It would seem to me at this juncture we are not close to being a top MAC team just looking at some of the other scores today by some of the MACs top teams:

Miami 17, Northwestern 14
Georgia 39, Kent State 22
Kentucky 31, NIU 23

The RedChickens beat a B1G. Not a good B1G team, but even so an impressive victory. Then Kent and Northern play two top ten teams very tough. This does not leave me very confident about the upcoming game against Kent and other games down the schedule. I'm happy for the win, but I'm beginning to think that Monroe might be right about how this season will end. I'm hoping though that I'll see great improvement next, especially in our very porous defense. I still can't believe all the hype in the preseason by some posters on here about how much improvement our new DC with his great schemes were going to provide. Really haven't seen it any of our games.

Ohio is at the bottom of the MAC. There are no sure wins on our schedule with a defense that can't stop anything. Even Akron will score on us. MAC has some schools that play some defense. Ohio will be looking a new defensive staff and Perhaps head coach soon. Ohio isn't near top of the MAC. There is no bowl talk or Winning season with this team. They may win a game or two or maybee not. 2-6 in MAC will be the ceiling with this team. 2-10, 3-9 or 4-8 will be our record. I would be shocked if we win more than 2. That might be a stretch. Akron and maybee BGSU...that is it. BGSU defense just as terrible as Ohio. Akron might not score enough points to match Roark. Any team with decent QB is gonna beat us. We have no pass rush.

Miami lost to an unranked UC team by 21 so I'm not sure if they are any better than past editions like the one last year that Tim Albin beat. Kent St was down 26-13 at the half and was never a true threat to win. NIU is 1-3 and has to play 3 MAC West teams before they do us.

Ohio's defense has given up so many points that its likely to revert back to the conference mean. Kent St is 118th against the pass and only 112th in passing yards which gives me some hope for next week. Kent also lost 33-3 against Oklahoma which dropped a game to an unranked Kansas St team this week who lost to Tulane the week before.

I don't know if we can say Ohio can or cannot win enough MAC games to contend or make a bowl at this point. Ohio could beat Kent next week and still have it not be enough in the East if they go 6-2 and Ohio finishes 5-3. From what I understand Ohio has a lot of 5th and 6th year players on the roster which could make a difference for this season.

Showing grit? Against FAU and Fordham? In the same sentence?

If terrible is defined by Akron, I'd have to agree. After saying that, we better not lose to the Zips on Homecoming!