With the Mid-American Conference play starting this week, rivalry games are being played around the conference, including Ohio and Miami in the “Battle of the Bricks."
Central Michigan vs. Western Michigan
The winner of this game receives the Victory Bell, and may be the MAC West champion, if the winning team can beat Toledo later in the season.
“We got one of the top 10 rivalries in college football, in my opinion, coming up this week,” Western Michigan coach P.J. Fleck said.
One of the keys to this matchup will be the play of Central Michigan quarterback Cooper Rush.
“(Rush) makes everybody else around him better, he’s an incredible leader,” Fleck said. “He gets everybody in the right spot.”
Both teams have received votes in the Associated Press poll this year, and with so much on the line in this game, both teams will be filled with pressure.
“I think both teams love to have pressure and love to have expectations,” Fleck said. "That means they're both doing well. I think you have to earn the right to have pressure, and earn the right to have to have expectations, and both teams have earned that.”
Ball State vs. Northern Illinois
The winner of this game receives the Bronze Stalk trophy. Northern Illinois can also gain some confidence and get their first win of the season.
Even though the Huskies have struggled up to this point of the season, Ball State coach Mike Neu knows the history of success Northern Illinois has.
“The West division goes through Northern Illinois, they’ve won the last six years, and three out of the last five overall MAC championships,” Neu said. “I don’t care what their record is right now, because it’s a new season for all of us right now.”
Ball State hasn’t won this game since 2008, and a win for them would be big for Neu, who is in his first season as the coach of his alma mater.
“If you want to be the best, then you have to beat the best, (and there is) no better way to start then with Northern Illinois,” Neu said.
Northern Illinois coach Rod Carey had praise for his opponent, and the changes that Neu has brought so far in his first season.
“(Ball State) is certainly much more aggressive on defense, just the attitude, effort, scheme, is certainly more aggressive,” Carey said. “You just see a team playing with a lot more confidence.”
tc648714@ohio.edu
