 It's our weekly early look-in around the MAC with some of the latest news around campus from our reporting partners across the Mid-American Conference.
 Injuries Taking Toll on ZipsThe University of Akron has lost two starters for the season with injuries and has been without its best defensive lineman in its 2-2 start.
Tailback Alex Allen (hip), who had 152 yards rushing on the season, and nose guard Cowles Stewart (knee) are done for the year.
In addition, Iowa transfer Ryan Bain, who had a strong spring at nose, has a foot injury that has not gotten any better and has kept him out of the four games. He is not even listed on the depth chart anymore.
From the Akron Beacon Journal
 Love's Loss Has ImpactThe season-ending injury to Ball State wide receiver Dante Love will force the Cardinals to alter their passing-game plan, and change their personnel.
Tight end Darius Hill, who caught 16 passes (12 fewer than Love's team-best 28) in the first four games, will probably become quarterback Nate Davis' main target. Other players from a secondary group of receivers, mainly Briggs Orsbon, Daniel Ifft, Myles Trempe and Louis Johnson, will be asked to provided more production.
Love suffered a cervical spine fracture in Saturday's 42-20 win at Indiana.
He underwent surgery Sunday morning. Love's loss will be felt in several areas. He was involved in nine personnel groupings for the Indiana game, including being the teamıs main kickoff returner.
Ball State coach Brady Hoke said most of the MACıs coaches called early this week to extend their concern about Love's injury.
"You hate seeing any player get hurt, particularly a great player like (Love),"² Kent State's Doug Martin told the Kent (Ohio) Record-Courier. "We are just praying and hoping for a speedy recovery for him. ... Any time you have something like that happen, as a coach it is your worst nightmare. I've been on the field with one of those before, and it is scary."
Love is expected to lead a normal life after completing several weeks of rehabilitation.
From the Muncie (Ind.) Star Press
 Recruits Still Waiting TurnIn the months leading up to February's national signing day, college football fans begin a hobby of analyzing the recruits their team is expected to bring in.
That speculation has not ceased for followers of Bowling Green State University, as none of the 15 true freshmen signed in the winter has seen action through the first three games, not even on special teams.
Junior college transfer Andrew Beam is the lone member of the 19-member class that has logged time.
"That's going to change though," BG coach Gregg Brandon said at BG's weekly
press conference. "It has to."
Perhaps the change will come as soon as Saturday when the Falcons conclude the non-conference portion of their schedule with a trip to Wyoming (2-2). BG (1-2) was idle last week after a 20-7 loss at Boise State on Sept. 13.
"We almost played a couple of them at Boise," Brandon said. "If we would have had a chance to win that game you might have seen Keith Morgan in that game or Adrien Spencer. Those guys are probably the closest to playing right now."
From the Toledo Blade
 It's Been AwhileErnest Jacksonıs 97-yard return for a touchdown at Missouri was Buffalo's first since Naaman Roosevelt returned one on Sept. 9, 2006 at Bowling Green and only the programıs second in nineteen years.
On Oct. 14, 1989, Alan Bell scored on a kickoff return and the Bulls didn't do it again until Roosevelt's which was 178 games later.
From the Buffalo News
 Eagles Hope To Welcome Pair Back For HomecomingWhile winning football games has not come with any degree of regularity at Eastern Michigan, homecoming has been an exception under head coach Jeff Genyk.
The Eagles will be going for their fourth straight homecoming victory when they host Northern Illinois on Saturday and are 3-1 under Genyk in homecoming games.
The Eagles also hope to welcome a couple of injured performers back into the lineup for their homecoming clash.
Starting quarterback Andy Schmitt was unable to play in Eastern Michigan's 51-24 loss to Maryland after suffering an injury in practice leading up to EMU's contest against Toledo the previous week.
"We're going to see if Andy is able to fully participate in practice Tuesday and determine if he is able to play," said Genyk. "It will be a day-to-day thing." The team is hopeful that Schmitt, whose left arm has been in a sling, will at least be available for backup duty behind sophomore Kyle McMahon if needed. McMahon passed for 278 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Maryland but also threw two critical interceptions.
"I thought Kyle played very well, but made some mistakes obviously," said Genyk. "It's just a matter of having a young quarterback focus on executing one play at a time. But we are very comfortable with Kyle at quarterback and running our offense."
Schmitt, who has been sidelined several times with various injuries acknowledged the frustration of dealing with injuries over the past couple of seasons..
"Yeah, I got e-mails and messages from people saying 'you're injured again?'
with the emphasis on the word again," said Schmitt. "It's frustrating to be on the sideline but my job is to work with Kyle if I can't play and help him out, kind of like being an extra coach on the field."
The Eagles are also hoping that punter Zach Johnson will be back in the lineup after missing the past three contests with a quadriceps pull. Johnson not only handles punts but kickoff duties as well. "We think he will be back," noted Genyk. "He really plays a large role in dictating field position."
 Flashes HurtingAfter watching a once-promising 2007 season turn sour in part to a rash of injuries, Kent State is trying to find a way to survive in 2008 without two of its most dangerous offensive weapons.
Star running back Eugene Jarvis sat out KSUıs 44-27 loss at Lafayette with a high-ankle sprain. He is expected to miss his second straight game Saturday when the Flashes open the MAC season at Ball State.
Meanwhile, senior tight end Jameson Konz, who was supposed to breathe new life into the MACıs worst-rated passing attack from 2007 after moving from linebacker in the preseason, is likely to miss his fourth consecutive game due to his own ankle injury. Without him, the Flashes rank dead last in the league again at 162 yards per game through the air.
KSU coach Doug Martin is getting close to shelving Konz for the rest of the year in the hope of bringing him back for a redshirt season in 2009.
"We would have to get a medical redshirt, but yeah, we could," said Martin. "He played in the first game, so we would have to get an appeal on that, which we should get since he only played in one game. But absolutely, if he misses one more game, we definitely have to look at that."
From the Record-Courier
 Despite 0-4 Start, Solich Pleased with DefenseThough the wins havenıt come according to plan, the Bobcats have been pleased to see a defensive resurgence early in 2008.
Ohio, 0-4 for the first time since 2002, has dropped four straight close decisions thanks mainly to special teams gaffes and turnovers. The defense, however, is the reason all four games remained winnable despite those mistakes.
"I really like the way we've been playing defensively," Ohio head coach Frank Solich said. "I really like the makeup of our personnel on defense. Our speed and athletic ability is really starting to show."
The Bobcats have held three of their first four opponents to under 300 yards of total offense, including Big Ten foes Ohio State and Northwestern. Ohio leads the Mid-American Conference in total defense (313.5 yards/game), ranks second in pass efficiency defense and third in scoring defense.
"I don't think any of us are surprised," said senior defensive end Jameson Hartke. "I've said it since day one there's nothing that can stop us from being a better defense than we were in 2006 (when Ohio won the MAC East)."
Solich said the play of Hartke and sophomore Ernie Hodge, both former defensive ends, at nose guard and defensive tackle, has elevated the rest of the unit.
"It's the strength and athletic ability of the two inside guys," Solich said. "It's freeing up our 'backers and our 'backers are making a ton of plays."
From The Athens Messenger
 Rockets Gain NoticeSome around the University of Toledo football program noticed a heightened interest in their team after a good showing on national TV on Saturday.
"I feel like people are finally starting to give us more respect that we deserve, and I'm hoping it leads into MAC play, that weıre just as strong in the MAC," UT safety Barry Church said.
Even though the Rockets lost 55-54 to Fresno State in double overtime, the amount of trick plays that were pulled off and the comeback late in the fourth quarter had coach Tom Amstutz's phone buzzing Sunday.
"I got phone calls from coaches all over the country, people I hadn't heard from for a while, saying what a great game it was," Amstutz said. "That Toledo football was something they felt special about, enjoyed the different wrinkles we had in our offense and kicking game."
Amstutz declined to say who had called him.
From the Toledo Blade
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