This week will be death or glory for the front-runners in the Mid-American Conference.
Throughout the weekly teleconference on Monday, all 13 MAC coaches emphasized how vital wins would be if they want any shot to play in the conference championship game.
Here’s a breakdown of what each game means to the best teams in the conference thus far.
Bowling Green (5-2, 3-0) / Toledo (4-3, 2-1)
The Falcons are currently tied with Buffalo atop the East Division, with a one-game cushion over Ohio.
This week, Bowling Green hosts the Battle of I-75, bringing Toledo 25 miles down the interstate to Bowling Green. The Rockets have won the last three meetings between the two schools.
“Obviously this is a big game for us and our program,” Bowling Green coach Dave Clawson said. “There’s such a long history with this rivalry and it’s even better when both teams are playing well. We’re really looking forward to the challenge.”
The Battle of I-75 began in 1919.
Buffalo (5-2, 3-0)
After their 0-2 start against Ohio State and Baylor, the Bulls fell off the radar for MAC championship contention.
Now, Buffalo is one of the hottest teams in the MAC with five consecutive wins. This Saturday, they visit Kent State (2-6, 1-3) and play a Golden Flashes team that is down to third and fourth-string players in several positions because of injuries.
“Five in a row is great, but we can’t stop there,” Buffalo coach Jeff Quinn said during the teleconference.
Northern Illinois (7-0, 3-0)
It’s all about numbers for Northern Illinois.
Last week, the Huskies had their 23rd-consecutive home win, and on Saturday, they won their 13th-straight road game, defeating Central Michigan (3-5, 2-2) 38-17.
In the latest BCS standings, Northern Illinois was ranked No. 18. The Huskies were also ranked No. 22 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 23 in the Associated Press rankings.
They host Eastern Michigan (1-6, 0-3) this Saturday.
Ball State (7-1, 4-0)
The Cardinals have won five straight games, and sit atop of the West Division.
Ball State will attempt to pick up another conference victory when they travel to Akron (2-6, 1-3) this Saturday.
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@charliehatch_
