Go Gophers Rah
Section 238 Row 21
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The opponent in the Motor City Bowl will be the winner of the MAC Championship. As of now, however, that could be one of 4 teams: Ball State, Western Michigan, Central Michigan or Buffalo.
Buffalo has locked up the MAC East and is a confirmed participant in the December 5 MAC Championship.
As for the MAC West, here are the possibilities:
If Ball State beats Western Michigan on Saturday, they are in the MAC Championship.
A Western Michigan win against Ball State and a Central Michigan loss against Eastern Michigan (2-8) would put the Western Michigan in the MAC title game.
Wins by Western Michigan and Central Michigan would leave them and Ball State tied for the division title with 7-1 records.
They all would be 2-1 against each other in the first tiebreaker, which is head-to-head play. They would be even in the second tiebreaker, record against the other West teams. Tiebreaker No. 3 is awarded to the team whose cross-division opponents had the best MAC winning percentage. Central Michigan and Western Michigan played the same three East teams (Temple, Ohio and Buffalo). Those teams have a .389 winning percentage in MAC games. Ball State’s cross-division foes (Akron, Miami and Kent State) have a .333 winning percentage.
Central Michigan then would win the tiebreaker based on its 38-28 win against Western Michigan and advance to the MAC title game.
We'll know for sure Saturday who will be playing Buffalo in the MAC Championship.
Personally, I have mixed feelings. The opportunity to beat a #12-15 Ball State team would be very redemptive. I just don't like our odds right now, however, and might rather see Buffalo pull an upset in the MAC Championship so that we end up playing a more beatable team.
Of course, if the Big Ten sends 2 teams to BCS games, all of this is moot.
Buffalo has locked up the MAC East and is a confirmed participant in the December 5 MAC Championship.
As for the MAC West, here are the possibilities:
If Ball State beats Western Michigan on Saturday, they are in the MAC Championship.
A Western Michigan win against Ball State and a Central Michigan loss against Eastern Michigan (2-8) would put the Western Michigan in the MAC title game.
Wins by Western Michigan and Central Michigan would leave them and Ball State tied for the division title with 7-1 records.
They all would be 2-1 against each other in the first tiebreaker, which is head-to-head play. They would be even in the second tiebreaker, record against the other West teams. Tiebreaker No. 3 is awarded to the team whose cross-division opponents had the best MAC winning percentage. Central Michigan and Western Michigan played the same three East teams (Temple, Ohio and Buffalo). Those teams have a .389 winning percentage in MAC games. Ball State’s cross-division foes (Akron, Miami and Kent State) have a .333 winning percentage.
Central Michigan then would win the tiebreaker based on its 38-28 win against Western Michigan and advance to the MAC title game.
We'll know for sure Saturday who will be playing Buffalo in the MAC Championship.
Personally, I have mixed feelings. The opportunity to beat a #12-15 Ball State team would be very redemptive. I just don't like our odds right now, however, and might rather see Buffalo pull an upset in the MAC Championship so that we end up playing a more beatable team.
Of course, if the Big Ten sends 2 teams to BCS games, all of this is moot.
