The regular season is over and I don't think anybody expected the MAC to shake out the way it has. Let's get to the rankings.Here is how the MAC stands at the end of the regular season.
| 1 |  |
Ball State (12-0, 8-0 MAC) Last week: 1. An undefeated regular season for the Cardinals won't result in a BCS bowl. |
| 2 |  |
Central Michigan (8-4, 6-2 MAC) Last week: 2. That loss to Eastern Michigan was ugly. Where was the defense? CMU coach Butch Jones has a few questions to answer. |
| 3 |  |
Western Michigan (9-3, 6-2 MAC) Last week: 3. Western Michigan had a chance to move up in the rankings with a win, but couldn't pull off the upset against Ball State. |
| 4 |  |
Buffalo (7-5, 5-3 MAC) Last week: 4. The home loss to Kent State was embarrassing, but it looks like the Bulls will be just fine and head to the International Bowl. |
| 5 |  |
Northern Illinois (6-6, 5-3 MAC) Last week: 5. The Huskies couldn't pull off the win against Navy and now wait and hope for a bowl to call. |
| 6 |  |
Bowling Green (6-6, 4-4 MAC) Last week: 6. I'm still trying to figure out what Gregg Brandon did to deserve being fired. |
| 7 |  |
Temple (5-7, 4-4 MAC) Last week: 8. Just think, if one of Temple's two overtime losses went the other way or if Buffalo didn't complete that last-second Hail Mary, the Owls might be going to a bowl. |
| 8 |  |
Akron (5-7, 3-5 MAC) Last week: 7. The Zips had three chances to get to six wins, and couldn't do it. |
| 9 |  |
Ohio (4-8, 3-5 MAC) Last week: 9. That's the way to end a season, Bobcats, with two straight victories. |
| 10 |  |
Kent State (4-8, 3-5 MAC) Last week: 11. Where does Kent State go from here? |
| 11 |  |
Eastern Michigan (3-9, 2-6 MAC) Last week: 12. The Eagles had a big win last week against Central Michigan. |
| 12 |  |
Toledo (3-9, 2-6 MAC) Last week: 10. A 38-10 loss at home to Bowling Green was not the way to close out the season. |
| 13 |  |
Miami (2-10, 1-7 MAC) Last week: 13. Who would have thought four months ago that the RedHawks would be 2-10? |
John Sahly covers the Northern Illinois beat for the Daily-Chronicle