MAC Blogger Roundtable: Let's Go Rockets

For many teams the season is half over. For some that means the excitement of a post season run to Detroit or a run that gets you into a Bowl game. For others it's going to feel more like a slow march to death. Let's go rockets wants to get a feeling for how people are feeling about their teams.

Guess which fan base Buffalo tends to fall under.

Well onto the main event.

1) Ohio has the best record in the MAC at 6-0. Are they truly the best team in the conference or is their success a product of a favorable schedule?

Its way to hard to judge that. On the plus side the teams who both look like the best in the conference are on a collision course for Detroit. Then again Kent and NIU can each muddy the waters even more in the coming weeks.

It's hard to argue with Toledo's strength of schedule is a bit stronger, but only a bit. Dang them the heck for messing up that week one game against Arizona because that really makes it a hard choice. But Ohio's win against Penn State is looking better and better as the weeks roll on. PSU is now 4-2 with a decent win or two under their belt, meanwhile what has Wyoming done?

Generally I give the edge to the undefeated team and until there is a bigger game in the strength of schedule Ill keep Ohio in front. The fact Ohio is as banged up as they are and still winning, against any schedule, speaks well for their depth and their coaches.

Their success in Ahtens is not just a scheduling issue, anyone who ignores the fundamental strengths of the Bobcats and their program as a whole is a fool. NIU needed a second half Miracle to win the MAC Championship last season and If the Bobcats and Rockets make it to the Championship game Toledo better not look at Ohio and see a paper tiger.


2) What has been the most surprising aspect of your team's play so far this season? (offense/defense, personnel, coaching, play calls, etc.)

Nothing will phase me with Jeff Quinn's Bulls. apparently not too many of his calls surprise the opposition either... sigh... The Bulls are doing everything they need to do in order to win but they make those hand full of bonehead plays every game that costs us the W. Last week it was fumbled punts, poor kickoff coverage, and a few lapses on defense.

I suppose the biggest surprise is how good we are depth wise at tailback and the performance of the Line in the ground game. Devin Campbell, our fourth line tailback got hte start against Ohio and dropped 150 plus yards. The week before our committee running game pushed around UConn.

If you had told me that we would be without Oliver, Potts, and Murie, and still field an effective running attack I would have called you crazy.

3) With nearly half the season complete, what game remains on your team’s schedule that is crucial to success or an indication of failure for the season?

Jeff Quinn has just three FBS wins in two years. Right now the Bulls are 1-4 and staring at games against WMU, Toledo, and Northern Illinois. At this point Success means 5 wins. So lets say Bowling Green, UMass, Miami, and an upset over one of hte three west teams would salvage this dumpster fire and maybe, *MAYBE*, save coach Quinn's reputation in the eyes of UB Fans.

Quinns three year record, six wind and 23 losses (3 wins are against FCS teams), makes him very Hofher like, and for a coach that was supposed to build on what Warde Manuel and Turner Gill did that's an extreme disappointment.

Right now Western Michigan looks like the most "beatable" West team on our schedule, but only if carter has an off game.