Midseason Reports
Midseason
All-America Teams
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ACC
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Big East
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Big 12
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C-USA
- M-West
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Pac 10
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SEC
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Sun Belt
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WAC
- 2006 CFN
Midseason All-America Teams
Offensive Player of the Midseason
Dan LeFevour,
QB Central Michigan
Defensive Player of the Midseason
Larry English, DE
Northern Illinois
Ten best MAC players in the first half of the season
1. Dan LeFevour, QB Central Michigan
2. Nate Davis, QB Ball State
3.
Eugene Jarvis, RB Kent State
4.
Justin Anderson, RB Northern Illinois
5.
Julian Edelman, QB Kent State
6.
Tyler Sheehan, QB Bowling Green
7.
Larry English, DE Northern Illinois
8.
Jabari Arthur, WR Akron
9. James Starks, RB Buffalo
10.
Chris Miller, P Ball State
Biggest
Surprise
– Buffalo
The Bulls are 3-4, and on a two-game winning streak, but more
shockingly, they're in the thick of the MAC title race. The
offense has all of a sudden found some explosion and
consistency, and while the defense will occasionally have its
problems, the team is on a roll and in control of its own
destiny. If nothing else, Buffalo football has become relevant
for the first time.
Biggest
Disappointment –
Toledo
This was supposed to be a bounce-back season with a ton of
offensive firepower and a veteran defense ready to make some
major noise in the MAC title chase. After a 43-33 loss to
Buffalo, the Rockets are 0-3 in MAC play thanks to one of the
nation's worse defenses. Three home games are ahead, so it's now
or never for the UT season.
The MAC
Champion will be ...
Central Michigan over Miami
The RedHawks might not be that great, but they're the class of
the East and should be able to navigate their way through the
relatively easy division. Central Michigan has found its groove,
but it'll have to battle with Western Michigan for its second
straight conference title.
Best Game of
the First Half
Akron 39 ...
Western Michigan 38
A wild game with 992 yards of total offense became a
game-of-the-year candidate with an all-timer of an
ending. Western Michigan took a 38-24 lead with 12:25 to
play on a seven-yard Mark Bonds run. Akron couldn't
respond until Jabari Arthur caught a 51-yard touchdown
pass, his third score of the day, with less than five
minutes. to play. WMU couldn't run out the clock, and
instead of risking a punt return for a score, chose to
take a safety with 15 seconds to play. On the free kick,
Alphonso Owen fielded the ball and went 11 yards before
getting stopped. Before going down, he was able to get
the ball to Andre Jones, who took it 78 yards for an
improbable score with no time left on the clock for the
39-38 win. The play overshadowed a huge day from Arthur,
who caught 15 passes for 223 yards and three touchdowns,
and big performances from both quarterbacks. Akron's
Chris Jacquemain threw for 389 yards and four scores,
and WMU's Tim Hiller threw for 375 yards and three
touchdowns.
Second Best Game –
Minnesota 41 ... Miami Univ.
35 3OT, Sept. 8
Third Best Game –
Kent State 33 ...
Ohio 25, Sept. 29
Worst Game of
the First Half
Colorado 42 ... Miami University 0
Colorado got two passing touchdowns and a rushing score from
Cody Hawkins, and Hugh Charles ran for a 17-yard score in the
blowout. The Buffs outgained Miami 634 yards to 139, and allowed
just six first downs. The second quarter proved to be the end for
the RedHawks, with CU getting three touchdowns, including a
three-yard Patrick Devenny catch with 15 seconds to play in the
first half. Brian Lockridge closed things out with a 43-yard
touchdown run early in the fourth.
Coach of the Midseason
–
Turner Gill, Buffalo
Buffalo is 3-1 in the MAC. Again, Buffalo, yes, that Buffalo, is
3-1 in the MAC. If the Bulls get even remotely close to the East
title, Gill will have pulled off one of the great turnaround
jobs in league history. Also worthy of note is Temple's Al
Golden, who has things pointed in the right direction.
Player who'll step up in the second half
–
James Starks, RB Buffalo
The Bulls have found their horse and is going to ride him as
long as possible. Starks is a big, quick back who's carried the
offense over the past few weeks, and he'll force every defense
to key on him. QB Drew Willy is just good enough to have moments
when he'll pick apart mediocre secondaries if he has time to
operate.
Best performance so far -
Northern Illinois DE Larry English made 12 tackles and five sacks,
and he recovered a fumble for a score in the 42-35 win over Idaho
Top Freshman – Alex Kube, S Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois has gone into the tank, but it has a defensive
playmaker to build around in Kube, who's been a tackling machine
with double-digit stops in five of the seven games. He needs to
do more when the ball is in the air, but for now, he's been a
life-saver as a last line of defense.
Coach who needs to have a big second half – Eastern
Michigan's Jeff Genyk
The Eagles have played far better in recent weeks and have shown
signs of improvement on both sides of the ball, but the wins
have to start coming. At 2-5, with one win coming in a 21-19
nailbiter against Northern Illinois, and against Howard, the
Eagles need to win at least two more, possibly three, for Genyk
to stick.
Player who needs to have a big second half – Tim Hiller,
QB Western Michigan
Western Michigan is right in the hunt for the MAC West title,
and can win it by winning out. It comes down to Hiller, who has
bombed away at times, and has been brilliant in a few games, but
he has to be consistent. If he plays like the best player in the
MAC, the Broncos will win the title.
Best remaining conference game – Central Michigan at
Western Michigan, Nov. 6
If the Broncos can avoid a Ball State landmine, this won't be
just for the West title, it'll be for the whole ball of wax.
Both teams are better than anyone from the East.
Team Mid-Season MVPs & Predictions
East
Akron – WR Jabari Arthur
predicted wins: Ohio
predicted losses: at Bowling Green, at Buffalo, at Miami
University, Central Michigan
predicted record: 4-8
Bowling Green – QB Tyler Sheehan
predicted wins: Ohio, Akron, at Eastern
Michigan, Toledo
predicted losses: at Kent State, at Buffalo
predicted record: 7-5
Buffalo – DE Trevor Scott
predicted wins: Akron, Bowling Green
predicted losses: at Syracuse, at Miami
University, at Kent State
predicted record: 5-7
Kent State – RB Eugene Jarvis
predicted wins: Bowling Green, at Northern Illinois, at Temple, Buffalo
predicted losses: Central
Michigan
predicted record: 7-5
Miami Univ – LB Clayton Mullins
predicted wins: Bowling Green, at Temple, Buffalo, Akron
predicted losses: at Vanderbilt, at Ohio
predicted record: 8-4
Ohio – RB Kalvin McRae
predicted wins: Temple, at Akron
predicted losses: at Toledo, at Bowling Green, Miami
University
predicted record: 5-7
Temple
– QB Adam DiMichele
predicted wins: None
predicted losses: Miami University, at Ohio, Penn State,
Kent State, at Western Michgan
predicted record: 2-10
West
Ball State – QB Nate Davis
predicted wins: Western Kentucky, Toledo, at Northern
Illinois
predicted losses: at Western Michigan, at Illinois, at
Indiana
predicted record: 6-6
Central Michigan – QB Dan LeFevour
predicted wins: Army, at Kent State, at Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, at
Akron
predicted losses: at Clemson
predicted record: 8-4
Eastern Michigan – LB Daniel Holtzclaw
predicted wins: None
predicted losses: at Northwestern, Western
Michigan, at Toledo, Bowling Green, at Central Michigan
predicted record: 2-10
Northern Illinois – DE Larry English
predicted wins: None
predicted losses: at Wisconsin, at
Toledo, Kent State, at Navy, Ball State
predicted record: 1-11
Toledo – RB Jalen Parmele
predicted wins: Ohio, Northern Illinois,
Eastern Michigan
predicted losses: at Ball State, at Bowling Green
predicted record: 5-7
Western Michigan – WR Jamarko Simmons
predicted wins: Ball State, at
Eastern Michigan, Temple
predicted losses: at Iowa, Central Michigan
predicted record: 6-6
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