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 6-0 (2-0) 9.54 expected MAC wins (at Akron)
2. Toledo 4-1 (1-0) 7.11 expected MAC wins (vs BGSU)
3. (+2) Ohio 4-2 (2-0) 6.47 expected MAC wins (vs EMU)
4. (-1) Central Michigan 4-2 (1-1) 5.30 expected MAC wins (at NIU)
5. (+1) Ball State 3-3 (0-2) 4.83 expected MAC wins (at UB)
6. (-2) Eastern Michigan 4-2 (1-1) 4.81 expected MAC wins (at Ohio)
7. Akron 4-2 (2-0) 4.41 expected MAC wins (vs WMU)
8. (+2) Kent State 2-4 (1-1) 3.90 expected MAC wins (at Miami)
9. (+2) Northern Illinois 1-5 (1-1) 2.06 expected MAC wins (vs CMU)
10. ( -1) Buffalo 1-4 (0-1) 1.71 expected MAC wins (vs BSU)
11. (-3) Miami 0-6 (0-2) 1.54 expected MAC wins (vs KSU)
12. Bowling Green 1-5 (0-2) -1.61 expected MAC wins (at Toledo)

Top of the NEIM: Western Michigan remains on top of the NEIM after ripping the torch out of NIU’s cold dead hands.

Bottom of the NEIM: Bowling Green could play spoiler to Toledo so that’s fun, but it would be more fun if they lost, preserving a 10/22 bottom of the NEIM showdown with Miami as well as a 10/22 main contender showdown between Toledo and CMU.

Game of the Week: WMU at Akron. Billed as a MAC Championship preview, probably. However the NEIM rankings are not yet ready to declare Akron a thing. A home win against the rowers would make Akron a thing.

Route of Sadness: I-71: Kent at Miami. Middling success in the MAC is easy (ask Ohio). Win a FCS game, beat a low level G5 opponent, beat 4 bad MAC teams, go to a bowl. After failing to beat their FCS and G5 opponents, Miami faced two tough MAC teams and are now 0-6. A win keeps bowl hopes alive.

Kent went 1-1 against FCS teams meaning the Flashes need 5 MAC wins to get bowl eligible. They did their job at Buffalo, and have another must win at Miami this week. A loss, and the Flashes hopes would be all but over.

The Five Key Stats

Points/Game

1. WMU: 44.8

2. Toledo: 43.2

3. Akron: 37.7

10. BGSU: 18.3

11. Miami: 17.0

12. Buffalo: 15.2

Yards/Play

1. Toledo: 7.50

2. Akron: 6.76

3. WMU: 6.60

10. Kent: 4.86

11. BGSU: 4.57

12. Buffalo: 4.54

Turnover Margin/Game

1. WMU: +1.83

2. Ohio: +1.67

3. Kent: +0.50

10. Miami: -0.83

11. NIU: -1.00

12. BGSU: -2.17

3rd Down Conversion %

1. Toledo: 56.76%

2. WMU: 51.19%

3. CMU: 45.88%

10. Kent: 34.74%

11. Miami: 31.17%

12. BGSU: 25.53%

Point Differential/Game

1. WMU: +24.3

2. Toledo: +22.2

3. Ohio: +6.2

10. Miami: -12.3

11. Buffalo: -16.6

12. BGSU: -28.2