UMassHoops.com

MikeUMA · Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 10:04 am Post subject: MAC 2012 Week 1

I saw the MAC's schedule for the season opener. We're all playing non-conf games, except for EMU and Ball State face off in conference action.

Thursday, August 30
Central Florida (C-USA) at Akron, 7:00 pm ET (ESPN3)
Eastern Michigan at Ball State, 7:00 pm ET (ESPN3)
Southeast Missouri (FCS) at Central Michigan, 7:00 pm ET (ESPN3)
Towson (FCS) at Kent State, 7:00 pm ET (ESPN3)
UMass at Connecticut, 7:30 pm ET (ESPN3)

Saturday, September 1
Buffalo at Georgia (SEC), Noon ET (ESPN3/SEC Network)
Miami at Ohio State (Big Ten), Noon ET (Big Ten Network)
Ohio at Penn State (Big Ten), Noon ET (ESPN)
Western Michigan at Illinois (Big Ten), Noon ET (ESPNU)
Bowling Green at Florida (SEC), 3:30 pm ET (ESPN)
Iowa (Big Ten) at Northern Illinois (at Chicago), 3:30 pm ET (ESPNU)
Toledo at Arizona (Pac 12), 10:30 pm ET (ESPNU)

So of the FBS matchups:
2 SEC
4 Big Ten
1 Big East and C-USA each

Which of those major non-conf challenges does a MAC team have the best chance of winning?
Which is going to be the biggest blowout?

The Ohio/PSU game will be interesting after everything that happened to the Nittany Lions.
Florida and Georgia are going to smoke their opponents.
Could Akron pull the upset?

ShotPutNC · Junior Joined: 05 Feb 2012 Posts: 633 Location: Amherst

U nailed the two I would pick. Ohio is the class of the Mac right now and stand a good chance against Penn State, especially with Silas Redd gone. Otherwise Akron could pull off the upset home win on UCF

Dickie Dunn · Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 11:33 am Post subject:

I know Terry Bowden (and Jim Tressel) are there now, but do people realize how brutal Akron has been over the years? They finished 1-11 last season and were 198 in the final Sagarin ratings (UMass was 150).

I'm thinking Akron, even on the road, is UMass' best odds for a win this season, followed by Indiana and Buffalo.
_________________
I wrote this ... it's gotta be true.

Marty Peretz · Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 11:44 am Post subject:

Yes. Akron sucks, to put it mildly. The team with the best shot is definitely Ohio followed by Northern Illinois. Would consider it a success if more than 50 percent of the teams can cover the spread.
_________________
Muck Fax Page

UMass2FBS · Sophomore Joined: 02 Jan 2010 Posts: 219

I actually think that Toledo has the best shot to pull the upset. AZ was pretty crummy last year and I don't think that RichRod will have them competitive for at least a few years, if at all. Most websites only have them winning about 4 games.

Toledo, on the other hand is a very very good offensive team and could take this one.
_________________
UMass Football-2013 MAC Champions!!!!!

OutlawPete · Senior Joined: 01 Oct 2009 Posts: 1436 Location: UMass

I would say either us or Ohio has the best chance among these games (though I wouldn't bet on either one). No one here in PA is really sure how Penn State is going to do this year, but if they were to be caught off guard early, Ohio is a team that could beat them.

As for us beating UConn, I've had a feeling that we're going to beat either them or Indiana, so I'll give us the second best chance of winning this week.
_________________
http://youtu.be/8i5A1Pn0z6k

MassMan06 · Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 10:21 am Post subject:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it doesn't seem like we would even have a good FCS team if we were still in that division. Unfortunately I think both UConn and Indiana beat us by at least 20.

UMass87 · Hall of Fame Joined: 02 Apr 2003 Posts: 7361

jjmc85 · Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 12:25 pm Post subject:

Let's not forget that those "not very good FCS team" had very, very talented players and had the skill to compete with the best teams and often did. The preveliant theory on this board is that Kevin Morris, while meaning well, was not a good head coach. After watching how he took a very good, playoff calibar FCS team and drove them to medicrety, I'm inclided to agree.
_________________
UMass Football: 22-3 at home when I was a student.

UMass87 · Hall of Fame Joined: 02 Apr 2003 Posts: 7361

jimmc85 - I certainly wasn't talking about past teams. Past teams weren't starting an untested QB, untested RB, and untested WRs. And all returning players playing under a new coach and new scheme. Seriously. If Molnar gets this offense working then it will be something of a miracle. I would LOVE to be wrong.

JMalloy24 · Sophomore Joined: 18 Oct 2010 Posts: 140

I would take N Illinois if I had to pick an upset...

Dickie Dunn · Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2012 1:53 pm Post subject:

Our other nonleague opponents in action this weekend:

THURSDAY
South Carolina at VANDERBILT, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

SATURDAY
MICHIGAN vs. Alabama (at JerryWorld), 8 p.m. (ABC)
Indiana State at INDIANA, 8 p.m. (Big Ten)
_________________
I wrote this ... it's gotta be true.

UMass02 · Hall of Fame Joined: 11 Nov 2003 Posts: 2154

Games on Thursday 8/30

UConn 37, UMass 0
Central Florida 56, Akron 14
Ball State 37, Eastern Michigan 26
Central Michigan 38, SE Missouri 27
Kent State 41, Towson 21

JMalloy24 · Sophomore Joined: 18 Oct 2010 Posts: 140

wow.. almost nailed the N Illini pick... too bad other picks didnt go that way for me with other teams - or Saratoga for that matter..

Marty Peretz · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 12:02 pm Post subject:

NIU, Ohio, Toledo, Bowling Green, Buffalo all cover. Akron, UMass, Miami Ohio, WMU do not. Two teams played each other (Ball State and EMU) and I didn't see a line for Kent or CMU, probably because they both played FCS schools. I think I'd said success would be a .500 record against the spread and the league went 5-4, so I guess they did that. BGSU was in that game for a long, long time and looked very tough. Toledo will be good too. Obviously Ohio is the clear cut favorite and NIU is solid as well, probably should have beat Iowa.
_________________
Muck Fax Page