Hustle Belt: for Mid-American Conference fans

Happy Friday folks! We've made it through another week, and we're excited to help you ring in another weekend. Another week down, another week closer to football! Despite football season being right around the corner, the boys open up the show this week with some huge news out of the basketball world. Emoni Bates, the former number three overall recruit in the class of 2022, announced his commitment to Eastern Michigan on Wednesday. Bates spent his freshman season at Memphis, and averaged 9.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game for the Tigers. It was an up and down season, both for Bates and for the Tigers squad in general. Bates missed significant time due to injury and only played 18 games over the course of the season. A native of Ypsilanti, Bates ultimately chose EMU over blue blood programs such as Louisville and Illinois. Without a doubt, this is a huge signing for Stan Heath as he enters his second year as head coach in Ypsilanti. With Noah Farrakhan and most other contributors returning from last year, the Eagles will be in great position to compete at the top of the conference next year. Elsewhere in hoops, the MAC celebrated an NBA draft selection for the second straight year. This year, it was courtesy of Toledo product Ryan Rollins, who was drafted by Golden State with the 44th overall pick. It seems to be a great landing spot for Rollins, as Golden State is coming off of their fourth NBA title in seven years. Also in the NBA, for Bowling Green Falcon Daeqwon Plowden signed a Summer League contract with New Orleans and will look to earn a roster spot in the Las Vegas Summer League next month. To close out the show this week, it's a bittersweet send off for Zach. Zach has been around since the beginning of the podcast two years ago, and is sad to be stepping away. You're all in great hands though, as Steve will be back next week to help kick off our pre-season football coverage. Steve and Vannzee will have all of the coverage you need come football season. There's a lot of exciting stuff to look forward to. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Have a great weekend and a great week ahead, and we'll talk to you again next Friday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Howdy folks! We hope you've all had a good week to this point. We have officially reached the dog days of summer, where baseball has wrapped up and football is still about two months away. But that's ok - we've got plenty to talk about to get you through! Zack and Zach open up the show this week by discussing former Toledo forward Ryan Rollins and his prospects in tonight's NBA Draft. Rollins, who was MAC Freshman of the Year in 2020 and first team All-MAC last year, is widely considered to be a second round pick. Despite concerns about his defense and outside shooting ability, many NBA teams remain intrigued by his athleticism and potential. Next up, the boys discuss the recently released MAC championship odds for the upcoming football season. According to the bookmakers, Toledo is the pre-season favorite (tell us if you've heard that before) with Kent State, NIU, Miami, and Central Michigan right behind them. The odds certainly reflect the parity of the conference, where a new team seems to sneak into the title conversation every year. To close out the show this week, the boys are joined by Christian Booher. Christian is the Sports Editor at CM Life, the Central Michigan student newspaper. Christian stopped by to talk Chippewas football and give his thoughts on the upcoming season. CMU returns a ton of talent, but also have to replace key contributors such as Kalil Pimpleton, Luke Goedeke, and Bernhard Raimann. In year four under Jim McElwain, the Chips seem to be positioned to compete for a conference title. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Stay cool out there, have a great week ahead, and we'll see you back here next Friday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! We've made it through another week, and we hope you've been keeping cool and hydrated as summer has descended upon us. It's a big week for the show this week, as this is episode 100. On a typical week, we try to have a structure to the show, but given the occasion this week, we wanted to keep it a bit looser. The boys spend the bulk of the time this week reflecting on 100 episodes and reading some Twitter responses from the fans. First up, we asked you all to tell us your favorite memories as a fan of your MAC school or of the conference in general. We got some GREAT responses - from last second touchdowns, to improbable upsets, to field storming occasions, there were some great answers. We close out the show this week by taking a look at a more specific topic: questions and concerns heading into football season. While there were no coaching changes in the MAC this off-season, there was plenty of roster movement via the transfer portal. Which schools will benefit from that? Will the MAC pick up a Power 5 upset this year? Who will emerge from the loaded MAC West? These are questions we're all contemplating as the season approaches, and the boys give their thoughts on each topic. We say this every week, but we want to place some extra emphasis this time around: we can't thank you all enough for stopping by and lending us your ears. Not just this week, but every week. It's been a great journey to get to 100 episodes, and we're excited to continue to build this. We couldn't do it without all of you! We hope you all have a great weekend and a great week ahead, and we'll see you back here next Friday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks, we've missed you! We're excited to be back after a week off, and there's a lot to catch up on in the MAC universe! To lead off the show this week, the boys discuss RB Kobe Lewis' decision to transfer from Central Michigan. Lewis missed last season after sustaining a knee injury in camp, but rushed for 1,074 yards and 12 TD's in 2019. The Chippewas still have Lew Nichols and will be just fine at running back, but Nichols and Lewis together could have formed quite the backfield duo next season. Regardless, best of luck to Kobe at his next stop! Next up, Zach and Zack look back at the baseball postseason. Central Michigan beat Ball State on back to back days to capture the MAC title and earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Assigned to the Gainesville regional, CMU knocked off Liberty in 12 innings on Saturday before ultimately seeing their season come to an end on Sunday afternoon against Florida. The Chippewas gave the Gators all they could handle. battling back from a 5-0 deficit before falling to the hosts 6-5. To close out the show, the boys look back at the responses to a few Twitter questions from the past two weeks. First up, the fans give their opinions on the football season win totals that were released this past week by DraftKings. There was some great debate about which teams were being overestimated and underestimated heading into the year. Next up, the boys debate the best and worst uniforms and color schemes in the MAC. Who has the best color scheme in the conference, in your opinion? As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Enjoy the weekend, and we'll see you back here next Friday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! It's been another long week, but we're happy to be here to help you ring in the weekend. To open up the show this week, the boys take a look back at the NCAA softball postseason. As you'll recall from last week, Miami won the MAC this year and earned the conferences automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Assigned to the Blacksburg regional, the RedHawks lost their opening game to Kentucky before taking down St. Francis (PA) in game two. Facing the host Virginia Tech in game three, the RedHawks raced out to a 4-1 lead before the Hokies stormed back to win 5-4. Despite not advancing, it was a great season for Miami, who reached the 40 win plateau. Elsewhere in softball, Bowling Green traveled out west to Colorado to take part in the National Invitation Softball Championship. The Falcons went 2-2 in the tournament, defeating Stephen F. Austin and George Washington and losing to Virginia and Kansas. Similar to Miami, the Falcons have a lot to be proud of despite not collecting any post season hardware. With a number of key contributors returning next year, Bowling Green's future looks bright. In football news, Vannzee laments the loss of a three star QB recruit for Eastern Michigan, and the boys discuss the transfer of WR Jalen McGaughey from Ball State to Central Michigan. As if you weren't already excited enough for football season, the MAC released kickoff times and broadcast partners for the first few weeks of the season. The conference has a number of notable national television performances, including Central Michigan traveling to Oklahoma State (remember what happened the last time these two met?) and Toledo traveling to Ohio State. There's a lot to look forward to on the gridiron this fall! To close out the show, the boys discuss the ongoing MAC baseball tournament. The weather has played a factor, with the Ball State/Ohio game being postponed multiple times due to rain. Regardless, the first round of the tournament proved to be quite eventful, with both contests ending in walk off fashion. In the second round, Ball State will face Central Michigan with a trip to the title game on the line, and Toledo will face Ohio in an elimination game. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Don't forget to subscribe to the pod on your favorite platform! We appreciate all of you, and hope you all have a great weekend and a great week ahead. See you next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! We hope you've had a good week to this point, and as always we thank you for joining us. We have a variety of things to cover this week, and we think there's a little something for everybody! To open up this week's show, the boys take a look back at last weekend's MAC softball tournament. Bowling Green, Central Michigan, and Ohio performed admirably, but this was ultimately Miami's championship to win. The RedHawks survived a scare in the semi-finals, knocking off Central Michigan 2-1 with an eighth inning walk off, and used that momentum to blow past Bowling Green 11-0 in the title game. The Chippewas will now represent the MAC in the NCAA Tournament, where they've been installed as the three seed in the Blacksburg region. CMU will open up the tournament against Kentucky on Friday afternoon. Speaking of Central Michigan, the Chippewas women's lacrosse team made their first NCAA Tournament appearance this past Friday after winning their first MAC championship. CMU faced perennial power Northwestern, and the Wildcats proved to be too much for the Chippewas in their 22-7 victory. Regardless of the early exit, this is clearly a program on a positive trajectory, and Sarah Tisdale has done a great job in her seven seasons at the helm of the program. Switching to hoops, Zack and Zach discuss the rising NBA Draft stock of Ryan Rollins. The Toledo product declared for the draft back in March, and since his declaration has seen his stock rise rather quickly. Some mock drafts now have him as a late first round selection, and he has the chance to be the first MAC player selected in the first round since CMU's Chris Kaman in 2003. To close out the show, the boys take a look at this weekend's baseball slate. This is the last week of the regular season, and there is still a lot to be determined. Central Michigan currently holds a half game lead on first place over Ball State. If you recall, the regular season champion hosts the conference tournament, so this is a big deal. Central Michigan hosts Toledo this weekend, and Ball State travels to Miami, and both teams will have home field advantage on the mind. The other intrigue surrounds the three and four seeds, as there are still three teams that have a chance to qualify for the conference tournament. As of now, Toledo and Ohio sit in third and fourth, respectively. Miami sits in fifth, and can move into fourth with a good performance against Ball State this weekend. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks! Please don't forget to like and subscribe to the pod on your favorite podcast platform so you don't miss any content. Have a great weekend and a great week ahead, and we'll talk to you again this week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back to another episode of the Bandwagon folks! As always, we're thankful for the support and are glad you stopped by. The boys open up the show this week with a number of news stories from around the conference, leading off with the athletic re-brand at Akron. The Zips announced a new athletic identity on Monday, replacing their eight current logos with a stylized “A.” The reaction from the fan base has been mixed, as these things tend to be. We saw it last year with the Western Michigan re-brand, and the Zips fan base seems to be similarly split. Zack and Zach give their thoughts on the new identity. Next up, the boys discuss the recent and sudden passing of Eastern Michigan assistant football coach Freed Reed. Reed had been in Ypsilanti for the last seven seasons and most recently served as the defensive pass game coordinator and safeties coach. Coach Reed spent 25 years coaching college football and clearly made an impact at every stop he made. A veteran of the MAC, Reed also had stints on the coaching staff at Ohio and Buffalo in addition to his time in Ypsilanti. Our thoughts are with his family and the entire EMU football program. A great story from the conference this past week is the Central Michigan women's lacrosse team, who in just their seventh season of competition won the MAC and qualified for their first NCAA tournament. Their reward? The Chippewas will face perennial power Northwestern, who has won seven national titles since 2005. CMU will travel to Evanston for a 5:00 pm start on Friday. The main event of the weekend in the MAC is the softball tournament, which is being held for the first time since 2019. Miami is clearly the favorite here, having won the MAC going away with a 24-5 record in the conference. They will be the top seed and host for the conference tournament, and will host fourth seeded Bowling Green in one of the semifinals on Thursday. While Miami has the best offense in the MAC, the Falcons have strong armed Payton Gottshall on the mound, who leads the MAC in ERA, opponent batting average, wins and strikeouts. In the other semifinal, Ohio will take on Central Michigan. The Bobcats took two of three from the Chippewas in their only series this season. To close out the show, the boys recap the week that was in MAC baseball. Ball State maintained their slim lead on first place, taking three of four games from Kent State over the weekend. Central Michigan kept pace, taking three of four themselves from Western Michigan. Qualification for the MAC tournament is still up for grabs - Ohio and Toledo currently sit in third and fourth place, but there is a group of four other teams still in contention. Ohio especially has a big series this weekend, traveling to Muncie to take on first place Ball State. Thanks again for stopping by this week folks. Have a great weekend and a great week ahead, and we'll see you back here next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! We're glad you made it through another week. and we're excited to help you ring in the weekend. To open up the show this week, Zach and Zack briefly discuss some transfer portal news in football and basketball. On the hardwood, second year Eastern Michigan coach Stan Heath landed two commitments, with Duquense transfer Tyson Acuff and Georgetown transfer Jalin Billingsley both announcing they would continue their careers in Ypsilanti. Acuff is a Detroit native, and Billingsley a former three star recruit. These additions give the Eagles immediate depth, and both could certainly develop into very good MAC players. Elsewhere in hoops, Emoni Bates, a Ypsilanti native and the top rated recruit in the class of 2022, announced his intention to transfer from Memphis. Eastern Michigan is listed as one of his six target schools, and it would be a huge windfall for the conference if Bates ended up selecting his hometown school. This is certainly a story we'll be monitoring. In football news, Toledo WR Matt Landers announced he would enter his name in the portal and seek a new home. Landers spent only one season with the Rockets, transferring to Toledo from Georgia after the 2020 season. Though Landers had a slow start to the year and only had 20 catches on the season, he did catch five touchdowns and boasted an absurd 25.7 yards per catch average. In MAC baseball, all eyes were on Muncie this weekend, as first place Central Michigan traveled to second place Ball State. The Chippewas entered the series with a 17 game win streak and a 21-1 record in the MAC, but the Cardinals proved to be the better team. Led by Amir Wright and a strong pitching staff, Rich Maloney's squad swept all four games of the series, moving into first place and giving them a 1.5 game advantage over CMU in the standings. The regular season champion gets to host the conference tournament, so this was a huge victory for the Cardinals. With three weeks left in the regular season, these two teams will be neck in neck for the regular season title. To close out the show, James stops by to break down last weekends' NFL Draft. The MAC had six players selected, the most since 2017, and we discuss each player and their landing spot. James shares why he thinks Skyy Moore can have an immediate impact in Kansas City, and why former CMU offensive lineman Luke Goedeke and Bernhard Raimann can both compete for starting positions. There is a solid crop of undrafted free agents from the conference as well, with high profile names like Kaleb Eleby, Kalil Pimpleton, and Dustin Crum all earning rookie contracts. The boys discuss which of the undrafted prospects have the best chance to earn a roster spot. Thanks as always for stopping by this week folks. As we say every week, don't forget to subscribe to the pod on your favorite podcast platform to ensure that you don't miss anything! We hope you all have a great week ahead, and we'll see you back here next Friday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! We've made it through another week, and we're happy to help be here to help bring in the weekend. To open this week's show, the boys look back at the last few weeks in MAC baseball. Central Michigan is currently on an absurd 17 game win streak, and currently sits atop the conference with a 21-1 record in the MAC. Just behind them is Ball State, fresh off of a sweep of Northern Illinois. During the weekend sweep, Cardinals head coach Rich Maloney earned his 900th career win, no small feat at all. His Ball State squad has a huge opportunity ahead this weekend, as conference leading CMU visits Muncie for a weekend series. A couple of victories will establish the Cardinals as a legitimate contender for the Chippewas at the top of the conference. Moving into spring football talk, Zack gives a recap of the Eastern Michigan spring game. The conditions were not great, unfortunately, but Vannzee still saw a lot that he liked from the quarterbacks and the defense. Despite a number of players entering the portal, Zack feels optimistic about this EMU squad and thinks that a bowl game is a reasonable expectation. To close out the show, Zach is joined by Collin Murphy, the Sports Editor for the Western Herald. Collin stopped by to discuss how the Broncos will replace Kaleb Eleby and Skyy Moore, the state of the WMU defense, and the overall feeling of the Western fan base as the Broncos enter year six of the Tim Lester era. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Don't forget to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform! Have a great weekend, and we'll see you all back here next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back inside the Bandwagon, folks! This week, former Ball State kicker Ian McGarvey stops by to chat with the boys. McGarvey was the Cardinals kicker from 2007-2010 and is the all time leading scorer in program history. On this week's pod, he stops by to discuss the Cardinals undefeated 2008 season with the boys. There's a lot we cover here, and anybody who followed the MAC at the time will remember a lot of what Ian discusses. From the Indiana game, which gave the Cardinals their signature victory but also saw them lose all-MAC performer Dante Love to a scary injury, to facing a Central Michigan squad led by Dan LeFevour and Antonio Brown, Ian covers all of the ups and downs of the season (including Brady Hoke departing for San Diego State afterwards). This interview was so great that we decided to make it it's own episode. Next week, we'll be back to more of our regular programming, and will get you all caught up on MAC baseball and spring football. Please don't forget to subscribe to the pod on your favorite podcast platform - we don't want you to miss anything! Have a great week folks, and we'll see you back here next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! We've reached that odd point of the year where the basketball season has ended, spring football games are on the horizon, and there's a little bit of everything going on. So what did we decide to do this week? Give you a little bit of everything! To lead off the show, the boys recap the weekend that was in MAC baseball. Central Michigan continues to dominate, sweeping four games from Northern Illinois to move their win streak to nine. The Chippewas sit 13-1 in the conference and in sole possession of first place, and it seems like Ball State will be the only true challenger for CMU. Speaking of Ball State, the Cardinals flew out to the west coast this past weekend to take on nationally ranked Oregon. Ball State gave the Ducks all they could handle, but were ultimately only able to win one of the four games. The Cardinals still find themselves in good position, sitting at 12-1 in the conference. The arrow is pointing up in Ypsilanti, as Eastern Michigan is coming off of a strong performance this past weekend against Miami. The Eagles traveled to Oxford and took three of four from the RedHawks, and Eric Roof's squad now find themselves in sole possession of third place in the conference. Moving into hoops, Zach and Zack take a look at the most recent news out of the transfer portal. Eastern Michigan PG Bryce McBride announced his transfer to Youngstown State after two years in Ypsilanti. Tyler Cochran will be making his third stop in the MAC, announcing that he'll be transferring to Toledo from Ball State. Prior to suiting up for the Cardinals, Cochran spent two seasons in DeKalb as a member of the Northern Illinois program. Lastly, Buffalo got some good news former Boston College guard Kanye Jones announced his transfer to Buffalo. Just a freshman last year, Jones averaged less than 10 minutes per game, but he certainly seems like a piece that could grow into a prominent role in upstate New York. To close out the show, the boys take a look at the USFL rosters and discuss the former MAC players you may see on the field this weekend. There are a ton of familiar faces here, highlighted by former Kent State DB Nate Holley and Ohio LB Blair Brown. The USFL kicks off this weekend, and 11 former MAC players will be on the field. Best of luck to all of them! As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. We hope you all have a great weekend, a great week ahead, and we'll see you back here next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks, and welcome back inside the Bandwagon! We hope you've all had a good week to this point. Despite being in the transition from winter to spring sports, we had a busy week in the MAC - there's a lot to get to on this week's show! The boys start out in men's hoops, where Western Michigan named Dwayne Stephens as the new head men's basketball coach. Stephens arrives in Kalamazoo having spent the past 19 seasons just up the road in East Lansing, where he served as an assistant coach at Michigan State. Stephens has been in contention for a number of MAC jobs over the past few years, and he's finally found a home in Kalamazoo. Elsewhere in men's hoops, Ohio G Mark Sears entered the transfer portal, while Toledo F Ryan Rollins and Western Michigan G Lamar Norman, Jr. both declared for the NBA draft. All three players have the option to return to their previous schools, though it certainly seems unlikely that all three will compete in the MAC next season. On the other side of the spectrum, reigning MAC Freshman of the Year Payton Sparks of Ball State removed his name from the transfer portal and will officially be returning to Muncie. This is a huge get for new head coach Michael Lewis, who has a solid young foundation to build on. In women's hoops, Buffalo named Beck Burke as the new head women's basketball coach after Felisha Leggette-Jack left for Syracuse last week. Burke comes to Buffalo from USC Upstate, where she was the 2022 Big South Coach of the Year. Unfortunately for Burke, former Bulls Saniia Wilson and Georgia Woolley announced they will be following Leggette-Jack to Syracuse. Woolley was the MAC Freshman of the Year, avergaing 14.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. In baseball, Ball State and Central Michigan continue to sit atop the standings. Both were dominant this past weekend, with the Chippewas sweeping four games from Ohio and Ball State taking three of four from Toledo. Elsewhere, Kent State got a win over nationally ranked UConn. To close out the show, the boys talk a little football. Buffalo RB Dylan McDuffie re-entered his name into the transfer portal, after briefly exploring the option to transfer earlier this winter. McDuffie was the sixth leading rusher in the MAC last year and the leading rusher for the Bulls, who have now lost both their starting running back and their starting quarterback from last season. Ron Cook, Jr. seems primed to fill McDuffie's shoes in the backfield. Lasty, Zack and Zach take a look at the 2022 MAC football schedule and give some initial reactions. Kent State has a brutal non-conference schedule (as usual), and a few MAC teams host power five opponents at home. We are still five months away from football, but the season can't get here fast enough! As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Don't forget to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform so you don't miss anything! Have a great weekend, and we'll see you back here next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! Another week is in the books, and we're excited to give you a new episode of the Bandwagon to send you into the weekend. It's hard to believe we're approaching 100 episodes! To kick off this week's show, the boys take a look back at Toledo's run in the WNIT. Tricia Cullop's squad fell in the quarterfinals, losing to Middle Tennessee State 73-71 in overtime. Despite the loss, it was still a historic season for the Rockets, who won 29 games despite being picked eighth in the MAC preseason poll. Despite falling short of their ultimate goal, it was a wildly successful season for the Rockets. Elsewhere in women's hoops, former Buffalo coach Felisha Legette-Jack was named the head coach at Syracuse, her alma mater. Legette-Jack leaves Buffalo as the all time winningest coach in program history, with 202 wins over 10 years. She leaves a heck of a legacy at Buffalo, and returns to Syracuse to see if she can restore the Orange to their former glory. In men's hoops, both Ball State and Miami named their new head coaches this week. Ball State hired former UCLA assistant and Indiana native Michael Lewis, who has been a part of two Final Four teams as an assistant coach. This seems like a home run hire for the Cardinals, who badly needed a coach that can re-energize their fan base. For Miami, the RedHawks hired former Xavier head man Travis Steele, who comes to Oxford after four years in charge of the Musketeers. Steele has a reputation as a great recruiter, and compiled a 70-50 record while at Xavier. Both hires seem to be great on paper. We'll see how they play out in real life. To round out the basketball talk, Zach and Zack take a few minutes to ponder the consequences of the transfer portal. High level MAC players like Ali Ali, Ben Vander Plas, and Trendon Hankerson all entered the portal this week, and this new era of player movement has made it incredibly hard for coaches at the mid-major level to maintain any sense of roster continuity. We'll see if any of these players end up returning to their former schools. To close out the show this week, the boys take a look at the week that was in MAC baseball. Toledo got the signature win of the week, going down to Columbus and knocking off Ohio State, 7-6. Ball State has found it's stride in conference play, having won seven in a row and sitting in first place at 9-1. Coincidentally, the Cardinals travel to Toledo this weekend to take on the Rockets. Bowling Green also picked up a signature win this week, traveling to East Lansing and knocking off Michigan State 12-3 on Tuesday evening. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Please don't forget to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform so that you don't miss anything! Have a great weekend, and we'll see you back here next Friday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! We hope you've had a good week to this point, and we hope you enjoyed all of the post season basketball over the past week. We have a lot to cover on this weeks show! To open up the pod, the boys discuss Miami's parting of ways with men's basketball coach Jack Owens'. Owens went 70-83 in five seasons at the helm, and the RedHawks were never able to get over the hump and become true contenders in the conference. This makes three head coaching vacancies in the MAC, and Miami joins Western Michigan and Ball State in their search for a new head of the program. Moving into post season hoops talk, Zack and Zach discuss the valiant effort that Akron put forth in their first round NCAA tournament game against UCLA. The Zips led by one at half time and by eight in the second half, but the Bruins size proved to be too much for Akron to handle. Nonetheless, the future is bright for the Zips, who have basically their entire roster returning next year. Elsewhere in men's hoops, Toledo submitted an incredibly disappointing performance in their NIT opener, losing to Dayton at home 74-55. Kent State didn't fare much better in The Basketball Classic, losing their opening round game to Southern Utah. Ohio picked up the only post season victory, defeating Rice in the first round of the CBI before falling to Abilene Christian in the second round. In women's hoops, Dyaisha Fair and Buffalo fought hard against Tennessee in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Despite an early Buffalo lead, the Volunteers pulled away in the fourth quarter for an 80-67 victory. Similar to Akron on the men's side, the Bulls performed admirably but were unable to come out on top. In the WNIT, Toledo and Kent State were the only two of the five MAC squads to win their first round games, with Akron, Ball State, and Ohio all falling in the first round. Bowling Green ended their season on a high note, finishing third in the WBI tournament after defeating Nevada in the third place game. To close out the show, the boys re-acquaint themselves with the baseball standings, as conference play has begun in the last two weeks. Central Michigan and Ball State seem to have righted the ship after their early season struggles, and the two preseason favorites currently find themselves at the top of the standings. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Don't forget to subscribe to the Bandwagon on your favorite podcast platform so that you don't miss anything! Everyone have a great weekend, and we'll see you here again next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Long time no see folks! Is your head spinning from the packed weekend of hoops we just had? We certainly had to catch our breath after the championship games on Saturday, and there is a TON to cover on this week's pod! Starting off on the men's side of things, the boys look back at an incredible three days of basketball in Cleveland. Toledo once again failed to capture the title despite winning the regular season championship, falling to Akron in the semi-finals Friday night. In the other semi-final, Kent State knocked off Ohio to set up a rivalry showdown in the final game. After some locker room drama led to four Kent State players being suspended, Akron came out on top, dominating the Flashes on their way to a 75-55 victory. As a reward, the Zips earned a 13 seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament and will take on the UCLA Bruins on Thursday night in Portland. In other post season news, Toledo earned a trip to the NIT as a reward for their regular season MAC title. As a reward, the Rockets will get a home game and host in-state rival Dayton on Wednesday night. Elsewhere, Ohio accepted an invitation to the CBI and Kent State will participate in The Basketball Classic. On the women's side of the fence, Dyaisha Fair and the Buffalo Bulls cut down the nets, holding off Ball State 79-75 in the final. Ball State had a bit of a Cinderella run to the final game, knocking off Toledo in the semi-finals. Unfortunately for Cardinal's fans, Fair proved to be too much to handle, scoring 30 points in the final to lead the Bulls to victory. Buffalo will take on Tennessee in the opening round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday, the Bulls fourth tournament appearance in the last six years. Some folks were disappointed that Toledo didn't get an at-large bid, and justifiably so. Instead, the Rockets will head to the WNIT with five of their conference partners. Toledo, Kent State, Akron, Ohio, and Ball State will all participate in the tournament, an unprecedented number in recent WNIT history. Bowling Green accepted an invitation to the WBI tournament, which will be held next week on the campus of Transylvania University in Lexington, KY. The boys close out the show by discussing the post-season awards. Sincere Carry was player of the year in men's hoops, while Akron's Jordyn Dawson took home the same award on the women's side of things. It was well earned in both cases. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. If you're not already, don't forget to subscribe to the pod on your favorite platform - we don't want you to miss anything! Have a great rest of your week, enjoy all of the hoops, and good luck on your brackets! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you're a college hoops fan, these next two weeks are the best weeks of the year. It's March Madness folks! The regular season has concluded, and the MAC men's and women's basketball tournaments are set to tip off. We're excited to preview both tournaments for you on this weeks pod! To lead off the show, the boys discuss Clayton Bates' resignation at Western Michigan. Bates was elevated to head coach after parting ways with Steve Hawkins and compiled an 11-39 record in his two seasons at the helm. This will be the first significant hire for new AD Dan Bartholomae. Vannzee gives some thoughts on potential canididates. In the men's preview, Zach and Zack analyze the main storylines heading into the tournament. What's wrong with Ohio? The Bobcats have lost four of five heading to Cleveland, and do not look like the same team that started MAC play 10-1. Elsewhere, Akron and Buffalo give us the best match up of the first round, and the winner of this four/five game will have a legitimate shot to cut down the nets. The boys round out the men's preview by picking every game. Next week, we'll see who comes out on top! In the women's preview, Zach and Zack both agree that Toledo is the team to beat. The Rockets were picked eighth in the pre-season coaches poll but turned in a historic season, finishing 19-1 in MAC play. Toledo is securely in the one seed and will take on Ohio on Wednesday. Speaking of Ohio, the Bobcats ended up in the eight seed despite losing to Kent State on Saturday. The Flashes finished the season 10-10, and the Bobcats 9-10, yet Ohio ended up claiming eighth place due to the MAC's no contest COVID cancellation policy. Our hosts close out the show by picking the bracket on the women's side, and we'll see next week who was more accurate! As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Enjoy the conference tournaments, and we'll see you back here next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! The calendar has officially turned to March, and we hope the temperatures are starting to warm up in your neck of the woods. It's the last week of the regular season in basketball, and we wanted to save the best for last this week. With that in mind, the boys open up the show this week with a quick recap of the second week of the college baseball season. Kent State traveled down to Lubbock, TX to take on the 20th ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders, and while the Flashes played well, they weren't able to earn a victory over the perennial College World Series contenders. Central Michigan seemed to find their footing after a rough first weekend, traveling down to Western Kentucky and winning three of four games. Toledo also impressed, heading south to North Carolina and leaving with a 3-1 series victory over High Point. Men's hoops is speeding towards the finish line, with the regular season finishing up on Friday. Bowling Green currently sits in ninth and still has an outside shot to get to Cleveland, the only team not in the current field who has yet to be eliminated. Unfortunately for Falcons fans, they face a tough test in their regular season finale, traveling to rival Toledo (who just so happens to have won the regular season conference championship). Kent State has continued their winning ways, as their winning streak stands now at 11 games, and the Flashes are far and away the hottest team in the conference as we head into Cleveland. On the other side of the spectrum, Ohio seems to be on shaky ground, having lost three of their last four contests (and losing their grip on the second seed in the process). In women's hoops, Toledo and Buffalo have secured the top two seeds, but there is still a lot to be determined here. A game and a half separate fourth place from ninth, and the last day of the regular season on Saturday could see the order of the seedings completely re-shuffled. If you're a fan of last minute drama, there will be plenty to be had here. Next week we'll be back with a full preview of the men's and women's basketball tournaments. Thanks as always for stopping by this week folks, and we'll see you back here next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! Thanks as always for stopping by this week. The boys kick off this weeks pod by taking a look back at the last two weeks in men's hoops. The story at the top of the standings has been Kent State and Buffalo, who have respectively won nine and seven games in a row. These are not squads that opposing teams will want to play in Cleveland. Towards the bottom of the men's hoops standings, there's another interesting race playing out: the race for the last two conference tournament bids. With only eight teams qualifying for the MAC tournament, four teams will ultimately stay home. Right now, 1.5 games separate seventh place and eleventh. The boys give their predictions as to who will make the cut. In women's hoops, Akron continues to be a great story. The Zips have a firm grip on third in the conference, currently at 11-6 in MAC play. After winning only four league games last year, Melissa Jackson's squad has been a great bounce back story. Similar to men's hoops, there is a bit of the traffic jam in the middle of the standings. 1.5 games separate fourth place and ninth, and there is a lot to still be decided down the stretch. To close out the show, Zach and Zack look back at the opening week of college baseball season. Kent State had the best win of the weekend, knocking off 2016 national champion Coastal Carolina 2-1 on Sunday. Eastern Michigan pitcher Adam Filinski gave us what may well be the performance of the weekend on Sunday afternoon. The true freshman pitched seven shutout innings, allowing only two hits in his first collegiate start to lead the Eagles to a 6-0 victory over Winthrop. If you're not already, be sure to subscribe to us on your favorite podcast player! You can find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and any other major podcast platform. Your support is very appreciated! Thanks for stopping by this week, and we'll see you back here next Friday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! We're taking a little break from basketball coverage this week, but don't worry - we'll be back next week with our usual discussion of what's happening on the court. This week, we're taking a quick detour, as baseball season is officially upon us! To open up this week's pod, the boys take a look at the MAC baseball pre-season coaches poll, where Central Michigan was picked as the overwhelming favorite. This is understandable, as the Chippewas have won the conference in each of the past two years. Ball State and Kent State are expected to challenge Central, but the Chippewas are the strongest team in the conference right now, bolstered by an outstanding pitching staff. Elsewhere in baseball, the boys talk about the expectations for Akron in their second season back, as well as what to expect from Eastern Michigan. Additionally, Vannzee gives his thoughts on the MAC players who are most likely to hear their name called in this summers' MLB draft. To close out the segment, we take a look at the schedule for this upcoming weekend of the season, as most MAC teams head south to open the year. Kent State and Central Michigan both travel to Conway, SC for a showcase event hosted by Coastal Carolina, while Ball State heads to a similar showcase event in Charleston to take on Bucknell and Iowa. To close out the show, James stops by to discuss the college football all-start games that have taken place over the past month. 27 MAC players participated in the five games, all of whom were hoping to bolster their draft stock. Some did just that, with Miami edge rusher Dominique Robinson drawing some rave reviews from scouts. The boys also discuss CMU OL Bernhard Reimann, who is likely to be the first MAC player drafted, and Armani Rogers, the former Ohio QB who is attempting to transition to TE. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. As mentioned previously, we'll be back with hoops talk next week, as the conference tournament is fast approaching! Have a great weekend, and we'll see you back here next Friday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! The temperatures have warmed a bit this week, a subtle reminder that spring is right around the corner. The temperature has been consistently high in MAC basketball over the past month, and this week was no exception. We had quite a few surprising results, and a few potential contenders have emerged who we may have written off just a few short weeks ago. On the men's side of things, the most surprising result of the week was Ball State's 93-83 victory over Toledo on Friday night. The Cardinals shot a blistering 50.8% from the field and raced out to a 20 point first half lead on the way to handing the Rockets only their second conference loss. Unfortunately for Cardinals fans, Ball State followed up their upset with a disappointing home loss to Central Michigan, 89-85 in overtime. The Chippewas have emerged as one of the great stories in the MAC over the past few weeks. having won four of five games to get themselves back into contention for the MAC tournament. Elsewhere in men's hoops, Kent State has started to round into form, as the Flashes have now won five in a row after wins over EMU and Bowling Green this week. Rob Senderoff's team faces an important stretch this week, with games against Akron, Toledo, and Ohio. On the women's side of the fence, Ball State continued their strong form and have now won five in a row. A large part has been due to the emergence of freshman guard Ally Becki, who earned MAC Player of the Week honors after averaging 21 points and eight assists per game. The Cardinals have a big match up on Saturday, as they travel to Kent State. The Flashes are the other contender for hottest team in the conference, as Todd Starkey's team has a four game winning streak of their own. It was a tough week for Western Michigan. Entering the week, the Broncos sat third in the MAC with a 6-3, but an 0-3 week (which included disappointing home losses to Miami and Akron) has Western on shaky ground. The Broncos have a few chances to right the ship this week, with winnable games coming up against Bowling Green and Northern Illinois. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. We'll be back next week with a MAC baseball season preview. Have a great week, and we'll see you back here next Friday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! We made it through another ice cold winter week this week, and we're excited to have you with us for another episode of the Bandwagon. It was another big week in MAC hoops, and Ohio and Toledo continue to show they are the top two teams on the men's side of things. Both easily dispatched of contenders Buffalo and Akron this past Friday, and it appears that the two are on a collision course at the top of the league. Ohio travels to Toledo on Tuesday night with revenge on their mind, after the Rockets defeated the Bobcats in Athens earlier this season. Elsewhere in men's hoops, Kent State put together a nice 2-0 week and all of a sudden find themselves at fourth in the conference. It's been an up and down year for the Golden Flashes, but Rob Senderoff's squad now sits 7-4 in the MAC with a stretch of winnable games coming up. On the other end of the spectrum, Bowling Green and Miami seem to be trending downward. Bowling Green turned in an 0-2 week this week, including a brutal loss at Central Michigan. Not to be outdone, Miami gave us an 0-2 week of their own, giving up over 50 first half points in both losses. Neither team has much going for them right now. On the women's side of things, Ohio followed up an impressive 3-0 week last week with a disappointing 0-2 performance. The Bobcats now sit 5-4 and sixth place in the conference, and time is running out if they want to contend for the conference title. Ball State was the surprise of the week in women's hoops, as the Cardinals have now won four in a row and sit tied for fourth in the conference at 6-4. The Cardinals have back to back wins over Ohio and Buffalo under their belt and seem to be gaining confidence with every performance. Western Michigan continues to hang around the conversation as well, as the Broncos remain in third place at 6-3. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Stay safe out there, keep warm, and we'll see you back here next Friday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! Winter has hit us in full force over the past few weeks, and we hope you're staying warm. We had a full week of hoops action in the MAC, and we're excited to break it all down! To open up this weeks' show, the boys take a look at the week that was in MAC men's hoops. In what was the most anticipated game of the conference season thus far, Toledo traveled to Athens on Friday night and emerged with an emphatic 87-69 victory over Ohio. Ryan Rollins led the way with 26 points as Toledo put on an offensive clinic, shooting 59 percent from the field. Elsewhere in men's hoops, Kent State and Bowling Green remain un-consistent, while Eastern Michigan and Miami seem to be coming back to earth after promising starts to their respective seasons. Buffalo has a big week ahead, with games against fellow contenders Ohio and Akron. In women's hoops, Ohio was the team of the week, going 3-0 with wins over Toledo and Buffalo. The Bobcats were effected by a COVID pause earlier in the year, and seem to be finding their footing behind the strong play of CeCe Hooks. While Ohio is trending up, Kent State seems to be trending down. After two straight losses this week, the Flashes sit at 2-6 in conference play after an incredible 8-1 performance in the non-conference portion of the schedule. Western Michigan and Akron have both performed well to this point, and both have big match up's this week if they want to remain in the conversation. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Stay warm out there, and we'll see you back here next Friday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! We hope you've all been able to stay warm as dog days of winter have descended over the midwest. As the temperatures have dropped, the competition on the hardwood has really started to heat up! The boys kick off the show this week with the surprising news of Jermaine Jackson, Jr. leaving Central Michigan to begin preparing for a professional career. Jackson was the Chippewas leading scorer this season at 11.4 points per game. CMU was already struggling in coach Tony Barbee's first season, and it will be interesting to see how the Chips are able to bounce back from the loss of one of their few offensive weapons. Elsewhere in men's basketball, Ohio and Toledo have continued to establish themselves as the top two teams in the conference. The Bobcats have now won nine in a row after an emphatic victory over Miami on Tuesday night. Toledo has kept pace, having won five in a row, including two road victories this week over Bowling Green and Ball State. The Rockets will travel to Athens on Friday night to take on the Bobcats in what is one of the marquee games of the season in the MAC. On the women's side of things, Dyaisha Fair was named to the midseason watch list for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year. This is the third year in a row that Fair has made the list, and it's well deserved, as the senior currently leads the MAC in scoring with 23.5 points per game. Toledo continued their incredible form this week, extending their winning streak to seven games with victories over NIU and Ball State. The Rockets are now 7-0 in the MAC after being picked eighth in the pre-season poll. Buffalo and Western Michigan are hot on their trail, with the Bulls sitting at 5-0 and the Broncos at 3-1. The Bulls and the Rockets face off on Saturday in Toledo, and the winner will surely be the favorite to win the regular season crown moving forward. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. We hope everyone out there is staying warm. Have a great weekend, and we'll see you back here next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! We hope you all made it through our coldest week yet of winter. It was a busy week on the hardwood in the MAC, and we're excited to break it all down for you. On the men's side of the conference, it was another strong week for Ohio and Toledo. The Bobcats now sit 5-0 in the conference and have won eight games in a row overall, and victories this week over Kent State and Bowling Green only solidified their spot at the top of the conference. Toledo turned in an impressive week of their own, going 2-0 courtesy of victories over NIU and Miami. Akron and Buffalo aren't going anywhere, but the Bobcats and Rockets certainly seem to be the class of the conference through three weeks. On the women's side of things, Toledo and Akron have been the surprises of the season. The Rockets, picked to finish eighth in the pre-season poll, have started 5-0 in conference play behind the scoring ability of Quinesha Lockett. With games this week against NIU and Ball State, the Rockets have an opportunity to extend their win streak to seven games. Akron has been another pleasant surprise, as the Zips have gotten off to a 3-1 start in conference play behind Jordyn Dawson. After winning only four MAC games last season, the Zips have shown major strides in coach Melissa Jackson's fourth season. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Stay warm out there, have a great week, and we'll see you back here next Friday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! We hope your first week of 2022 was a good one. It was a busy week in the MAC, so we have a lot to cover! To open up the show this week, Zach and Vannzee look back at Central Michigan's 24-21 victory over Washington State in the Sun Bowl. The circumstances were unprecedented, with both teams scrambling to find an opponent after COVID issues forced Boise State and Miami (FL) to forego their bowl invitations. After this match up was thrown together with about 72 hours notice, the Chippewas used a strong first half performance to earn their first bowl victory since 2012. In men's hoops this week, the boys were both impressed with Ohio. The Bobcats have started 2-0 in MAC play, both wins being on the road, and have won six in a row overall. A key matchup awaits this weekend as Kent State visits Athens. Elsewhere, Northern Illinois finally gets to play its first conference game of the year after a COVID pause, and the three Michigan schools all look to earn victories this week over their in-state rivals. In women's hoops, it's been a surprising start to conference play. After knocking off Penn State and UCLA in non-conference play, Kent State came into the MAC schedule full of confidence. The Golden Flashes have promptly lost their first three conference games. Dyaisha Fair continues to put up incredible numbers for Buffalo, leading the Bulls to an 82-66 victory over Bowling Green on Wednesday night with a 40 point performance. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Football may be over, but conference play is in full swing on the hardwood. We're in for a fun few months! Have a great weekend folks, and we'll see you back here next Friday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday Folks! We hope you've all had a great 2021, and we're excited to ring in the new year with a fresh episode of the Bandwagon! To open up the show this week, Zach and Zack take a look back at the MAC's bowl performance thus far. Toledo and NIU got the conference off to a tough start, with a few near misses. Overall, the MAC has been a little bit disappointing this year, with a 2-5 record through seven games. Thankfully, Miami and Western Michigan performed well enough to pick up a few victories for the conference. Ball State and Toledo were especially disappointing in their performances, and it may be time for some tough questions to get asked at Toledo. In hoops, it's been an interesting start to conference play. Three of the six men's games scheduled for this week were postponed, as were four of the six on the women's side of the conference. The games that did take place gave us some interesting results: in men's hoops, Central Michigan knocked off Kent State and Miami beat Buffalo, and the women from Toledo picked up a very nice road victory over Kent State. A few programs within the conference are still dealing with COVID issues, but we're hopeful that the conference season will pick up in full force here over the next few weeks. Once again, Happy New Year folks. Thanks as always for stopping by this week, and thanks again for listening. Have a great weekend, and we'll see you back here next Friday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! Although most of the attention around this time of year gets dedicated to bowl games, hoops season is just starting to heat up. This week on the podcast, we're taking a look back at the non-conference season in men's and women's basketball. We promise, we haven't forgotten about the bowl games! We'll have a full breakdown of all things bowls on next week's show. To kick off the show this week, Vannzee stops by to help us break down the men's basketball season to this point. Ohio has certainly lived up to expectations, while Akron and Bowling Green seem to be outpacing their pre-season predictions. Buffalo has been a bit underwhelming, though the Bulls certainly have the talent and experience to right the ship. Conference play begins on Tuesday the 28th, and these teams will start to separate from one another as we move further into conference play. To close out this weeks' show, Grant McPherson stops by to discuss women's hoops. Grant discusses Kent State's impressive performance through the seasons first six weeks, with quality wins against Penn State and UCLA. Central Michigan has had some unexpected struggles to start the year, and Grant explains why others on the Chippewas roster need to step up and help Molly Davis. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. We hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season, and we appreciate all of you. We'll see you back here next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's the best time of the year, folks - bowl season is upon us! A league record eight MAC squads were selected for bowl games this year, a tribute to the leagues' unmatched parity. All six teams from the MAC West will go bowling this year, along with Kent State and Miami from the East. Our Creative Director James stopped by this week to help break down every matchup! The MAC bowls kick off on Friday, with Toledo taking on Middle Tennessee State in the Bahamas Bowl and NIU taking on Coastal Carolina in the Care Bowl. Moving into next week, there are a number of intriguing matchups for MAC squads. Miami takes on North Texas in the first ever Frisco Football Classic, and Kent State takes on Wyoming in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. How will the high flying Kent State offense fair against the stout Wyoming defense? In a game near and dear to James' heart, Central Michigan travels to the desert to take on Boise State in the Arizona Bowl. The Chippewas enter the contest having won four in a row, and the Broncos certainly look vulnerable after dropping their final game of the year against San Diego State. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. We'll pick back up with hoops action next week, and we hope you enjoy all of the bowl games in the meantime! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Early December is a bittersweet time of year for us college football fans. There's a lot to look forward to, with bowl season upon us, but it also comes with the acknowledgement that another regular season is behind us. Regardless, there's a lot going on, and we're excited to break it all down for you! To open up this week's pod, Zach and Steve recap this past weekend's MAC championship game. Northern Illinois left little doubt about who the best team was at Ford Field, racing out to a 17-0 halftime lead on the way to a dominant 41-23 victory over Kent State. The Northern Illinois defense was fantastic, limiting the high powered Kent State offense to only 391 yards of offense and leading the Huskies to their fifth MAC title in 11 years. This victory completes quite an improbable turnaround for NIU, who finished the shortened 2020 season 0-6. The boys also take a look back at the season that was, first off by analyzing the MAC postseason awards and the all-MAC teams. Thomas Hammock was the clear cut choice for Coach of the Year, and both Zach and Steve were happy to see NIU RB Jay Ducker get chosen for Freshman of the Year. Next up, Detroit Lions legend and four time Pro Bowl wide receiver Herman Moore stops by for a chat. Herman works as a Game Ambassador for the Quick Lane Bowl, taking place this year on December 27th from Ford Field with Western Michigan taking on Nevada. Herman stopped by to talk about how he got involved with the Quick Lane Bowl, some of the charitable work that is connected to the bowl, and the game itself. There's a few Detroit Lions stories thrown in as a bonus! To close out the show, Vannzee stops by to help break down the week in #MACsketball. On the men's side of the fence, there were some nice wins this week, including Buffalo's road win at Western Kentucky. On the women's side of the conference, Kent State continues to prove themselves, as they're now sitting at 7-1 after wins over St. Bonaventure and Duquesne. We'll be back next week with a full preview of all the MAC bowl games next Friday. Have a great weekend in the meantime, and we'll see you back here next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! It's hard to believe that the calendar has turned to December. The football regular season is all but over, but do not worry: we still have a lot of pigskin ahead of us. To open up this weeks' pod, Zach and Steve take a look back at the last week of the regular season in the MAC. Steve was especially impressed by the Kent State secondary stepping up and making big plays when they needed to, and thus sending the Golden Flashes to Detroit. Zach was blown away by the performance of Western Michigan WR Skyy Moore, who went for 12 catches, 206 yards, and 4 touchdown's in the Broncos win over NIU. On the flip side, Steve was a bit disappointed by Buffalo, who dropped their fourth straight game in a 20-3 loss to Ball State. After a 4-4 start to the season, the Broncos finish 4-8 and will miss a bowl for the first time since 2017. Zach was disappointed by Eastern Michigan, who had a chance to reach eight wins for the first time since 1987. The Michigan MAC trophy was also on the line, with the Eagles having the opportunity to bring the three-way trophy home to Ypsilanti for the first time since 2012. Instead, the Eagles were bullied in Mount Pleasant on their way to a 31-10 loss to CMU, and the Michigan MAC trophy will reside with the Chippewas this year. To close out the football segment, Zach and Steve do a deep dive on this weekends championship game. The first match up we take a look at is the NIU offense versus the Kent State defense, with the boys wondering if Kent State's improvements on this side of the ball will be sustainable. Rocky Lombardi threw for 532 yards when these teams met last month, and the Huskies compiled 663 yards of offense and 47 points. Certainly, Sean Lewis and his staff are hoping for a better performance this time around. On the other side of the ball, the NIU defense has a similarly tough task ahead. Despite the Huskies scoring 47 points in the last meeting, that wasn't enough. Kent State's offense managed 52 points and 682 yards, and the NIU defense had no answer for the Golden Flashes high powered running attack. To close out the show this week, Vannzee comes into to talk #MACsketball. It was a good week for the MAC on both the men's and women's side of the conference, with many teams performing well over the holiday weekend. Toledo went down to the Bahamas and won the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Invitational, while the Kent State women's team picked up two huge victories over UCLA and Penn State. As always, thanks for stopping by folks. Have a great weekend, enjoy all the action on the gridiron and the hardwood, and we'll see you back here next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's hard to believe that the end of football season is upon us. Obviously, we still have a lot to look forward to, with conference championship weekend and bowl season still ahead of us. Nonetheless, the last week of the regular season is always a bittersweet time. Luckily, we've got hoops season underway to distract us. To open up this weeks show, Zach and Steve take a look back at week 12 in the MAC. Steve gave his performance of the week to Toledo RB Bryant Koback, who torched the Ohio defense for over 200 yards and four touchdowns. Zach similarly went with a running back, giving his performance of the week to Eastern Michigan RB Jawon Hamilton. Hamilton compiled 179 rushing yards on only 19 carries in the Eagles come from behind victory over rival Western Michigan. For his disappointment of the week, Steve went with Ball State. The Cardinals entered their game against Central Michigan at 5-5 and ended up losing 37-17 on their home field. The Ball State defense had no answer for Chippewas running back Lew Nichols III, who finished the game with 219 yards and three scores. Zach was most disappointed by Western Michigan, who once again failed to find a way to close out a very winnable game. Two fourth quarter turnovers doomed the Broncos in their loss to Eastern Michigan, and a once promising season sunk further into disappointment. To close out the football segment, the boys break down the final week of the regular season. The highlight of the week is surely the de-facto MAC East championship game, as Miami travels to Kent State with the winner earing a berth to Ford Field. Elsewhere, Ball State looks to earn bowl eligibility against Buffalo in a rematch of the 2020 MAC championship contest. To close out the show, Vannzee stops by to break down the week that was in MAC hoops. It was a rough week on the men's side of things, with several MAC squads dropping very winnable games (including Western Michigan's inexplicable loss to Division II Saginaw Valley State). On the women's side of the fence, things were much better, with Ball State and Ohio picking up impressive non-conference victories. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Next week, we'll be back on our regular schedule and will have a full preview of the MAC Championship game. Have a great Thanksgiving, and we'll talk to you then! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a great time of year to be a college sports fan. We're in the final two weeks of the football season, basketball is picking up, and there is something to be entertained by almost every night of the week. We hope you're all enjoying it as much as we are. To open up this weeks' pod, Zach and Steve take a look back at the week that was in MAC football. Steve continues to be impressed by Brett Gabbert and the Miami offense, while Zach gave his performance of the week to CMU RB Lew Nichols III. On the other side of things, Steve was disappointed by Kent State's defensive performance against the Chippewas, and Zach has been very underwhelmed by what he's seen from Buffalo the past few weeks. To close out the football segment, the boys preview every week 12 MAC game. The games start tonight, with Toledo traveling to take on a suddenly red hot Ohio team, and Western Michigan travels to Ypsilanti to take on EMU. Perhaps the most intriguing game of the week takes place on Wednesday as Central Michigan travels to Muncie to take on defending MAC champion Ball State. To close out the show, Vannzee joins Zach to discuss the week that was in MAC hoops. The MAC acquitted itself well in week one, picking up two power six upsets in the first night and knocking off a number of strong mid-majors as well. Northern Illinois and Miami were especially impressive, picking up wins over Washington and Georgia Tech, respectively. The boys break down the week that was and also preview some of the biggest games from the week ahead. As always, thanks for tuning in this week folks. Have a great week, enjoy the mid-week MACtion, and we'll see you back here next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Long time no talk folks! We hope everyone enjoyed week one of midweek MACtion as much as we did. To open up this week's show, Zach and Steve look back and the first week of midweek games. Steve gave his performance of the week to both offenses in the Kent State/NIU game, as the two units combined for over 1,000 yards of total offense and 99 points. Zach's performance of the week went to QB Kurtis Rourke and WR Isaiah Cox of Ohio, who combined to lead the Bobcats to a thrilling 35-33 victory over rival Miami. For his disappointment of the week, Steve went with Western Michigan. The Broncos turned in their second straight disappointing performance, losing to Central Michigan 42-30 at home. Turnovers have become a problem, and all of a sudden WMU has lost three of four after a promising start to the season. Zach gave his disappointment of the week to Buffalo, who allowed 221 yards rushing and 56 points in the loss to Bowling Green. To close out the football segment, Zach and Steve preview the week ahead. Tuesday night is highlighted by East division rivals Buffalo and Miami, while Wednesday night gives us the Battle of the Bronze Stalk contest between Ball State and NIU. Elsewhere on the slate, Kent State travels to Central Michigan with both teams coming off of huge victories. To close out the show this week, fellow Hustle Belter Zack Vannieuwenhze joins Zach to preview the upcoming basketball season. Zach and Zack take a look at the pre-season all-MAC teams, as well as the coaches poll. To close out the show, the boys both give their picks for surprise team and team that will disappoint. Zack will be back every week throughout basketball season to break down MAC hoops! As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Enjoy all the mid-week MACtion (football and basketball) and we'll see you back here next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Folks, the time is officially here. It's that time of the year when the national spotlight shines on the MAC, when the entire football watching world watches the best little conference in the midwest. Midweek MACtion is back folks! Before we get to any game previews, the boys open the show this week by taking a look back at the week that was. Steve gives his performance of the week to Rocky Lombardi and the Northern Illinois passing attack, who accumulated 351 yards through the air in the Huskies thrilling 39-38 comeback win over Central Michigan. Zach was most impressed with Eastern Michigan, who used a strong performance from QB Ben Bryant to throttle Bowling Green 55-24. The Eagles now sit 5-3 (2-2 MAC), and this very well may be Chris Creighton's best squad in his time in Ypsilanti. The boys are in agreement that Bowling Green gave us the most disappointing performance of the week in the aforementioned 55-24 blowout loss to Eastern Michigan. After a strong start to the season, the Falcons have really regressed in the past three weeks. This performance against EMU was especially disheartening. The Falcons defense, which started the year very strong, but allowed 455 total yards to the Eagles. To close out the show, the boys take a look at the upcoming MAC match ups. Buffalo and Bowling Green are the sole Saturday game this week, with the other five games taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday night. Western Michigan and Central Michigan will compete in their annual Battle for the Victory Cannon, while Miami travels to Ohio in the storied Battle of the Bricks rivalry. In what may be the most intriguing game of the midweek slate, Northern Illinois travels to northeast Ohio to take on Kent State in a match up between two MAC title game hopefuls. Next week, we'll release our episode on Monday, November 8th, as there are no MAC games on the slate next Saturday. Enjoy all the MACtion in the meantime, and we'll talk to you then! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! We've made it through another week, and as of right now we are less than two weeks away from mid-week MACtion. It's truly the best time of year. To open up the show this week, Zach and Steve breakdown all of the action from this past weekend. Steve gave his performance of the week to the Northern Illinois run game, which produced yet another impressive performance against Bowling Green this past weekend. After Antario Brown got hurt for the Huskies, true freshman Jay Drucker entered the game and proceeded to produce 210 yards on 33 carries. It's starting to seem like the Huskies can run the ball no matter who is in the backfield. Zach gave his performance of the week to the Western Michigan defense, who stymied the Kent State offense in a dominant 64-31 victory. The Broncos managed to hold the high powered Golden Flashes rushing attack to 124 yards on 34 carries. On the other side of the spectrum, we have our disappointments of the week. This week, Steve went with Toledo, who turned in another disappointing performance in a 26-23 overtime loss to Central Michigan. The Rockets battled back from a 20-3 deficit in the third quarter but were unable to get over the hump in overtime. Zach went with Kent State, who had a chance to earn a statement victory on the road and failed miserably. The Flashes gave up over 600 yards of total offense to the Broncos and were outscored 27-6 in the third quarter alone. To close out the show, the boys take a look at the week eight matchups. Miami travels to Ball State, and the Cardinals look to avenge last years loss on the back of their current three game winning streak. Kent State has a chance to bounce back against Ohio, and the Bobcats could use a win of their own after last weeks heart breaking loss to Buffalo. The boys have a slight disagreement on the Northern Illinois-Central Michigan game, with Zach thinking the wrong team is favored. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Have a great weekend, enjoy all the football, and we'll see you back here next Friday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! It's hard to believe it, but we are officially half way through the college football season. All of our favorite MAC teams had varying degrees of success through non-conference play. With two conference games under our belt, we're starting to get a feel for who the true contenders are in the conference. To open up the show this week, Steve and Zach take a look back at week six by giving their performances and disappointments of the week. Steve was especially impressed by Akron QB Zach Gibson, who came on in relief of starter Kato Nelson and promptly completed 14 of 15 passes for 177 yards and three scores. Gibson was the catalyst for the Zips come from behind, 35-20 victory over Bowling Green. Zach gave his performance of the week to Kent State WR Dante Cephas, who shredded the Buffalo secondary to the tune of 13 catches, 186 yards, and three scores. Cephas has had an incredible run lately: in his past three games, he has compiled 29 catches, 401 yards and four touchdowns. On the other side of the spectrum Steve was especially disappointed by the performance we got from Western Michigan in their 45-20 home loss to Ball State. The Broncos were riding high, having won four in a row entering the game, but turned the ball over four times in an uncharacteristic performance. On defense, they allowed Drew Plitt to throw for 310 yards and four scores. Zach's disappointment of the week was Toledo, who once again this year can't seem to get out of their own way. Saturday's loss to Northern Illinois, on homecoming, was especially disappointing. For the past several years, the Rockets have had one of the best rosters in the MAC, yet they consistently turn in these underwhelming performances. Penalties have been an issues as well, and the Rockets racked up 10 penalties for 100 yards against the Huskies. That is...not ideal. To close out the show, the boys take a look at the week seven games in the MAC. Toledo and CMU battle it out in a contest between two teams that are still a bit of an enigma, and Ball State looks to extend their win streak to three as they travel to Eastern Michigan. For most fans, the highlight of the weekend will take place in Kalamazoo, as Kent State travels to Western Michigan between two teams that have their sights set on a conference title. This cross divisional match up could be a preview of the MAC championship at Ford Field in December. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. We appreciate each and every one of you. Have a great weekend, enjoy all the football, and we'll talk to you again next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! We are approaching the half way point of the college football season, and conference play is officially in full swing. After Ball State and Toledo took one last foray into non-conference territory last week, we have our first full slate of MAC games this Saturday. It is a beautiful thing. To kick off the show this week, Zach and Steve take a look at the week that was in the MAC. Steve was especially impressed by Ball State's bounce back 28-16 victory over Army. Many people had written the Cardinals off after three consecutive losses, but Mike Neu's team seemed to figure some things out last week. We'll see if they can sustain it. Zach gave his performance of the week to Ohio QB Armani Rodgers, who came on in the second half to lead the Bobcats to a 34-17 comeback victory over Akron. Trailing 17-10 in the third quarter, Rodgers came on and rushed for over 100 yards and two touchdowns to deliver what may be a season saving victory for Ohio. This week, we have quite a few intriguing match up's to look forward to. Western Michigan is the hottest team in the conference, and they welcome defending champion Ball State to Waldo Stadium. Will Ball State be able to build on their performance against Army last week, or will the Broncos high powered offense prove too much to handle? In northeast Ohio, Buffalo travels to Kent State in what has be come quite an intriguing rivalry over the past few years. Many folks remember the Golden Flashes' improbable comeback victory over the Bulls in 2019, and Kent State fans certainly haven't forgotten the 70-42 beatdown that Buffalo laid on them last year. If Kent State wins this one, they will be in the drivers seat in the east. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. We appreciate all of you. Have a great weekend, enjoy all of the football, and we'll see you back here next Friday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! It's hard to believe, but it's officially October, and conference play is starting to heat up in the MAC. We've learned a lot through the first month of the season, but these next few weeks will be critical as the true contenders in the conference should emerge. To open up this week's show, the boys look back at the results from week 4 and give their performances of the week. Bowling Green certainly stole the show last Saturday, using a spectacular defensive performance to upset Minnesota, 14-10. The Falcons have been the surprise of the year in the MAC thus far. How will their momentum carry over into conference play? Elsewhere in the conference, Central Michigan QB Daniel Richardson came off the bench in the second half to lead the Chippewas to a thrilling, come from behind victory over Florida International. He has been named the starter moving forward, after Washington transfer Jacob Sirmon won the job out of camp. Elsewhere in the conference, Ball State continues to disappoint, and Miami failed to play up to expectations in a 23-10 loss at Army. Both the Cardinals and the RedHawks have a lot to figure out right now, especially on the offensive side of the ball. To close out the show, Steve and Zach take a look at all of the match up's for week five. The start of conference plays gives us some very intriguing match up's that will certainly make for appointment television. Western Michigan travels to Buffalo, and we aren't sure exactly what we're getting from the Bulls just yet. The Broncos, on the other hand, enter conference play at 3-1 and full of confidence after back to back impressive victories over Pitt and San Jose State. A few hours to the southwest of UB Stadium, Bowling Green travels to Kent State in a game that represents a clash of styles. Which strength will prevail in this one, the Kent State offense or the Bowling Green defense? We cover all that and more! As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Have a great weekend, enjoy all of the football, and we'll see you back here next Friday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! One quarter of the football season is officially in the books, and there has been a lot to analyze in this first segment of the campaign. We have our first conference game of the season this Saturday (Toledo visits Ball State), and quite a few intriguing non-conference match up's. Many MAC squads still have questions to answer as conference play approaches, and a few opportunities remain this week for signature victories over Power Five opponents. To kick off the show this week, the boys look back at week three. Western Michigan was obviously the highlight, knocking off Pitt 44-41 at Heinz Field. Kaleb Eleby and the entire offense were fantastic, racking up over 500 total yards in the contest. The Broncos have firmly established themselves as one of the teams to beat in the conference. On the other side of the spectrum, we have Ball State and Toledo. Yikes. Both squads turned in incredibly disappointing performances in week three, with Toledo falling at home to a struggling Colorado State team and Ball State getting blown out at Wyoming. Both teams have a LOT to figure out. Funny enough, Toledo and Ball State will face each other this Saturday in Muncie. Which team can right the ship and win this game? It feels like things could go south quickly for whichever squad comes out on the losing end of this one. Elsewhere in our week four preview, Zach and Steve take a look at some intriguing non-conference match up's. The highlight of the slate is Kent State traveling to College Park to take on Maryland, where Taulia Tagovailoa and the Terrapins have quietly put together a 3-0 start. Kent State has acquitted itself well in road losses to two top ten teams (Iowa and Texas A&M), and this game feels like the Golden Flashes best opportunity to pull a Power Five upset. Elsewhere in the non-conference slate this week, Ohio looks to get right against Northwestern, while Western Michigan welcomes a very solid San Jose State squad to Kalamazoo. What games are you most looking forward to this weekend? Let us know! As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Have a great weekend, enjoy all the football, and we'll see you back here next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back folks! It's been a great start to the season, with some great performances from MAC teams. We had a few marquee match up's in week two, which Zach and Steve break down to open up this week's pod. First off, Toledo fans. We feel for you. The Rockets were so close to pulling the upset over Notre Dame in South Bend, but ultimately fell to the Irish 32-29. After Dequann Finn's 26 yard touchdown run gave the Rockets the lead with 1:35 to go, the Irish promptly marched down the field and scored the game winning score only 26 seconds later. Regardless of the end result, it was still an incredibly encouraging performance by Toledo. Ball State didn't fare quite as well in a hostile environment at Penn State, ultimately falling 44-13. The Cardinals still have all of their goals in front of them, but you can't deny that they've struggled through the first two weeks. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have the Ohio Bobcats. Yikes. After a disappointing 29-9 loss to Syracuse in week one, Tim Albin's team fell to FCS foe Duquesne, 28-26. Things are not looking great for Ohio at the moment, and they have a lot to figure out as conference play approaches. In the second half of the show, the boys break down all of the best MAC match up's for week three. As non-conference play winds down, there are plenty of intriguing games this weekend. Can Ball State bounce back and get a road win at Wyoming? Can Buffalo keep up with sixteenth ranked Coastal Carolina? Western Michigan gets their second chance to pull a power five upset as they visit Pitt - can the Broncos live up to the task? The boys give their thoughts on all of this, and more! As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. We hope you've all enjoyed the first two weeks of the season as much as we have. Have a great weekend, enjoy all the football, and we'll see you back here next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How are we feeling folks? Still recovering from the weekend? Because, same. This weekends slate was overwhelming, with too many good games to choose from. We're excited to break everything down from a MAC perspective, and also give a little preview of what week two holds for the conference. To open up the show, Zach and Steve look back at the opening week of games. Which teams impressed you the most? Obviously, Northern Illinois topped our list, with an incredible 22-21 victory over Georgia Tech in Atlanta. This was a signature victory for coach Thomas Hammock and the Huskies program in general, who are coming off of an 0-6 campaign last season. Elsewhere, Central Michigan kept it close with Missouri, Kent State did some good things against Texas A&M, and Buffalo looked dominant against an overmatched Wagner squad. On the other side of the spectrum, there were some disappointing performances. Despite getting a victory, Ball State did not look good in their 31-21 win over FCS Western Illinois. It was also tough to take many positives away from Miami's blowout loss to Cincinnati and Ohio's disappointing performance versus Syracuse. Will these squads be able to right the ship? Only time will tell. Looking ahead to week two, the boys take a look at the best match up's on the week two slate. Will Ball State be able to bounce back with a better performance at Penn State? Buffalo takes a serious step up in competition, traveling to Nebraska to take on the Cornhuskers. How will Kevin Marks and company fare? NIU all of a sudden has expectations to deal with, and return to DeKalb for their home opener against the Wyoming Cowboys. While the week two slate overall may not hold up to what we just experienced in week one, there are still plenty of intriguing match up's this week in the MAC. We can't thank you all enough for stopping by and listening this week, and we look forward to having a great football season with all of you. Have a great weekend folks, and we'll see you back here next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Folks! We made it! FOOTBALL IS BACK! It sure is a beautiful thing. We got a little taste of it last Saturday (sorry if you're a Nebraska fan), but this week is the first full slate of the season. We hope you all have your schedules cleared, because we have five straight days of college football lined up in front of us. You absolutely love to see it. On the pod this week, Zach and Steve take a look at the biggest games of the weekend in the MAC. Many MAC teams have question marks heading into the season, and there is a strong slate of opponents on deck. There will certainly be no time for slow starts. The boys attempt to answer some questions that each squad is facing. If you're a Bowling Green fan, what type of performance do you need to see from the Falcons against Tennessee to inspire confidence? BG is a massive underdog, and certainly appear to be overmatched on paper. If you're Akron, where is the offense going to come from? The Teon Dollard news was a major blow to the Zips, and the timing makes it even worse as Tom Arth's squad heads to Alabama to take on Auburn on Saturday night. Can Ohio knock off a P5 foe in Tim Albin's first game? Can Kent State slow down the Texas A&M rushing attack? Can Miami break Cincinnati's 14 game winning streak in the Battle of the Victory Bell? We won't pretend to know the answers to any of these questions, though we can certainly give our best guesses. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Stop back next week for a full recap of week one, as well as a preview of week two. Have a great weekend folks! Happy football season! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! We have actual football games this week! (Not MAC games, but still...) Next week at this time, we'll have MAC games to preview, and boy are we excited about it. Before we get there, we have two final season previews to bring you this week. Ball State and Buffalo won their respective divisions last year and met at Ford Field, with the Cardinals walking away with a 38-28 victory and their first MAC title since 1996. To start off the show this week, Zach and Steve jump right into their preview of the Bulls. Lance Leipold left for Kansas in March, leaving Buffalo with a shortened time span to find a new coach. Maurice Linguist was hired shortly thereafter, after having spent 2020 as the defensive backs coach for the Dallas Cowboys. He spent much of the decade before that bouncing around the college football universe, and was actually the DB coach at Buffalo from 2012-2013. Along with the transition in the coaching staff, the Bulls experienced a ton of turnover on their roster as well. Jaret Patterson is gone to the NFL, three offensive lineman are gone, as are a number of big contributors on the defense. QB Kyle Vantrease and RB Kevin Marks lead the way on offense, as does James Patterson on the defensive side of the ball. There is still talent here. The question is, how will the new staff plug the holes left by graduation and the transfer portal? The answer to that question could determine the success of the Bulls season. In the west, Ball State returns 20 of 22 starters and have their sights set on another MAC championship. Drew Plitt, Justin Hall, and a veteran offensive line lead a high powered offense, and the linebacking corps leads what could be one of the best defenses in the conference. Can the offensive line improve in pass protection? Can the pass defense improve? If the Cardinals can answer those two questions, they have all of the other tools they need to repeat as conference champions. Thanks for stopping by this week, folks. We look forward to talking about some actual games next week! We'll get the episode out a day early so that you have it prior to the three MAC games Thursday night. Have a great weekend, and we'll see you back here next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Folks, two weeks from this very moment we will be in the middle of week one. It's been a long off season, especially after how last year played out. We know you're all as excited as we are! To open the show this week, Zach and Steve take a look at the AP pre-season poll. Ball State received six votes, making them the first MAC team to receive votes in the pre-season poll since Toledo in 2016. The Cardinals have certainly earned the recognition, with 20 starters returning from last years' MAC Championship team. Moving into the season previews, the boys start out this week by taking a look at Kent State. It is quite remarkable what Sean Lewis has done in his three years with the Golden Flashes, and he was rewarded with a contract extension through 2025. The Flashes have one of the best offenses in the country, led by Dustin Crum and a veteran offensive line. If the defense can improve upon it's performance from last year, Sean Lewis' squad will be a favorite to make it to Ford Field. Kent will have plenty of chances to prove themselves this year, with three power 5 teams included in their non-conference schedule. Expectations are as high as they've ever been for this team, and the boys discuss how they think the Flashes will fare this year. Moving to the western division, Zach and Steve discuss the Western Michigan Broncos. Some WMU fans seem to be a bit unhappy with the direction of the program since 2013's Cotton Bowl berth, but Tim Lester enters his 5th season in Kalamazoo with perhaps his most talented team yet. Kaleb Eleby, La'Darius Jefferson, Skyy Moore, and a veteran offensive line lead what could be a high powered offense. There are some questions on defense, and the boys discuss how the Broncos might be able to fill some holes on that side of the ball. This is a team that has the potential to challenge for the western division crown. Will this be the year Western gets over the hump? We have only one more season preview left - we'll be finishing out our pre-season coverage next week by taking a look at Ball State and Buffalo. After that, we'll have actual, real, live football games to discuss! We can't tell you how excited we are for that. As always, thank you for stopping by this week folks. Have a great week, and we'll talk to you again next Friday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apologies if I sound like a broken record here folks, but I've got to say it again: we are so close to football! We are just under three weeks away from the first MAC games of the season, and let me tell you, we are excited here at the Bandwagon. Kicking off this weeks' show, Zach and Steve discuss the recent contract extension for Kent State head football coach Sean Lewis. Lewis has done incredible work in three years at Kent, and the Golden Flashes are primed to compete for the MAC championship this fall. The new contract runs through 2025, and includes an increased buyout should a larger program come calling. This is certainly well deserved - this was a program in a bad place when Lewis was hired in December of 2017, and he has completely turned the Golden Flashes around. Moving into our season previews, the boys first take a look at the Toledo Rockets. After a few disappointing seasons (by Toledo standards, at least) the Rockets return more production than any team in the country, and are primed to challenge for the west division crown. Carter Bradley steps in at QB, and he is surrounded by a great cast of skill position players and a veteran offensive line. There are not many question marks on this offense. Defensively, everyone of significance is back. This could be Jason Candle's most talented team in his six years as head coach. Will the Rockets be able to get back to Ford Field this year? Only time will tell. Next up, we take a look at a team that seems to be getting overlooked a bit in the presason: the Miami RedHawks. After 2019's surprising MAC championship, Miami was only able to complete three games last year due to the pandemic. Because of that, this feels like a team that we don't know a ton about. Brett Gabbert is back at QB after only playing in two games last year, and some tend to forget that he was the MAC Freshman of the Year in 2019. The RedHawks also get running back's Jalyon Bester and Tyre Shelton back, both of whom missed last season. The offensive line has to replace Tommy Doyle and Danny Godlevske, but there is still a lot of talent on this team. If the offensive line can develop, and the defense can improve against the pass, this could be a dark horse contender in the eastern division. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. We'll see you back here next week, and before you know it we'll have actual football games to discuss! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Another week gone by, another week closer to football. Happy Friday folks! Camps around the conference opened this week, and we know everyone out there in MAC country is excited for a full football season after last years abbreviated slate. In the news this week, Zach and Steve discuss Ohio's Jason Preston being drafted 33rd overall in last weeks NBA Draft. Originally chosen by the Magic, Preston's rights were traded to the LA Clippers. Preston will begin his professional career this weekend as a member of the Clippers Las Vegas Summer League team. Best of luck out west, Jason! In the B block, the boys kick off their weekly previews by taking a look at the Central Michigan Chippewas. After a surprise MAC Championship Game appearance in 2019, the Chips look to bounce back after last years strange 3-3 finish. Zach and Steve discuss the quarterback situation, the deep running back room, and the veteran offensive line. On the defensive side of the ball, we ask: will CMU be able to stop anybody through the air? That could be the question that determines their season. Moving our focus east to Athens, Zach and Steve take a look at the Ohio Bobcats. Obviously, the biggest storyline here is replacing the legendary Frank Solich on the sidelines. Longtime offensive coordinator Tim Albin takes the reins for the Bobcats, and he has a deep, talented roster to work with on offense. The boys discuss the strength of the running back's and the offensive line (sound familiar?) while also taking a look at what Ohio has to offer on the defensive side of the ball. After only playing three games last year, there are a lot of question marks surrounding this team. As always, thanks for stopping by folks. Have a great weekend, and we'll talk to you again next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! Another week of the offseason is behind us, and we are a month away from football! Kicking off the show this week, Zach and Steve quickly breakdown the potential implications of Texas and Oklahoma's pending move to the SEC. Where is college football headed? How will the ripple effects of this move impact the MAC? It's certainly been a wild week in the college football world, and we'll all be watching to see how this potential realignment plays out. Also in the news this week, the boys take a quick look at the pre-season awards watch lists that have been released. The MAC placed four offensive lineman on the Outland Award Watch List, and six (!!) punters on the Ray Guy Award Watch List. The conference has certainly been well represented this off-season, and it's great to see some of the best athletes in the conference get some pre-season recognition. Moving into our season previews, Zach and Steve first take a look at Eastern Michigan. Chris Creighton has done a phenomenal job in his time in Ypsilanti, and this year he may just have his most talented group yet. Though they were picked fifth in the west, 21 starters return, and this offense could be one of the best in the conference. Will the defense improve enough to get the Eagles back to a bowl game? That is the million dollar question. Regardless, the boys think that the Eagles have enough talent this year to compete for a post-season spot. In the east division, we take a look at Akron. The Zips program was a mess when Tom Arth was hired three years ago, and he has done a lot to solidify the roster. The offense found some good pieces last year, namely RB Teon Dollard. If the Zips young offensive line can show improvement this year, the offense could take a big step forward. On the defensive side of the ball, a lot of questions remain. Zips fans can take solace in their strong linebacking core, led by Bubba Arslanian and Brandon Bischof. The Zips may not be ready to compete for a bowl berth just yet, but things seem to be moving in the right direction in Northeast Ohio. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Next week, we'll continue our season preview series and take a look at Central Michigan and Ohio. Have a great weekend, and we'll see you back here next Friday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! We're only six weeks from football. It's so close! With the season drawing nearer, we're starting our team previews this week. We have a PACKED episode this week! Before starting the previews, we open up the a block with a recap of this weeks' MAC Media Days at Ford Field in Detroit. The media voted on how they see the divisions playing out this year, with Kent State being picked to win the East and Ball State repeating in the West. Zach and Steve discuss their thoughts on each division. Did the media get it right? Let us know! Also in the news, we've reached the stage of the pre-season where the annual awards watch lists are being released. The MAC placed SIX running backs on the annual Doak Walker Award watch list, which is a heck of an accomplishment for the conference. Elsewhere, Kent State QB Dustin Crum was named to the Davey O'Brien Award watch list for the nations best signal caller. In the B block, we dive into our first team preview of the year, taking a deep dive on the Northern Illinois Huskies. The boys recap NIU's performance last year, while looking at the make up of the roster. This is still an incredibly young team, though there are some good pieces left from last years squad. New QB Rocky Lombardi will have a number of weapons on offense, with Tyrice Richie and Trayvon Rudolph on the outside and Harrison Waylee in the backfield. The defense also returns some nice pieces, especially in the secondary. Huskie fans, how do you feel about NIU's chances this year? What type of season will constitute enough “progress” for you? Let us know! To close out the show, the boys take a look at Bowling Green. Falcon fans...we're sorry. It has been a sharp decline for the Falcons since the 2015 MAC Championship season, and things don't seem to be getting any better. Coach Scott Loeffler still has an incredibly young team after losing a number of players to the transfer portal this past offseason. Zach and Steve discuss some of the newcomers on offense (two P5 transfers at the skill positions) and what type of season to expect from QB Matt McDonald. On defense, the Falcons switch from a 4-3 to a 3-4 scheme with the hope of improving last year historically bad defense. They say that rock bottom is a good place to push off from, and it seems as if the Falcons are embodying that ethos right now. Signs of improvement this year are necessary, and would certainly be welcomed by the Falcons fan base. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks. Have a great weekend, and we'll see you back here next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! It was a bittersweet week here at the Bandwagon, as we announce Sam's departure as co-host of the show. It's been a great ride building this up from nothing over the past year, so we put together a great show to send him out on a high note! In the major news story of the week, the boys break down Frank Solich's retirement at Ohio. Solich led the Bobcats for 16 years and retires as the winningest head football coach in MAC history. What he's done for the Bobcats program has been incredible, and we don't think it's crazy to say there will be a statue of him in Athens one day. Long time offensive coordinator Tim Albin will take over the reins of the program, and we'll be curious to see if he'll be able to sustain the Bobcats momentum over the next few seasons. Also at Ohio, AD Julie Cromer announced Geoff Carlston as the new head coach of the Bobcats women's volleyball program. Carlston returns to Athens for a second stint as head coach, previously serving in the role from 2003-2007. In that time, Carlston's squads went 144-22, and 78-2 in the MAC. Are those numbers good? Carlston returns to Athens after spending 12 years in Columbus leading the Ohio State women's program. Lastly in the news, the boys break down the MAC selections in last weekends MLB draft. The headliner was Miami pitcher Sam Bachman, who went 9th overall to the LA Angels. Overall, 9 MAC players were drafted, including MAC Player of the Year Chris Myers of Toledo. Best of luck to all of the MAC athletes who heard their name called! In this weeks football preview, Zach and Sam select the players who they think will serve as the “Keys to Success” for each MAC squad this year. Who will be the driver of your team this season? What players or position groups need to step up? Let us know! To close out this weeks show, soon to be co-host Steve Helwick stops by to introduce himself to the audience. Steve has been covering the MAC for Hustle Belt for five years now, so if you're a Belter, you certainly have read his work. Steve talks about his love for college football, how he got introduced to the MAC, and the teams that intrigue him this year. We're looking forward to welcoming Steve as a new co-host! As always thanks for stopping by this week folks. Have a great weekend, and we'll see you back here next Friday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! Another week down, another week closer to football season. Let's get to it! On this weeks' news segment, Zach and Sam talk about the bevy of contract extensions recently announced at Ball State. The most noteworthy are AD Beth Goetz and football coach Mike Neu, though baseball coach Rich Maloney, women's basketball coach Brady Sallee, and men's basketball coach James Whitford. In other men's basketball news, Ohio PG Jason Preston announced that he would keep his name in the NBA draft and thus will not be returning to the Bobcats this year. This marks the end of an incredible run for Preston in Athens, who won the MAC tournament and knocked off Virginia in the NCAA tournament this past March. Best of luck to Jason as he begins his professional career. In football news, the boys break down and debate the recently released “All-MAC 21st Century Team” which was compiled by Bleacher Report. Who was snubbed from the list? Who made the team that didn't deserve to be there? Zach and Sam both give their thoughts. Let us know what you think! Thanks for stopping by yet again this week folks. Have a great weekend, and we'll see you back here next Friday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Friday folks! It's hard to believe this, but it's now been an entire year since the first episode of the Bandwagon. What a ride it's been! Thank you all for the continued support. On this weeks' news segment, Zach and Sam break down the recent transfer of WR Quian Williams from Eastern Michigan to Buffalo. We've seen a few of these intra-conference transfers since the MAC changed the rule a few months back. Williams was the third leading receiver for the Eagles last season, and with all of the roster turnover in Buffalo, there are certainly reps to be had. The big story this week is the continuation of the NIL discussion that we broke down last week. Yesterday, the NCAA enacted it's new “name, image, and likeness” legislation, that will allow athletes to profit off of their own brands. This is a huge step in college athletics. The boys talk about what they think the effects will be. In this weeks' football lookahead, the boys take a look at the MAC championship odds. Buffalo currently sits as the favorite at +200, which baffles Zach and Sam both. They each discuss which teams might provide some good value bets. Continuing this trend, the boys take a look at the recently released week one lines. The MAC has some great match-up's in the seasons opening week, and plenty of opportunities to potentially grab an upset win against a power 5 program. To close out the show this week, Zach talks with fellow Belter and NIU alum Dave Drury. They discuss the state of the NIU fanbase, life in DeKalb, the tailgating atmosphere at Huskie Stadium, the best beers that Dave has tried recently, among many other things. As always, thanks for stopping by this week folks! Have a great weekend, and we'll see you back here next Friday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices