The Not Everything Is MACtion weekly standings are based on a formula that believes dominating 5 key stats will lead a team to MAC wins.

Standings

1. Western Michigan 8-0 (4-0) 9.59 expected MAC wins (Bye)
2. Toledo 6-1 (3-0) 7.06 expected MAC wins (vs Ohio)
3. Ohio 5-3 (3-1) 5.20 expected MAC wins (at Toledo)
4. Eastern Michigan 5-3 (2-2) 4.88 expected MAC wins (vs Miami)
5. Central Michigan 5-3 (2-2) 4.53 expected MAC wins (vs Kent)
6. Ball State 4-4 (1-3) 4.49 expected MAC wins (Bye)
7. Akron 5-3 (3-1) 3.97 expected MAC wins (at Buffalo)
8. Kent State 2-6 (1-3) 3.94 expected MAC wins (at CMU)
9. Northern Illinois 2-6 (2-2) 3.55 expected MAC wins (Bye)
10. Miami 2-6 (2-2) 2.75 expected MAC wins (at EMU)
11. Buffalo 1-6 (0-3) 1.49 expected MAC wins (vs Akron)
12. Bowling Green 1-7 (0-4) -0.91 expected MAC wins (Bye)

Top of the NEIM: EMU was game, but WMU was too strong. The Broncos win their third consecutive MAC Michigan Trophy and are 6-0 in MAC Michigan games over the last three years.

Bottom of the NEIM: Bowling Green continues to hold off Buffalo but both teams continue to play awful football to set up the Route of Sadness Championship game in the final week of the season.

Game of the Week: Ohio at Toledo. Toledo faces the top two MAC East teams in a weeks time. As Ohio and Akron will likely play for the East in the final week of the season, so these games are more important for Toledo. Western will most likely coast into the final week against Toledo, WMU faces Ball State, Kent State and Buffalo. Toledo’s margin of error is one game. If the Rockets can enter the final week at least 6-1, they can win their way to Detroit

Route of Sadness: I-90 E: Akron at Buffalo. Akron beat Ball State and Kent by a combined 14 points. Buffalo lost to those teams by a combined 34 points. Buffalo and Toledo both play the two MAC East favorites in consecutive weeks. If Toledo and Buffalo won both games, UB at 2-3 in MAC, would only be a half game back of the MAC East lead, with tiebreakers on both leaders.

The Five Key Stats

Points/Game

1. WMU: 44.4

2. Toledo: 41.3

3. Akron: 32.6

10. BGSU: 21.4

11. Miami: 20.0

12. Buffalo: 14.9

Yards/Play

1. Toledo: 7.27

2. WMU: 6.75

3. Akron: 6.62

10. BGSU: 5.04

11. Buffalo: 4.76

12. Kent: 4.57

Turnover Margin/Game

1. WMU: +1.50

2. Ohio: +0.75

3. Kent: +0.63

10. Buffalo: -0.43

11. Ball St: -0.50

12. BGSU: -2.00

3rd Down Conversion %

1. WMU: 56.36%

2. Toledo: 53.92%

3. Ball St: 46.56%

10. Kent: 34.11%

11. Miami: 30.19%

12. BGSU: 25.83%

Point Differential/Game

1. WMU: +25.1

2. Toledo: +18.9

3. Ohio: +4.2

10. Miami: -7.0

11. Buffalo: -18.5

12. BGSU: -23.7