Bobcat Attack - Ohio Football

Ohio Football Topic

Topic: Athlon Rankings

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GoCats105

5/27/2021 5:30 PM

MAC East

1. Buffalo 9-4 (6-2)
2. Ohio 7-5 (6-2)
3. Kent State 6-6 (5-3)
4. Miami 6-6 (5-3)
5. Akron 2-10 (1-7)
6. BGSU 2-10 (1-7)

MAC West

1. Toledo 8-5 (5-3)
2. Ball State 7-5 (5-3)
3. WMU 7-5 (5-3)
4. CMU 6-6 (5-3)
5. EMU 6-6 (3-5)
6. NIU 3-9 (2-6)

Champ: Buffalo over Toledo

Wondering if this went to the printer before Leipold was hired at Kansas...

Other Notables:

Louisiana 11-2 (7-1 in Sun Belt, winning champ over Coastal Carolina)
Syracuse 4-8 (1-7 in ACC)
Northwestern 7-5 (4-5 in Big Ten)
Marshall 8-5 (7-1 in CUSA, losing champ to UAB)

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Chris Galloway

5/28/2021 1:17 PM

Buffalo lost a LOT of talent and coach. Not buying it.

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bobcatgrad

5/29/2021 2:53 AM

At least we weren't picked to win it all again. Been there, done that many times.

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Mike Johnson

5/29/2021 9:33 AM

Athlon has Syracuse going 3-1 in its non-conf games and Northwestern going 3-0. It has Marshall doing similarly. It will be interesting to learn who besides Ohio are those schools' other non-conf opponents.

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Bobcat1996

5/29/2021 10:24 AM

Syracuse faces Ohio, Rutgers, Albany and Liberty who thumped them last season. Northwestern plays at Duke and hosts Indiana State and the Bobcats. Marshall plays at Navy and Appalachian State and is home with East Carolina and NC Central.

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Bobcat1998

6/2/2021 8:24 AM

I love how we have two guys on their three All-MAC teams. Year in and year out we produce some of the best players in the league and we finish with a bowl yet we always get underestimated.

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shabamon

6/2/2021 9:49 AM

What in the world has happened to NIU?

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Rufusbobcat94

6/6/2021 12:18 AM

Chris Galloway wrote:expand_more

Buffalo lost a LOT of talent and coach. Not buying it.

This comment covers the Buffalo well for 2021.

Unless the new head coach is legendary like a young Urban Meyer or something along those lines, there is going to be a drop here. A big drop on offense especially. Buffalo lost a TON of talent to graduation and/or premature NFL entry. Then they lost a ton to transfer: C Novisky, DT Eddie Wilson, TE Zac LeFebvre, and OL Jacob Gall are big, big, hits.

Buffalo still has elite MAC talent like RB Kevin Marks. He is the real deal. There is some talent in the LB corps, probably the strongest unit along with some solid DBs. The LB unit may be in the top few units in the MAC.

WR Antonio Nunn was go to but now he is gone. The QBs return without really any success after a few years and less of a running game to lean on. If a QB blossoms, it could work, but I havent seen any evidence that will happen based on prior performance.

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Rufusbobcat94

6/6/2021 12:21 AM

shabamon wrote:expand_more

What in the world has happened to NIU?

+1. If i ride through the state anytime soon, I'll keep my eye on the milk cartons for the status of the program...

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Rufusbobcat94

6/6/2021 12:44 AM

Kent State has a puncher's chance of winning the MAC in 2021.

QB Dustin Crum is the real deal but the loss of WR Isaiah McCoy will negatively impact his success unless another deep threat emerges and, since McCoy was elite, that is unlikely. As good as WR Ja'Shaun Poke will be, he is not the same kind of stretch-the-field guy as McCoy was, so the offensive dynamic will be altered.

KSU defense is at best middle of the road MAC, maybe worse. As good as Crum and the offense may be, they need some help. De'Montre Tuggle, Allison, and Ross are quality backs that will give KSU fits on defense.

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Rufusbobcat94

6/6/2021 1:02 AM

Ohio could take its lumps in non-conference. But here is the thing: there is a ton of talent at Ohio and it is just a matter of when it comes together. I can see the Bobcats going 0-4 in non-conference and getting to the MAC championship.

The Bobcats have a strong offense. The core O-line returns with a couple of the best TEs in the MAC. WR Isaiah Cox is one of the MAC's best, and, despite the loss of Shane Hooks, the WR corps is still flushed with talent. The RB Corps is one of the best in the MAC. In limited action last year, Kurtis Rourke showed he will be an elite MAC passer. I have no question Kurtis is legit passer. It is all about how quickly the QBs and offense can get on track.

The defense may be the best since 2016. If an Ohio unit starts strong in 2021, I think it will be the defense. Ohio played only three games last year and two being against Akron and BG, so you never know. But there is a real chance for the dline to shine. And the secondary should be legit.

The biggest question is the kicker...

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Bobcat1996

6/6/2021 10:08 AM

The Bobcats won’t start 0 and 4, but they will be underdogs in three of the first four games.

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shabamon

6/6/2021 12:53 PM

We should be favored against Syracuse.

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Pataskala