For fun I ran 1997 through OPPA++.

The top MAC teams in 1997 were Miami, Toledo, and Marshall. Each team's OPPA score, relative to MAC for the years 2005-2013 was rated #3, #6, and #15 respectively. The 1997 OHIO team came in at #37. The '97 OHIO team's OPPA score is most comparable to the 2009 OHIO team.

EDIT:

Minor correction to previous ratings.

+1 The teams that beat them that year were all legit good!

IIRC the 97 team limped to the finish with some injury issues (pre sano lol) at OL and to Tom Smith (Katie's brother), and Hookfin was suspended for UAC on Halloween. Still, the Herd completely embarrassed our O. It was without doubt the best all-name team: Rahim Slaise, Lonch Thrash, Wolfgang Kratzenberg...

I thought it was interesting to see the '97 Bobcats lost @ Kansas State by 3 points. OPPA #11 (11-1) Kansas State's only loss that year was to undefeated OPPA #2 Nebraska.

The '97 Bobcats, OPPA #61, were 1-3 against teams with winning records, losing to OPPA #11 K-State, OPPA #24 Miami, and OPPA #37 Marshall. They beat OPPA #52 WMU (who was 0-3 v WTs).

If asked to find a modern day equivalent, the MAC in 1997 was most comparable to the Mountain West of 2014.

I was at this game as well. I remember the Moss Toss, but I don't have a clear memory of where it landed, other than it went clean out of the stadium and was impressive. This was, as I recall, the first time we had played Marshall in a decade. After going down to Huntington several times to watch Marshall play in and sometimes win the 1-AA National Championship game, I told my wife that it was going to be hard to root against Marshall. However, as soon as the ball was kicked to start the game I was 100 percent Bobcat Green all the way. I rooted for OHIO as strongly as if we were playing the Miami Redchickens! It was very strange because prior to the kickoff I had such mixed emotions. To this day, every time I hear "Sons of Marshall" a tear comes to my eye as I remember Nov. 14, 1970, as though it was yesterday.

BG86, in terms of the Kansas State game, there was one other "luck" factor that help KSU win. There was a key third and forever down where we were in the process of sacking the KSU QB, he was literally flying through the air in a prone position, but had not yet hit the ground, when he released the ball, not having the slightest idea where any of his receivers were, and this pass which must have gone 30 yards up in the air, came down in the hands of a KSU receiver on about the three yard line. KSU then scored on the next play or two. Without that "lucky pass" OHIO likely wins the game.

Loss of MAC 1st team DE Andre Jackson to injury REALLY weakened the D in the last two games. Jackson's replacement was noticeably slower and weaker. He couldn't stop Travis Prentice sweeps.