Getting moved back to the East was great news! Along with news of the new videoboard and the recruiting class, they have been the highlights of the offseason for me. That said, in all the excitement of being moved back to the East, I forgot we may not face all the East school again this year - but we are due to face them all. The last two years we have avoided Akron, and the two years before that it was Temple. So are we likely not going to play another East team again the next two years? It had better not be UMass, but I would gladly like it to be Ohio. Any guesses or info?

The missing of a division opponent has affected BG each of the last four years and glancing at it, here is the breakdown of the years a MAC East team has missed a division opponent:

BG - 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008
Akron - 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008
Kent State - 2011, 2010
Buffalo - 2011, 2010
Miami - 2009, 2008
Temple - 2009, 2008
Ohio - none

The last two years BG-Akron and Buffalo-Kent State didn't play, while Ohio, Miami and Temple played every East school. And the two years before that BG-Temple and Miami-Akron were the odd ones out. So according to that, only BG and Akron have faced that issue each of the last four years, while Miami, Kent State, Buffalo and even Temple have at least once in a two-year cycle, while Ohio never has. Seems like BG and Akron should be long overdue for a full MAC East skate and that Ohio is long overdue to be put into the mix of missing a division opponent.

BG will play OU. ESPN will want it for a Wednesday / Thursday night game.

That said, I really don't care. I think BG will be better than OU this year.

If BG and OU are the top two East schools next year (I think they will be), yes, I agree, they should play. But I think OU will be picked to win the MAC in football (OU has play in the MAC Championship three of the last six years) and OU has had its way with us in the last five years, winning four of five including three consecutive and also their last three trips to BG.

But after throwing that chart together above, BG had better be in line not to miss a MAC East school the next two years and Ohio better be in the mix. Does anyone know exactly how that rotation has been decided by the MAC? Do they randomly decide who misses every two years or do they map it out? If they do, then that proposal should happen, but it also wouldn't surprise me one bit if some of them in the front office put not though into it.

Who cares who the media picks? Lets look at OU last year. They got Kent, Temple, and rival Miami at home. They lost @ Buffalo, lost @ Ball State, won @ Akron, won @ Central, and won @ BG by 1 on a last second field goal. Their cross overs were 6-6 Ball State and 3-9 Central.

So their road schedule included the worst team in FBS, Akron, the worst team in the West, Central, a .500 Ball State team, and 3-9 Buffalo...mmmk. They got the best team they played in the MAC, Temple at home. Their rivalry game against Miami, at home. And they got to kick it off with Kent at home.

This year they get to replace, a 1,000 yard rusher, their top 2 receivers (and return man), 2 all-MAC linemen, and an all-MAC linebacker.

OU's schedule gets easier without BG. One of their crossover games is likely to be Western and probably N. Illinois, going off of who they haven't played recently.

I think we'll win the east this year...our haka will prove too intimidating.

BG will be your MAC East Champion in '12...

I am holding you to it 'Freak....BG hasn't won a MAC football championship in 20 years now!!! Not since 1992....that is crazy considering some of the teams we've had since then! Twenty years is 19 too many. As the years continue to increase for men's basketball without an NCAA Tournament appearance, it always seemed like we were in good shape with football from a title standpoint, then just like that, two decades have passes us by without one. We last won one in 1992. I arrived at BG in 1993. God I want to see them finally win one. I was at the Doyt to watch CMU ruin our 1994 season with a "Fat Punter," watched Miami and Big Ben take us apart at home in the 2003 MAC Championship at the Doyt, and also saw Buffalo rally from down 27-7 in the 4th quarter to beat us at the Doyt in 2008 to name a few....let's finally win one!!!

Fine with me 33.... With 21 starters back we *should* be one of the faves. 20 yrs is waaaaaaaay too long to be waiting. GO BG!!!!!!

I don't think it matters as much who we play in the MAC this year, now that we're in the east again. Good riddance of Temple and their obnoxious coach. Pierce left at the height of things in Temple football, imo.

Glad we sent them out with a loss in Football and the out of conference upset in Basketball was sweet too.

I too am pumped, and am even looking for the upset in the swamp this year. At the very last I expect this to be closer than the experts probably think. I work with a guy who recently graduated from UF. It'll be fun to rib him leading up to the game, but even better after a BG win!