Monday MAC Musings: 2025 Week 2

Monday MAC Musings is back for a second season and a second week. Essentially, this is just a collection of thoughts that maneuver through the stream of consciousness. Week 2 was an eventful week for the MAC, highlighted by a signature win for Ohio and dampened by a pair of defeats to FCS programs.

Overall, the MAC finished 3-10 on the week with its second and third FBS non-conference victories of 2025.

So without further ado, here are thoughts from all 13 MAC matchups this weekend:

Maryland 20, Northern Illinois 9

Once again, Northern Illinois makes every game an extremely ugly, unaesthetic rock fight. Nobody wins a game involving NIU; either the opponent or the Huskies simply survives the war of attrition.
Northern Illinois’ offense certainly needs more potency to generate some wins. The defense is phenomenal and can keep NIU competitive every game. But the Huskies struggle to sustain possessions and needed a 74-yard breakaway Telly Johnson Jr. run to manage their only touchdown of the night, and the run game averaged 2.3 yards per carry excluding that play. They have 200 passing yards through two weeks and never eclipsed a 17-yard pickup through the air Friday.
The one positive about the Huskies’ offense is they’re not afraid to go for 4th and shorts early and often, and they’re pretty strong at picking them up. Went 4-of-6 on fourth down, and one miss was a fake punt and the other was a last-ditch effort from their own 27-yard line with 90 seconds remaining.

Texas Tech 62, Kent State 14

Quarterback Dru DeShields looked pretty solid in the early fourth quarter. Sure, he was playing Texas Tech’s backups in a game already decided, but Kent State suffered three 40+ point shutouts last year. DeShields prevented that with a passing touchdown and rushing touchdown in the final frame. Five of his seven completions produced at least 11 yards. Kent State needs that verticality.
There were some really bad errors by Kent State in this one as it fell to a 48-0 first half deficit. The Golden Flashes’ punter’s knee hit the ground while securing a punt. There was also a bizarre snap where Kent State kind of just laid the ball on the turf.
Former Northern Illinois All-MAC defensive tackle Skyler Gill-Howard made a spectacular pick-six for Texas Tech. He sprinted 55 yards to the house with impressive speed for a 290-pounder. Gill-Howard was a really fun player to watch the Huskies, and he’s greatly missed in this conference.

Pittsburgh 45, Central Michigan 17

Central Michigan’s run game took a complete 180 from an inspiring start at San Jose State. After grounding and pounding its way to 236 rushing yards in Week 1, Central Michigan managed 40 yards on 41 attempts vs. Pitt. No rusher tallied more than 18 yards, and the Chippewas’ offense took a huge hit with Pitt cutting off the run game.
Jordan Kwiatkowski looked phenomenal for Central Michigan individually in both stopping the run and in the coverage game. He led the team with eight tackles and finally got the team out of its scoring rut, securing an interception and racing it down to the Pitt 18-yard line.
Several teams across the country, including a few in the MAC, are still working through 2-QB systems. Central Michigan is still shuffling between three — Joe Labas, Jadyn Glasser, and Angel Flores. Michigan is next on the docket. I wonder how long it will be before Matt Drinkall and staff make a confident selection in one.

Cincinnati 34, Bowling Green 20

Does Pudge the Cat (the shorthair cat belonging to Bowling Green long snapper George Carlson) know he is famous? Pudge received a sideline pass at Nippert Stadium, which is more than a 2.5-hour drive and nearly 180 miles from Bowling Green’s campus. The emotional support cat that went viral from Finn Hogan’s TikTok has been on quite the journey the past month. Is he cognizant of this new lifestyle switch-up, as he discovers new places and meets thousands of new people?
This was overall a positive showing for Bowling Green, especially on offense against a tough Cincinnati group. Drew Pyne looked solid. The Falcons found a new WR1 in Jyrin Johnson in effort to replace Harold Fannin Jr.’s astronomical receiving production. They refrained from a turnover. However, the offensive line struggled a bit, but that group probably won’t block a talent like Dontay Corleone for the rest of the season, so it’s uphill from here.

North Texas 33, Western Michigan 30 (OT)

Western Michigan had a severe penalty problem Saturday, which is unusual because the Broncos were one of the five least-flagged teams in 2024. The Broncos committed two personal fouls, two pass interferences, and one unsportsmanlike conduct, and they were extremely consequential plays. One personal foul took Western Michigan out of North Texas territory in the waning seconds of regulation, preventing a realistic field goal attempt. Then in overtime, a pass interference put North Texas on the doorstep of scoring. Still, the defense held the Mean Green to a 3rd and goal on the 5, but an unsportsmanlike taunting ultimately sealed the deal.
The Broncos, operating under a 2-QB system for the second-straight week, committed to Broc Lowry at the end of the first quarter after starting Brady Jones. Lowry led two instant touchdown drives and adds more to the run game. He’s likely the Week 3 starter. Western Michigan doesn’t need to throw too much with Lowry on the field considering the efficiency of the run game featuring him and running back Jalen Buckley.
This was an absolutely gut-wrenching defeat for Western Michigan. To lose with a 14-point second half lead at home (and a 10-point fourth quarter advantage), even as double-digit underdogs, stings.
I wonder how this game shakes out if North Texas doesn’t get a false start on 3rd and goal from the 2 in the final two minutes, which led to the tying field goal attempt to force overtime. On a hypothetical 4th and 2, would the Mean Green go for the win or tie things up with the field goal?

Buffalo 45, St. Francis PA (FCS) 6

This was an expected FCS rout for the Bulls, which were in much need of an offensive spark after opening against a relentless Minnesota defense. Al-Jay Henderson and the run game ignited with 370 collective rushing yards and six touchdowns.
The passing game still remains a huge question for the Bulls (although it hasn’t really been the focal point of the offense since 2018 with Tyree Jackson). However, Ta’Quan Roberson can move. The seventh-year senior quarterback produced 88 rushing yards and two touchdowns, outracing the opposition on a 40-yard sprint in the third quarter.

Ohio 17, West Virginia 10

Ohio didn’t even have to bring its A-game to take down West Virginia. The Bobcats brought something adjacent to their C-game offensively. Parker Navarro threw three consecutive interceptions in the second half and West Virginia responded to each takeaway with a three-and-out, collecting a total of -7 yards on those three opportunities.
The Bobcats’ defense certainly required improvement after the 34-31 loss to Rutgers in Week 1, and that improvement was shown. West Virginia couldn’t find a single advantage over John Hauser’s defense. The Mountaineers went 2-of-13 on third down, 0-of-1 on fourth down, and produced just 250 yards of offense — 178 passing on an inefficient 15-of-28 showing and 72 rushing on a 2.6 average. Ohio produced four sacks and held West Virginia out of the end zone for the final three quarters. Now that’s an A+ performance.
The Chase Hendricks takes in this column from last week still hold true. He’s probably a top-3 receiver in the MAC, and he’s going places as a versatile threat. Hendricks secured eight receptions for 121 yards, burning coverage for Ohio’s final touchdown of the day in the second quarter.
Ohio is 4-1 in its last five games against Big 12 competition. The Bobcats defeated Kansas in 2016 and 2017, Iowa State in 2023, and West Virginia in 2025. Three of those matchups transpired at Peden Stadium which brought an incredible atmosphere. Also shoutout to the scoreboard operator who used the Tavon Austin highlight music to show Ohio’s highlights on the jumbotron postgame.

Rutgers 45, Miami (OH) 17

Rutgers defeated both 2024 MAC champion participants in consecutive weeks, downing Ohio and then Miami (OH). Past Rutgers teams aren’t doing this. Greg Schiano is building something worthwhile in Piscataway, and don’t be surprised if the Scarlet Knights find themselves in the rankings before November.
As a fan of long-time rivalries and tradition, I hate that another MAC team played Cincinnati this week and it wasn’t Miami. Bowling Green should have played Rutgers and Miami should have played Cincinnati, preserving the oldest non-conference rivalry in college football (128 meetings from 1888-2024).
This one got out of hand in rapid speed. Miami only trailed 24-17 after a Dequan Finn rushing touchdown with 10:21 left in the third quarter. The RedHawks’ defense — especially the pass defense — didn’t replicate its promising showing from Wisconsin, allowing Rutgers 21 unanswered to conclude this in a blowout.
After facing a Week 1 shutout, it was only uphill for Miami’s offense which managed 368 yards at Rutgers. The RedHawks showed some explosive play capabilities, as wide receivers Keith Reynolds and Kam Perry both amassed over 100 yards with 60+ yard pickups involved. The unit looks like it’ll be fine come MAC play, but Miami really needs to figure out its run game outside of using the quarterback — the running backs haven’t got going whatsoever yet.
Even at 0-2, I can’t ignore Miami’s status as MAC contenders because we’ve seen this movie so many times before. Miami started 0-3 last year, was stuck at 1-3, and won eight-straight to clinch the MAC Championship Game. Chuck Martin turned 3-5 into a bowl game in 2022 and 1-3 into a winning season in 2021. The RedHawks’ season always starts when MAC play arrives, where they’re 14-2 in the last two years and haven’t finished under .500 in conference play since 2015.

Bryant (FCS) 27, UMass 26

Bryant went 2-10 last season and 0-8 in the CAA, in case you’re wondering where Bryant stands in the FCS hierarchy. One of its two wins was slipping past a Division II team by four. Sure, they could be much better but this is a bad, bad loss for UMass.
UMass’ passing defense has been brutal thus far. It allowed Temple to produce six touchdowns and 276 on an efficient 22-of-29 performance. Bryant didn’t replicate that efficiency, but it managed 318 yards and three touchdowns on the Minutemen. Their coverage is of grave concern this early in the season.
UMass is another MAC team shuffling between quarterbacks. Brandon Rose, Grant Jordan, and AJ Hairston all threw at least four passes in this game, and the Minutemen may keep this 3-man battle alive until the offense finally gets a rhythm. It certainly wasn’t Saturday, as the team went nowhere on the ground and had to rely frequently on the aerial attack in down-and-distance situations.

Toledo 45, WKU 21

This battle between MAC and CUSA heavyweights looked primed to be another thriller, just like last year. Toledo ensured that wouldn’t happen. The Rockets were up 45-7 after three quarters and let their backups play the fourth. This was the best performance by any MAC team all year.
The Toledo NFL factory might continue through free safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. After producing zero draft picks from 2009-16, the Rockets have 11 in the Jason Candle era since 2017, including two-straight years of a top 65 pick. The 6’2”, 202 pound McNeil-Warren dominated this game in the opening minutes, recovering his second fumble of the year and returning a 37-yard pick-six. His tape through two games is insane, and he might join former defensive back teammate Quinyon Mitchell in the league soon.
Toledo didn’t register its first touchdown until the fourth quarter at Kentucky, but the offense took on a new level of explosiveness Saturday. Chip Trayanum rushed for a 75-yard touchdown (and celebrated with a finger in the air just four yards into the run) while Junior Vandeross III burned WKU’s secondary for a 71-yard touchdown connection on a deep ball from Tucker Gleason. The offense is very back.
Shutting down a powerful WKU passing game is no easy task, but Toledo’s secondary did a phenomenal job against Maverick McIvor, who entered the contest with 706 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and zero interceptions through two weeks. The tone was set when WKU turned it over on its first two possessions and Toledo climbed to a 14-0 lead. The Hilltoppers never recovered though, only scoring seven points by the time Toledo reached 45.
The MAC does not retain an undefeated team, so it’s an outside shot of producing a top-five highest-ranked conference champion to qualify for the College Football Playoff. But a win like this positions the MAC in much better position than the CUSA for a playoff spot, should WKU remain the contender it’s expected to be.

Long Island (FCS) 28, Eastern Michigan 23

Long Island jumped from Division II to the FCS in 2019. This is its first FBS victory in history. It’s Eastern Michigan’s first FCS loss since 2012.
It was quite a disturbing loss for an Eastern Michigan team which made a name for itself by thriving in non-conference play. Eastern Michigan hasn’t finished under .500 in non-conference play since 2015, defeating Rutgers, Purdue, Illinois, Arizona State, Jax State, Texas State, Coastal Carolina, Charlotte, Wyoming, and UMass over that span. That streak dies unless Chris Creighton and Co. defeat both Kentucky and Louisiana.
Eastern Michigan’s offense looked quite solid against Texas State, a team which produced a quality road win at UTSA in Week 2. However, everything took a step back in this Long Island matchup. The Eagles were out-gained 479-311.
There was no apparent advantage in the trenches for Eastern Michigan on either side, which is usually where the FBS vs. FCS matchups are truly defined. Eastern Michigan failed to manage a single sack and got outclassed by over 100 yards on the ground.

Auburn 42, Ball State 3

Ball State is one of two FBS teams without a touchdown through two games, along with Akron (which hasn’t scored at all). The Cardinals managed a 22-yard field goal at the 3:50 mark of the third quarter, finally getting on board after 101 minutes and 10 seconds of action in 2025.
Ball State finished with -3 rushing yards thanks to taking six sacks and 14 tackles for loss.
Auburn hasn’t fielded a winning team since 2020, but the Tigers look like a juggernaut this year. It wasn’t as much of a takeaway from this Ball State game as it was from watching Baylor stun SMU in double overtime. Auburn took down that high-powered Baylor offense by two touchdowns on the road. So from Ball State’s perspective, this was a high-quality team.
Here’s a positive for Ball State — the Cardinals generated five sacks in the game. Their highlight Saturday night was back-to-back sacks on Jackson Arnold in the second quarter, which led to a missed 52-yard field goal from Auburn. That’s an identity this team can build on.

Nebraska 68, Akron 0

Yikes.
Akron has zero points through two games, which is not great. The Zips had two realistic scoring opportunities in Lincoln, missing a 46-yard field goal and getting rejected on a 33-yarder. Akron trailed 33-0 before even crossing midfield.
Some stats from this disastrous shutout: 9-of-23 passing for 62 yards, out-gained 728 to 175 in total yardage, Nebraska averaged 10 yards per play, and the Cornhuskers converted 8-of-10 third downs while the Zips managed 1-of-14. Akron punted eight times and Nebraska never punted. The Cornhuskers scored on nine consecutive drives, excluding the 1-play, 3-second drive prior to halftime. Eight of those scores were touchdowns. This is the largest FBS vs. FBS margin of victory in 2025.