Here's a rundown of Week 6 Power Rankings in the Mid-American Conference as determined by assistant sports editor Pete Nakos.
We'll take a look at their performances so far this season using ESPN's College Football Total QBR, an efficiency stat that measures all of a quarterback's contributions to winning. It is measured on a 0-to-100 scale that captures efficiency associated with throwing the ball, running the ball, drawing penalties and avoiding sacks and turnovers.
1. Buffalo
2018 record: 4-1, 1-0 MAC
Tyree Jackson: 83.6. After such a strong start to the season that saw Jackson throw 15 touchdowns through four games, he finally hit a wall. The Bulls were blown out by Army this past week, 42-13, as Jackson only produced a touchdown and was 10 of 24 for 152 yards.
2. Toledo
2018 record: 2-2
Mitchell Guadagni: 84.4. In his first season replacing Logan Woodside as the Rockets’ quarterback, Guadagni has thrown for 10 touchdowns and just one interception. He leads the MAC in total QBR. He threw for four touchdowns and rushed for two against Nevada on Sept. 22.
3. Northern Illinois
2018 record: 2-3, 2-0 MAC
Marcus Childers: 30. For a team that’s favored to win the MAC West, the Huskies’ quarterback has struggled. Through five games he’s thrown four interceptions and has been sacked 13 times. His total QBR is ranked 119th out of 131st in the country.
4. Ohio
2018 record: 2-2
Nathan Rourke: 75. Coming off a record-setting game where he helped set the program record in total yards in a game, Rourke’s now thrown 738 yards and six touchdowns. His current QBR is higher than where he finished last season (73.5)
5. Akron
2018 record: 2-1
Kato Nelson: 44.8. The Zips didn’t play this past weekend, but in three games Nelson has thrown six touchdowns. His completion percentage of 54.9 percent and 8.07 yards per attempt are much better than his small sample size of five games last season.
6. Western Michigan
2018 record: 3-2, 1-0 MAC
Jon Wassink: 79. Boasting the third-best QBR in the conference, Wassink is coming off his best QBR game of the season of 92.4 against Miami. He finished the day with five passing touchdowns and 439 yards.
7. Eastern Michigan
2018 record: 2-3, 0-2 MAC
Tyler Wiegers: 43.3. In a program-building win against Purdue, Wiegers was 20 of 28 for 312 yards and a touchdown. He finished with a completion percentage of 71.4 percent in the game and a season-long pass of 75 yards. Since then the Eagles have lost three straight.
8. Ball State
2018 record: 2-3, 1-0 MAC
Riley Neal: 67.7. Returning from last season’s ending injury, Neal has passed for 1,241 yards and eight touchdowns. In two early conference games, the redshirt junior quarterback has completed 60 percent of his passes.
9. Kent State
2018 record: 1-4, 0-1 MAC
Woody Barrett: 54.3. A transfer from Auburn, Barrett’s in his first season in the Golden Flashes’ brand new system. He’s adjusted fine, throwing five touchdowns and five interceptions. He’s been sacked a conference-high 22 times, but has a 59.9 completion percentage.
10. Central Michigan
2018 record: 1-4, 0-1 MAC
Tommy Lazzaro: 42.5. The junior quarterback has just played the last three games for the Chippewas. Last week at Michigan State he was 19 of 34 and threw a touchdown, the type of progress coach John Bonamego wants to see.
11. Miami
2018 record: 1-4, 1-1 MAC
Gus Ragland: 49.9. Ragland is supposed to be one of the best quarterbacks in the conference, but with some of his best receivers out with injuries he’s been dealt a bad hand, but still has eight touchdown passes, throwing three last week against Western Michigan.
12. Bowling Green
2018 record: 1-4, 0-1 MAC
Jarret Doege: 44.4. The sophomore quarterback has thrown six interceptions, but also 12 touchdowns through five games. With a 64.2 completion percentage, Doege has thrown for 1,196 yards, just 185 yards shy of matching last season’s total.
