Weekend Chip Shots

One week down, many more to go. Every Mid-American Conference team went into action over the weekend except for Toledo, and none of them played each other, so let's get right into it:

• We have to start with Bowling Green's upset of No. 25 ranked Pittsburgh 27-17. I only caught most of the 4th quarter of this game and I can see why people thought the Panthers were undeserving of their ranking. No disrespect to Bowling Green: It beat a Top-25 team on the road, and we already know it's a preseason pick to win the MAC East. But Pittsburgh looked downright awful. It was like I was watching the Detroit Lions all over again: Players were dropping easy passes, at least when the quarterback wasn't trying to throw over the top into double- or triple-coverage. Very little coordination on defense and couldn't even buy a fairly easy field goal from one of the best kickers in the nation late. It was obvious this team didn't get up for the Falcons.
• Two close losses in other MAC action: Nothern Illinois comes up short against Minnesota 31-27, and Wyoming beats Ohio 21-20. NIU looked good, from what I saw of them- they had the lead up until 22 seconds left in the game- but couldn't stop Minnesota when it counted. Still, give credit to Jerry Kill for his first game at a program that's obviously retooling after a horrendous year. Ohio had a valiant effort against the favored Cowboys, as well, but again, the Bobcats couldn't keep the lead in the fourth quarter.
• Obviously Nebraska wasn't going to take another MAC team for granted. The Cornhuskers steamrolled Western Michigan 47-24. Broncos quarterback Tim Hiller had a nice game, too, going 30-for-49 with 342 yards and two touchdowns.
  
• Two other BCS blowouts: Boston College shut out Kent State 21-0, keeping the nation's leading rusher last year, Eugene Jarvis, to 51 yards on 11 carries. Also, No. 13 ranked Wisconson beat Akron 38-17 in Madison. Badgers tailback P. J. Hill rolled in 210 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 26 carries against the Zips.
• From Friday: Temple, coming off a 4-8 year, routed Army 35-7 on the road. 14 of the Owls' points came off a fumble return and a kickoff return. That's production you really can't buy.
  
• Thursday was the MAC's best day, with teams going 4-1, but three of those wins came against Football Championship Subdivision (former I-AA) opponents. Give credit to Buffalo beating UTEP 42-17 at home. Although the Miners are pretty terrible, so were the Bulls as soon as two years ago. Coach Turner Gill is working magic up there, instilling the winning tradition he enjoyed in Nebraska. They're going to give the Falcons a real challenge in the MAC East, just like they did last year.

MAC teams went 6-6 on opening weekend, better than 5-8 at this time last weekend, and really were five points away from making it a very successful 8-4. There really were no embarrassing losses. Next weekend's much tougher, in general, with Central Michigan and Ohio having to travel to the homes of Georgia and Ohio State, the top two teams in the nation. Yikes.

Expect more coverage on here in the coming days on CMU-Georgia, especially. Even though the Bulldogs are a heavy favorite, it's difficult to tell exactly what's going to happen. Will the Chippewas show up, or will it be CMU-Clemson II?