Fargo's **MAC **5** Conference TOP PLAY Blowout** - 9/13/2008 1:55:00 PM

Central Michigan Chippewas -3 -110

**MAC **5** Conference TOP PLAY Blowout** It was pretty obvious that Central Michigan was overmatched last week at Georgia. It was a disheartening loss for the Chippewas but the good news is that they can get it back in their MAC opener at Ohio. If this was any other game, it would not even be considered a play with that Georgia game last week and a game at Purdue next week. This is conference time and they take these games very serious, no matter who it is against, where it is being played or where in the schedule it is.

Ohio is 0-2 but is coming off two very good efforts at Wyoming and at Ohio St. The Bobcats were sniffing upset last Saturday against the Buckeyes but simply ran out of steam. Ohio St. trailed by eight points late in the third quarter before scoring the final 20 points to pull it out. Ohio was hurt by five turnovers and if not for that, who know what might have happened. My take is that the Buckeyes were overlooking Ohio as they have USC this week and were not at full strength to begin with.

The strength of Central Michigan is the offense and it will be ready to bust it out Saturday. The Chippewas were limited to just 59 yards rushing and this team succeeds when a balanced offense is put into play. In eight games last season against MAC opponents, the Chippewas averaged 41.9 ppg, 276.9 passing ypg, 227.2 rushing ypg and 504.1 total ypg. Central Michigan scored at least 34 points in each of those eight games and accounted for at 450 yards of offense in six contests.

Hitting the road is no issue as dating back to the start of the 2005 season, Central Michigan has won 10 of its last 12 MAC regular season games on the road and has won 10 straight games against opponents from the MAC East Division. Even though the schools are in different divisions of the conference, Saturday's game will count in the standings. That's a change from last season when games between the East and West division teams counted only as a potential tie-breaker.

Even though the Bobcats have looked good defensively, that changes here. The defense took a big step backward last season. After allowing just 303 ypg and 18.1 ppg in 2006, the Bobcats gave up 407 ypg and 29.9 ppg last year. They finished 91st in rushing defense, allowing 186.4 ypg on 4.5 ypc. Similar to last season, Ohio once again brings back the fewest starters in the MAC. After two near misses, it finally catches up to the Bobcats as they get taken out in their home opener. Play Central Michigan Chippewas 5 Units

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