2021 PoopyRhinoPickle's Week 6 MAC Conference Round-Up

[PoopyRhinoPickle]

Results

Bowling Green def. Eastern Michigan 23-7

Akron def. Miami (OH) 20-19

Ohio def. Central Michigan 37-26

Western Michigan def. Toledo 39-0

Indiana def. Buffalo 16-13

 

Bye: Kent State, Ball State, Northern Illinois

 

Best performance of the week: Ohio def. Central Michigan 37-26

Bobcat QB Yusei Asencio has quickly become a leading candidate for conference MVP this season. Asencio was able to stand in the pocket, unharmed, to go 21-32 for 452 yards and 3 TDs against one of the more talented defenses in the conference. His favorite target, WR Humberto Mauger, had an all-timer with 11 receptions for 314 yards and 2 TDs to scorch the Chippewa secondary. CMU RB Tanner Lake, a leading rusher in the MAC conference, was held relatively in check on the ground with 135 yards on 32 carries, but also had 6 receptions for 43 yards and a TD through the air. After dropping a game against Akron last week, Ohio should be happy with this win over a talented Central Michigan team.

 

Worst performance of the week: Western Michigan def. Toledo 39-0

There are very few positives to take away from this game for Toledo. Usually coaches can at least look to no injuries from a game, so I guess it's just good injuries haven't been added to the sim yet? On the ground Toledo averaged only 2.5 yards per carry on 42 attempts. QB Eric Diekman went 9-19 for 34 yards. All together that equals only 139 yards of total offense. Combine that with 4 turnovers (3 interceptions thrown, 1 fumble), and you start getting the picture on how they were shut out in this game. Adding insult to injury, P Jon Puello had the 3rd lowest punt average (49.45 ypp) of a MAC punter in a game this season (63 stat lines) while being asked to punt 11 times. Things won't get much easier for Toledo as they travel to face Yusei Asencio and the Ohio Bobcats next week.

 

Offensive Player of the Week: WR Humberto Mauger, Ohio, 11 recs 314 yards 2 TDs vs Central Michigan

 

Defensive Player of the Week: DT Chris LaDouceur, Bowling Green, 7 Tkls 3 TFLs 2 Sacks vs Eastern Michigan

 

Special Teams Player of the Week: K Baker Gallegos, Miami (OH), 4-4 FGs 1-1 XPs vs Akron

 

MAC Snapshot

West Division

Team	Conference	Overall
Central Michigan	2-1	3-3
Western Michigan	2-1	3-3
Eastern Michigan	1-2	2-4
Northern Illinois	0-1	2-3
Ball State	0-1	0-5
Toledo	0-2	1-4

The West is largely filled with teams who have underperformed this season. Despite being one of those team, Central Michigan still finds themselves in control of their own destiny. All signs are pointing to CMU's showdown at the end of the season with Western Michigan being the game that settles who will represent the West in the conference championship. While Ball State's record is disappointing, 3 of those 5 losses come at the hands of top-15 teams (Cal, Purdue, and ODU). Will that stiff competition at the beginning of the season benefit them down the stretch? Only time will tell. Toledo was able to snatch a win vs UCLA in week 2, which might be the highlight of their season.

 

East Divison

Team	Conference	Overall
Akron	2-0	4-1
Buffalo	2-0	3-3
Ohio	1-1	3-1
Kent State	1-1	3-2
Bowling Green	1-1	2-3
Miami (OH)	1-2	3-3

As much as the West has its fill of underperforming teams this year, the East has its own share of teams who are overperforming. Akron and Buffalo are 2 teams who have different winning formulas, Akron with a high powered offense and Buffalo with a stout defense. Ohio, led by QB Yusei Asencio, has emerged as one of the leaders of the East Division this season, and defeating my preseason favorite to win the conference last week only cements their status as a team to be taken seriously. Bowling Green found success last week after a change at the QB position, so they'll be looking to build on that performance as we approach the second half of the season.