gardner Minshew
• 2017 Candidates: Gardner Minshew (Jr.)/Thomas Sirk (Sr.)

The 2016 season for the Pirates was an unmitigated disaster due in part to instability behind center. The new coaching staff moved James Summers to running back (great move) with the belief that former Minnesota quarterback Philip Nelson would be the answer. Nelson played well at times but struggled with injuries on multiple occasions.

One of the final players added to the 2016 roster by head coach Scottie Montgomery, Gardner Minshew quickly earned the backup role to Nelson after stepping foot on campus. The JUCO transfer stepped in and threw for 1,347 yards and eight touchdowns in limited duty. Minshew has starting experience after making the final two starts of 2016 versus Navy and Temple.

A quiet pickup that could turn into one of the best graduate transfers in all of college football, Thomas Sirk followed his former offensive coordinator to ECU with hopes of earning the starting job. Sirk looked on pace to have an excellent senior season after throwing for 2,624 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior in 2015. Instead, the Florida native ruptured his left Achilles tendon and had to take a medical redshirt. That marked his second Achilles injury after rupturing his right one in 2013. If he is fully healed, he is the favorite to win the job.

• 2017 projected season opening starter: Thomas Sirk.

Connecticut:

• 2016 Quarterback: Bryant Shirreffs/Donovan Washington
• 2017 Candidates: Donovan Williams (So.)/Bryant Shirreffs (Sr.)

Of the many teams that needed better play behind center in 2016, the Huskies were the most desperate. Incumbent starter Bryant Shirreffs could not get anything going offensively for the program all season long, before finally losing the starting job to freshman Donovan Williams. Despite burning his redshirt, the Huskies saw no improvement in the passing game under Williams either.

Unless Edsall knows something we do not about either of these two quarterbacks, the Huskies could be in line for another long fall in the AAC. I didn’t even list him as a true candidate but do not be overly surprised if David Pindell works his name into the mix before the season opener versus Holy Cross.

• 2017 projected season opening starter: Bryant Shirreffs.

Florida Atlantic:

• 2016 Quarterback: Jason Driskel/Daniel Parr
• 2017 Candidates: Jason Driskel (Jr.)/De’Andre Johnson (So.)

 Another year and another year of question marks behind center. Driskel beat out Daniel Parr last season and was solid, but never did anything that wowed the rest of Conference USA in leading the Owls to another disappointing 3-9 season.

The offseason saw FAU bring in a new head coach (Lane Kiffin) and a quarterback looking to reset his college career (De’Andre Johnson). The redshirt sophomore signed with Florida State out of high school over offers from the who’s who of college football. He was kicked off the team before playing a snap and went the JUCO route. Kiffin brought him in with the expectation to start.

Many have written off Daniel Parr, but Kiffin is not a conventional coach. Parr is in the running (on the outskirts) until told otherwise.

• 2017 projected season opening starter: De’Andre Johnson.

Southern Miss:

• 2016 Quarterback: Nick Mullens/Keon Howard
• 2017 Candidates: Kwadra Griggs (Jr.)/Keon Howard (So.)

The 2017 season, second under Jap Hopson, will finally give us a true glimpse of what the former Alcorn State head coach has in store for the program. The Golden Eagles have to replace several important players on offense, but none are bigger than quarterback Nick Mullens.

The good news for Southern Miss is that true freshman Keon Howard got a chance to get on the field and get reps. The bad news is how poorly he performed during that starting quarterback tryout. Howard was a highly ranked recruit out of high school and may turn out to be a star, but he was a disaster with a 44% completion percentage and only 365 yards in four games played.

The original plan for Hopson and company in 2017 was for Kwadra Griggs to play the role of backup while Howard sat as a redshirt. Griggs instead struggled in the classroom and had to redshirt the 2016 season instead. All indications point to his head being on straight and ready to take the starting role. I feel like this is Griggs’ job to lose.

• 2017 projected season opening starter: Kwadra Griggs.

Northern Illinois:

• 2016 Quarterback: Anthony Maddie/Ryan Graham/Drew Hare/Daniel Santacaterina
• 2017 Candidates: Ryan Graham (Jr.)/Daniel Santacaterina (So.)

The 2016 season was an abject disaster for the Huskies due to a game of musical chairs behind center. Drew Hare was the projected starter and made it all of two games before being lost for the season. Ryan Graham took over for two starts before giving way to Anthony Maddie. The third quarterback made it through five starts and was lost for the season. Graham took over again for another two starts before quarterback #4 came into play. Daniel Santacaterina took over and led the Huskies to a season finale win over Kent State.

Now that we got through all that, the battle is between Graham and Santa. Graham has much more experience and I do not think he will be the starter to end the season, but I think he starts the season under center. Keep the name Marcus Childers in your mind as well for later in the season because it’s not NIU if one quarterback makes it through the year unscathed.

• 2017 projected season opening starter: Ryan Graham.

San Jose State:

• 2016 Quarterback: Kenny Potter/Josh Love
• 2017 Candidates: Josh Love (So.)/Montel Aaron (Fr.)

Honestly, not many people outside of the Mountain West Conference really paid much attention to the Spartans issues at quarterback in the offseason. Kenny Potter struggled to find his groove in 2016, but he is still better than either option this fall.

Josh Love was the backup and saw limited action in 2016. He did not impress that much when getting on the field, giving him a very small advantage heading into the fall.

It was tough at times, but the Spartans were able to redshirt highly touted Montel Aaron for this season. Head coach Brett Brennan inherits a 6-5 beast of a quarterback that looks ready to see significant playing time for the next four years. Aaron is a much more mobile and explosive quarterback that is not afraid to make mistakes. I believe that Love starts the season opener before giving way to the Montel Aaron era of SJSU football.  

• 2017 projected season opening starter: Josh Love.

Nevada:

• 2016 Quarterback: Tyler Stewart/Ty Gangi
• 2017 Candidates: David Cornwell (Jr.)/Ty Gangi (Jr.)

Last season was a weird one for the Wolfpack. They were not very good in going 5-7 but still had a chance to win three more games if a play or two went differently. Tyler Stewart was the man for the first 2/3 of the season, but struggled with injuries and finally succumbed for the year in game eight.

Ty Gangi took over and proved to be a more explosive option behind center, despite being less accurate than his predecessor. Gangi gives the coaching staff a more mobile quarterback option behind center, forcing defenses to play more man to man with no help over the top. If Gangi wins the job, he could become “Big Play Ty.”

The only thing keeping Nevada from giving the starting job to Gangi is yet another disgruntled former Alabama quarterback. David Cornwell was a former four-star quarterback that never got a chance to prove his worth in the SEC. He is a strong-armed signal caller that could thrive in an Air Raid offense. The offensive philosophy of new head coach Jay Norvell is the reason Cornwell will win the starting job.

• 2017 projected season opening starter: David Cornwell.

Louisiana:

• 2016 Quarterback: Anthony Jennings
• 2017 Candidates: Jordan Davis (Jr.)/Dion Ray (So.)

After looking impressive as a redshirt freshman in 2015 while seeing action in limited duty, Jordan Davis looked to many as a top candidate to start at quarterback for the Ragin’ Cajuns. Instead, the coaching staff brought in LSU graduate transfer Anthony Jennings and Davis slipped down the depth chart. Rather than a breakout 2016 season, he had a total of 44 yards of total offense for the year. He is the most experienced and ready to play quarterback on the roster.

Then you have the tricky case of Dion Ray. The sophomore found time in the Cajuns backfield and rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries while attempting only one pass. He is a talented player that deserves as many touches as possible, but will likely see more action in Wildcat formations as a run-only quarterback.

Also, do not count out JUCO transfer Andre Nunez as a dark horse candidate.

• 2017 projected season opening starter: Jordan Davis.

Georgia Southern:

• 2016 Quarterback: Kevin Ellison/Favian Upshaw/Seth Shuman
• 2017 Candidates: Seth Shuman (So.)/Shai Werts (R-Fr.)/Kado Brown (Jr.)/Jaalon Frazier (Fr.)

There are entrenched quarterbacks and quarterback battles all over the nation, but the Eagles are the only program in the nation with what can only be described as a quarterback royal rumble. Seth Shuman is the only quarterback on the roster with experience after his redshirt was inexplicably burnt last fall. He would seemingly be the favorite to win the position, but honestly, no one has much of a clue what will actually happen.

Former Army quarterback Kado Brown could be the top candidate outside of Shuman to earn starting reps.

• 2017 projected season opening starter: No idea.

Other possible battles: Old Dominion (Blake LaRussa/Drayton Arnold/Jordan Hoy), Western Michigan (Confusion with Tom Flacco leaving for Rutgers). 

MAC Week Four Review

Another week is in the books for the 2015 college football season with the Mid-American Conference going 3-10 with no conference games taking place. Let's take a look at the good, bad, and ugly of week four MAC football action.

Top 10 G5 Receiving Yards: Week One

Known for their strong running game, Northern Illinois surprised everyone with the nation's only 200+ yard receiving performance of Week One.

Top 10 G5 Rushers: Week One

Only one G5 running back broke 200 yards in Week One as Ray Lawry of Old Dominion heads into Labor Day as the nation's leading rusher.

Who voted for G5 teams in the top 25?

So you saw the AP Top 25 rankings and you want to know who voted for what G5 team at what position. Let's take a look:

What if the Group of Five had a playoff in 2014? Part 3: Quarterfinals

In the ultimate what if scenario, let's look at the Group of Five in 2014 and how a 16-team playoff to determine the best of the best. In the third part of this five part series, we will look at the quarterfinal matchups.

Group of Five players on the Outland Watch List

Outland Trophy:

Northern Illinois 2015 roster (with 2014 stats)

Northern Illinois:

MAC players in the NFL

In honor of the combine and the upcoming NFL draft, here is a list of the MAC players in the NFL. Every MAC program has at least one player in the NFL with Toledo leading the way with 9 NFL players. In total, 64 players from the MAC are in the NFL.

Way too early top 10

A way too early look at the non-big five schools and the top 10 programs among them. This is all based on my thought and information gathering. May change after spring practice.

Northern Illinois Recruiting Outlook

Northern Illinois: