MAC teams put up big numbers this week in college football.
Mid-American Conference offensive coordinators are rejoicing this week. Defensive coordinators, not so much.
Week 6 showcased a number of explosive offenses. Two games each had combined 100-point totals. The lowest score posted by any winning team was Ohio’s 34, which was also the Bobcats' largest win over Miami in rivalry history.
This week’s Mid-American Conference coaches' conference call touched on the successes of the offenses and what adjustments can be made on defense going forward.
Falcons’ high powered offense
In Bowling Green’s (4-0, 2-0 MAC) 62-38 blowout over Massachusetts (1-4, 0-1), the Falcons put up Madden-like numbers.
Quarterback Matt Johnson threw for 450 yards and five touchdowns. Their running backs tallied 206 yards on the ground with three touchdowns.
The Falcons racked up a school-record 725 all-purpose yards and eight touchdowns.
“It was a really, really great game,” Bowling Green coach Dino Babers said. “We’ve been waiting to have one of those (strong offensive) games.”
Bowling Green now sits one game back of East Division-leading Ohio.
Battle for the Cannon
The top two teams in the MAC from Michigan squared off Saturday in Kalamazoo. Western Michigan (2-3, 1-0) survived three Central Michigan (2-4, 1-1) fourth-quarter touchdowns to hang on 41-39.
“It was a typical Western-Central Michigan game,” Western coach P.J. Fleck said. “It’s always close. It’s always physical.”
Western Michigan comes to Athens this weekend to take on the Bobcats, as the Broncos look to gain ground in the West Division.
“(Ohio is) extremely talented, very well coached,” Fleck said. “They find ways to win, they understand what winning is about. They’re tough, they’re physical, they’re extremely hard on defense. They’ve got challenges everywhere — that’s typical of a Frank Solich coached team.”
Huskies rebound
After losing three straight, Northern Illinois (3-3, 1-1) picked up a much-needed 59-41 win over Ball State (2-4, 1-2).
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The Huskies’ quarterback Drew Hare had a bounce back week, completing 91 percent of his passes. Hare threw three touchdowns for 363 yards, posting a 206.5 passer rating.
“It was good to get that win. We’re looking to improve,” coach Rod Carey said. "It’s all about looking at things to improve on and building on what you’re already doing.”
National spotlight
Weekly update: Toledo (5-0, 2-0) moves up two spots and is now ranked No. 22 in the nation.
The Rockets take on a struggling Eastern Michigan (1-5, 0-2) team this Saturday.
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