The divisional races in the Mid-American Conference now have clear leaders.
In the West, it’s easy — No. 17 Western Michigan wins the rest of their games, they play in the MAC Championship Game. And for the East, Ohio goes to Detroit if it wins against at least Akron.
But, this is the MAC, and crazy things tend to happen during the mid-week portion of the schedule. Teams other than Western Michigan and Ohio still have a chance to play for a MAC title, and could easily take over the top spot in either division.
Toledo has probably the easiest schedule, behind the division leaders, to make it to the MAC Championship Game. If the Rockets win the remainder of their games and then beat Western Michigan in the final game of the season, they take the MAC West crown.
Even though Toledo has two losses on the season, the division winner is determined by conference record, and in this scenario, the two teams would have the same conference record, but Toledo would hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Akron is in an identical situation in the East. If the Zips and Bobcats were to win their remaining games going into the final week of the season, where they face each other, Akron would need to win to represent the East in the MAC title game.
Miami will need some help to represent the East in Detroit. They do not hold a head-to-head tiebreaker against either team ahead of them, Ohio and Akron. They would need Ohio to lose the rest of its games, and Akron to only beat Ohio.
Miami would then win the East outright, but only if they can win the remainder of its games, which seems next to impossible. The current three game win streak has not been done by the RedHawks since 2010.
Eastern Michigan will need a lot of help to even get close to the MAC Championship Game. The Eagles would have to win out to even have a chance and would also need Western Michigan to lose the rest of their games –– an incredibly unlikely feat. Toledo would also have to lose the rest of their games, with the exception of Western Michigan.
These scenarios obviously can’t all happen at once, and all seem highly unlikely given the play of the MAC up to this point this season. But craziness is always waiting to spring, which could bring some unlikely division winners.
