OHIO Football

Bobcats look to defend East Title

By Zack Lloyd, Staff Writer

September 29, 2007 | 11:34 a.m.

History often repeats itself. Such is true for the 2007 Ohio football team.

Last year the Bobcats began the season by going 2-2 in non-conference play before winning six of their seven Mid-American Conference games en route to the MAC title game and their first bowl game appearance in 38 years.

Similarly, this year the Ohio football team has gone 2-2 in their non-conference games, losing at Virginia Tech and at home against Wyoming last Saturday. As Ohio sets to kick off their 2007 conference schedule, they can only hope to repeat last year’s conference success and recapture the MAC East Championship.

The Bobcats enter MAC play on a two-game losing streak, including a heartbreaking 34-33 loss to Wyoming in which they led 23-6 during the third quarter. Despite beginning conference play off two consecutive losses and coming in with little momentum, linebacker Taj Henley said the team still feels confident.

“They were tough losses, but they were non-conference games,” Henley said. “We have to put that behind us and move forward to start MAC play. The team is very excited. Our number one goal is to win the MAC Championship. Our heads are up high, and we’re very excited about our opportunities.”

Last year Ohio opened MAC play with a 21-9 loss to Bowling Green at home. Even though the Bobcats followed that loss with seven consecutive victories and placed themselves in the MAC Championship game, quarterback Brad Bower said the team needs to get off to a better start this year.

“I think the biggest thing for us is going 1-0,” Bower said. “That’s all that matters at Ohio right now. Ohio needs to be 1-0 after this week.”

The Bobcats open MAC play at Peden Stadium as they host the Kent State Golden Flashes, a team that lost to Akron last week in their conference opener. According to most MAC preseason predictions, Kent was ranked No. 2 in the MAC East, just behind Ohio. Even though Kent lost last week to Akron 27-20, they still boast the No. 13 rushing attack in the country and the national No. 2 leading rusher in Eugene Jarvis.

Ohio will definitely have to make some defensive adjustments, as they have had trouble stopping the run this season. Although Kent State has gotten off to a slow start in conference play, Henley said that the team is not to be taken lightly.

“This game is very important,” Henley said. “We want to come in and play a really, really good game against Kent State. It’s going to set the tempo for the rest of play in the MAC.”

Coach Frank Solich said starting the MAC season at home will be helpful for Ohio, but their overall conference success may be decided away from the friendly confines of Peden Stadium.

“It’s obviously a big plus for us to have this game at home,” Solich said. “Although, we pride ourselves on what we’re all about on the road, and you have to be a good road team if you want to go through this thing and have it play out well for you.”

While teams such as Akron, Kent and Bowling Green are certainly expected to challenge the Bobcats for MAC East supremacy, Henley believes his Ohio squad may have the early edge because of what they accomplished last year.

“We kind of know what our opposition is right now,” Henley said. “We’ve been 2-2 heading into the MAC before. [Last year] we started off with Bowling Green and came out flat. We got a lot of experience from that, and we don’t want to come out that same way. I think this team would be better [than last year’s Ohio team] because of the experience that we had last year, of being in that slump. We already know what it’s going to take to win, so it’s very important for us to come out and play.”

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Contrary to the popular beliefs of most diehard Ohio football fans, the center of the MAC universe is not located in Athens. If our beloved Bobcats are to be beaten in the East Division this year, here are the likely culprits.

The Contenders

Kent State Golden Flashes (2-2 overall, 0-1 in the MAC)

After suffering a disappointing loss at Akron in the Wagon Wheel game, the Flashes will have their work cut out for them during the remainder of conference play. Things do not get any easier for Kent in week two as they head to Athens to take on another of the preseason favorites in the Ohio Bobcats. Kent has shown some flair thus far as they opened the season with a 23-14 victory at Iowa State. In addition, the Flashes will get another chance to shine under the national spotlight on Oct. 13, when they travel to the Horseshoe to duel with the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Kent is a tough matchup for most of the MAC defenses because they combine a mobile quarterback with one of the premier running backs in the country in Jarvis. The Flashes rank No. 1 in the MAC in rushing offense, averaging 236 yards per game. However, their offensive prowess isn’t the only thing that makes them a force in the MAC. Kent is also tops in the conference in total defense, allowing just 306 yards per game.

Their efficient run-oriented offense and stifling defense should place the Flashes in the top half of the MAC East.

Akron Zips (2-2 overall, 1-0 in the MAC)

Preseason predictions were lukewarm on the Zips with some predicting they’d finish in the top three and others forecasting them to end the season near the bottom of the MAC East standings. Through four games, Akron has solidified its case to be one of the favorites in the MAC East as the season continues. Their biggest statement may have been made last week when they upset Kent State and showed the rest of the country that they should be mentioned when talking about the premier MAC programs.

While Akron does not boast the impressive offensive or defensive statistics that Kent does, they took care of business last week against the Flashes by taking care of the ball, committing only two turnovers to Kent’s four. Looking at the numbers, Akron is rather unimpressive on offense. They rank last in total offense per game, averaging just 243 yards. However, their defense is another story. They are giving up the least points per game in the conference at 23.8 and are ranked No. 2 in total defense, only trailing Kent. Keep an eye on defensive back Reggie Corner as he leads the MAC in passes defended and has recorded three interceptions in four games, returning one for a touchdown.

Another intangible that the stats do not show is the difficulty of Kent’s non-conference schedule. They played arguably the best non-conference opponent of any team in Ohio State and also challenged another Big Ten school in Indiana. Therefore, their offensive stats may not be what they appear.

Regardless of whether or not they can be more productive on offense, Akron showed last week that they know how to win and deserve to be considered among the MAC elite.

The Sleepers

Bowling Green Falcons (2-1 overall, 1-0 in MAC)

Boasting the highest scoring offense in the league, the Falcons are definitely worth keeping an eye on. Bowling Green will put up a ton of yards and light up the scoreboard, primarily through the air. Quarterback Tyler Sheehan is tops in the MAC in passing yards, averaging 346 yards per game. Bowling Green has gained national prominence for its aerial attack and is ranked as the No. 8 most prolific passing offense in the nation. When the offense is off the field, don’t sleep on the Falcons’ defense. The Bowling Green defense is most solid against the run but still ranks near the middle of the MAC in every major defensive category. If Sheehan can dominate the MAC as easily as he’s dominated every team he’s faced this year, the Falcons could be flying high come December.

Miami Redhawks (1-3 overall, 1-0 in MAC)

After recording just two wins last year, some would say it is a stretch to even consider that Miami could win the MAC East Championship. It might be. The Redhawks haven’t started the season strong, losing non-conference games to Minnesota, Cincinnati and Colorado. However, they did record their only win in conference play against one of the West Division favorites Ball State, the same Ball State team that took No. 24 Nebraska to the brink, barely getting edged in a 41-40 thriller. With one of the more difficult non-conference schedules in the MAC, Miami is ready to restore their winning football tradition and is lurking in the weeds, ready to attack any opponent who overlooks them.

The Cellar Dwellers

Buffalo Bulls (1-3 overall, 1-0 in MAC)

Buffalo has lost to two pretty tough non-conference schools this year in Penn State and Rutgers, but that doesn't mean they're underrated. If there's one thing you can count on every year in the MAC, based on the past decade, it is that the Bulls are going to suck. The only reason that they are 1-0 in the conference is because they beat the...

Temple Owls(0-4 overall, 0-1 in MAC)

Nobody was happier when the Owls joined the MAC than the Buffalo football team. The Bulls now had company in the MAC cellar and can no longer be referred to as the worst team in the conference. That said, this season marks Temple’s first in the MAC, and given their athletic reputation, the Owls should gradually improve their program to the point where they can consistently compete. Their 2007 recruiting class was graded the best in the MAC.

And now for the MAC West Division.

The Defending Champs

Central Michigan Chippewas (1-3 overall, 1-0 in MAC)

Until someone beats them, the Chippewas are the MAC Champions. With that said, the deck may be stacked against them this year in the MAC West as Ball State has shown flashes of a dominant program and Western Michigan has high expectations for this season.

So far this season, Central Michigan has struggled with their out-of-conference schedule, losing all three games. Their pass defense is very suspect as they are giving up a conference-worst 327 yards per game. Worse yet, their offense is average at best. Fortunately they’ve already managed a one-game head start in the MAC standings by handily defeating Toledo 52-31.

The Chippewas will go as far as their duel-threat quarterback Dan LeFevour can take them. His combination of speed and accuracy make the Central Michigan offense potentially explosive the rest of the way. However, if they don’t get their defensive woes taken care of, expect a new champ this winter.

The Contenders

Western Michigan Broncos (1-3 overall, 0-0 in MAC)

Like most MAC teams, the Broncos have started the season slow, losing tough games against major non-conference opponents in West Virginia, Indiana and Missouri. Although their overall record is relatively unimpressive, Western Michigan is still scoring 31.5 points per game, ranking second in the MAC. If they can continue that offensive success in MAC play, they may be able to reverse their fortune and contend for the MAC West crown.

The Broncos know that in smaller conferences, the only thing that matters is the conference record. They open MAC play this week at Toledo in a game that should show whether Western Michigan is as good as advertised in the preseason. VanDelaySports.com, a reputable MAC athletics site, predicted that Western Michigan would finish 9-3 overall and 7-0 in the conference.

In order to fulfill their preseason promise, the Broncos must have some players step up, and they must emerge from the middle of the pack in both total offense and total defense in the MAC. Keep an eye on the Nov. 6 matchup against Central Michigan, which could decide the West Division representative at the MAC Championship game.

Ball State Cardinals (2-2 overall, 1-1 in MAC)

Ball State is for real. Their two losses were each by one measly point, 41-40 to No. 24 Nebraska and 14-13 to Miami. Being that they are really close to being 4-0, they may be the real team to watch in the MAC West.

The Cardinals are at the top of the MAC in total offense, averaging a whopping 486 yards per game. The Ball State offense features a legitimate triple threat on offense. They have an explosive quarterback in Nate Davis, who has registered more than 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns; the best receiver in the MAC in Dante Love, who has 499 yards receiving and five touchdowns; and a quick, elusive, downhill runner in MiQuale Lewis, who has rushed for 447 yards and two touchdowns.

Even more impressive is that the aforementioned triumvirate posted such impressive numbers in the national spotlight against No. 24 Nebraska. Perhaps the only negative thing to be said about this team is that they struggle to close games. In both of their losses, they lost the lead late in the fourth quarter. Miami has proven that Ball State is not invincible in the MAC, but if their super-productive offense is firing on all cylinders, Ball State should run (or pass) away with the MAC West.

The Sleepers

Toledo Rockets (1-3 overall, 0-1 in MAC)

In an otherwise bleak year thus far, the Rockets upset the Iowa State Cyclones 36-35 last week, giving them a sliver of hope as they enter MAC play. The big problem for Toledo is they cannot keep their opponents out of the end zone. They are giving up an astounding 46 points per game, and unfortunately for the team, they do not possess the offensive weapons to compete in a shootout. Their best chance to score points is on the ground, as the passing game has been relatively ineffective this year, averaging just more than 200 yards per game. If the momentum from last week’s win doesn’t carry into conference play, the Rockets could implode before they get off the ground.

The Cellar Dwellers

Northern Illinois Huskies (1-3 overall, 0-1 in MAC)

While the Huskies offensive and defensive team statistics put them right in the middle of the MAC, their red-zone offense is atrocious. They are scoring only 66 percent of the time after they move the ball inside the 20-yard line. In addition, they simply do not take care of the ball, boasting a putrid -6 turnover ratio. Their offensive ineptitude should spell disaster and place them along with Eastern Michigan at the bottom of the MAC standings.

Eastern Michigan Eagles (2-2 overall, 1-1 in MAC)

Their record doesn’t look bad but their harder non-conference games are still ahead of them, playing at Michigan and at Vanderbilt. In addition, the only reason they have a MAC victory is because they played the other red-headed stepchild in the MAC in Northern Illinois. When it is all said and done, their No. 12-ranked total offense will spell their demise in the conference.

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