The Mid-American Bandwagon Podcast

We’ve made it through another week folks, congrats! This time of year is extra special, with both football and basketball seasons now in full swing. There’s a lot to cover this week!

In the A block, Zach and Sam break down various headlines from around the MAC universe. In football, there was the cancellation of the Kent State-Miami, as well as the slew of awards that Jarret Patterson and Buffalo garnered last week after their incredible performance. In basketball, we had Jason Preston’s breakout performance, the Ohio women’s upset of Notre Dame, as well as some announced changes to the upcoming conference schedule.

Following the news, the boys break down the week 4 football results while also looking forward to week 5. From Eastern Michigan’s fourth quarter collapse against Toledo to Buffalo’s dominant performance against Kent State, Zach and Sam give their thoughts on each week 4 match up. Looking forward to week 5, our hosts give their predictions on how they see the penultimate week of the season playing out.

To close out the show, the boys review the early season results on the hardwood. MAC play is set to begin this weekend (what a weird year), but a lot of MAC squads have already had some very notable non-conference games. The boys break down the notable results thus far, as well as give a quick recap of the standings, on both the men’s and women’s side.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @MAC_Bandwagon to make sure you don’t miss anything! Have a great weekend folks.

Happy Friday to all of you beautiful people! We’re officially halfway through the MAC football season, and what a season it has been. We had a lot to discuss on this weeks’ pod, and we’re excited to bring this episode to you! Shout out to James for stopping by to fill in for Sam.

In this weeks’ A block, James and Zach break down the cancellation of the Battle of the Bricks, and generally how COVID has effected the MAC football season thus far. How are the teams testing? Why aren’t the testing results readily available? The boys also break down the recent MAC men’s basketball coaches poll and talk about how they see the basketball season shaking out this year.

(Unfortunately, we’ll have to save our women’s basketball talk for the future, as those polls were released after recording finished.)

In the B block, our hosts break down the week 3 football results. From Kent State’s offensive output to the crazy shootout between Central and Western, Zach and James give you their thoughts on how every week 3 game played out. They also give a quick look ahead to the week 4 games. There’s some great games on the slate next week, including Kent State traveling to Buffalo to take on the Bulls.

To close out the show, Miami Director of Basketball Operations Cowan Olinger stops by. Cowan was a great conversation, and we really enjoyed talking to him. He breaks down his path to get to this point, what a DBO and a Grad Assistant does on a daily basis, and the best places to eat in Oxford.

Thank you all again for the continued support, the growth of the pod thus far has been beyond our expectations! Make sure you’re following us on Twitter to get all of the latest updates. You can listen to this episode at the direct embed link below, or you can subscribe on your favorite podcast platform! Have a great weekend everybody.

Well folks, we made it! The MAC is back baby! We hope everyone enjoyed watching MAC football again as much as we did, even if your team didn’t win (sorry Sam).

To kick of this weeks’ pod, Sam and Zach break down the week 1 match up’s and give their reactions. From the crazy ending in Oxford, to the back and forth battle in Mt. Pleasant, to the shellacking Toledo put on Bowling Green, there was a lot to digest on Wednesday night. The boys give their best and most disappointing performances of the night, as well as take a quick look ahead to some of the best match up’s in week 2. Segment 1 closes out with a recap of the Bandwagon Bets picks this week, as well as a review of the Twitter poll to see how well you guys did in terms of picking week 1 winners.

In the B block, George Thomas stops by to talk Akron football. We ask George about how the Zips feel after the 58-13 loss to Western Michigan, the priorities this season for the coaching staff, and where the program is at heading into year 2 under coach Tom Arth.

To close out this weeks’ show, James Krause of the NIU North Star joins us to talk Northern Illinois football. James dropped by to talk about the youth on the Huskies’ roster this year, the expectations in year 2 under coach Thomas Hammock, and the best places to eat in DeKalb!

After what seems like forever, we are so happy to have MAC football back, mainly so we can talk about it on the pod! We think we have another great episode for you guys this week, and we hope you enjoy it. Listen below, or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Thanks for listening folks, we’ll talk to you next week.

Folks, we are less than two weeks away from MAC football. We know you’re all as excited as we are! Given how close we are to the return of MACtion, we’re excited to bring you some awesome season preview content this week.

Kicking off this episode, Zach and Sam break down the TV schedule release that took place earlier this week. What games are you most looking forward to watching in week 1? The boys give their thoughts, as well as their general thoughts around what the first couple weeks of the season will look like.  Following the schedule breakdown, we move into the Twitter responses from the past few weeks. What’s the biggest “what if” in recent memory for your program? How do you folks feel about your teams’ 2020 schedule? We got some great responses this week, so it was only right that we give some shout outs.

In the B block, the boys welcome in Rachel Lenzi from the Buffalo News to discuss the upcoming Bulls’ season. We talk about the ongoing QB competition, what to expect from the defense, as well as the squads’ mindset going into the season. This is a team with high expectations, as Rachel talks about their “Detroit or bust” mentality as week one approaches.

To close out this weeks’ episode, our hosts are joined by Ashley Bastock, who covers Toledo for the Toledo Blade. New to the Rockets’ beat, Ashley talks about how she’s settling in to the new gig, and also breaks down the Rockets’ outlook as they look to have a bounce back season. Additionally, Ashley touches on a transfer that she feels could break out and have an impact on the field for the Rockets this fall.

With each season preview interview that we do, we get more and more excited. We’re almost there guys. We hope you all enjoy this episode. We had a great time speaking with both Rachel and Ashley, and they both brought some great information. You don’t want to miss this one!

Another week down, and another week closer to the return of MAC football. Happy Friday everybody! Thanks for stopping by - we’ve got another great episode for you this week to bring you into the weekend.

To kick off this week’s show, Zach and Sam breakdown the recent release of the MAC football schedule, set to begin Wednesday, November 4th. What are the best match up’s in week one? Which teams got the toughest draws? The boys give their thoughts, and also talk about some areas where they think the conference may have missed the mark.

After the schedule breakdown, our hosts take to Twitter (two questions this week!) to read some of the best answers from our fans over the course of the week. If you could pick one MAC coach or athlete, current or former, who would you choose? What’s an athletic program at your school that doesn’t get enough respect? The boys read the fan responses and give their reactions.

In the B block, Bowling Green beat writer Nick Piotrowicz of the Toledo Blade stops by to discuss the 2020 outlook for Scott Loeffler and the Falcons. Nick talked about the differences between this year and last year, the new starting quarterback, and the factors that forced the MAC to reconsider postponing football until the spring.

To close out the show, the boys are joined by Austin Chastain, the Sports Editor for Central Michigan life. Austin stopped by to talk about year two under Greg McElwain, the QB situation for the Chippewas, and his favorite press box meal at Kelly-Shorts Stadium.

Listen guys, our guests this week really brought it. We promise, you do not want to miss this episode. As we get closer to week one of football, we’ll be focusing on putting out our season preview content, so be sure to subscribe to the pod. We’re available on all major podcast platforms, and we don’t want you to miss anything!

Have a great weekend everybody. The MAC is back!

It’s Friday, so we hope everyone is in a good mood. This isn’t a normal Friday though, there’s something in the air. You know why? MAC FOOTBALL IS BACK!!

In this week’s A block, the boys break down the recent announcement that MAC football will in fact be returning this fall. As we prepare for the November 4th return, Zach and Sam discuss the testing plans, health and safety measures, and what the schedule might look like. In other related news, our hosts discuss a recent COVID outbreak at Buffalo, as well as a few Miami football players opting back in to the season in light of the recent announcement.

In the B block, the boys take to Twitter to see how the MAC community is reacting to the return of football. How do you guys feel about the announcement? If you haven’t already, follow us on Twitter at @MAC_Bandwagon and let us know!

To round out this episode, former Ball State Kicker Ian McGarvey stops by. Ian played for the Cardinals from 2007-2011 and was a part of the 2008 team that finished the regular season 12-0. Ian and the boys talk about that 2008 season, as well as Brady Hoke and the mental side of being a kicker.

Happy Friday boys and girls! If you couldn’t tell from the title, we hit quite a milestone this week - 1,000 plays. We can’t thank you all enough for all of the support you’ve shown thus far. As a celebration, Sam, Zach and James took to Twitch to host our first live stream episode. Thank you for everyone that stopped by, and for those of you that couldn’t, the good news is that you can still listen below!

In this week’s A block, the boys discuss the ongoing changes to the 2020 football season. With the Big 10 and Pac 12 moving back to the fall, it seems very likely that the MAC and Mountain West are going to follow suit. Sam and Zach break this down, while also discussing the upcoming start of basketball season a few pieces of recent news out of Central Michigan.

Next up, our hosts break down the recent 2010’s MAC All Decade team that was put together by the Jordan Rinard and the rest of the Hustle Belt staff. Did you agree with the choices? Disagree? Sam and Zach give their thoughts.

Lastly, the boys give an update on the week 3 #WhatIfTion results and the standings thus far. It’s been a fun ride through three weeks, and the MAC picked up a few more upsets in this most recent slate of games. Due to time constraints, we didn’t quite get to preview this weeks’ match up’s, but be sure to check on Twitter this afternoon to see the week 4 games!

Once again, we can’t thank the MAC community enough for the support to this point. We look forward to the continued growth of the pod, and we hope that you’ll all stick with us along the way.

The direct embed is below, or you can also find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other podcast platform. Be sure to subscribe to get the latest episodes as they come out!

Sam and Zach have another great episode for you guys. They start off with a conversation with James, the Creative Director of Hustle Belt to discuss the recent MAC News that hit the Twitter streets. Then they move onto their reoccurring Whatiftion Segment where they discuss last week's sim as well as predict next week's results as well. Then finally they are joined by three special Akron Alums: Demetrius Treadwell, Jimond Ivey, and Coach Embick. They were three great interviews that we are sure you guys will enjoy! 

If you haven't follow us on twitter @MAC_Bandwagon.  

Welcome back, you beautiful MAC fanatics! We hope you’ve had a great week to this point. We’re excited to say that we have another great episode this week to bring you into the weekend on a high note.

In this week’s first segment, Zach and Sam discuss the recent NFL roster cuts and the MAC alumni that were effected. As usual, there will be plenty of MAC talent on NFL rosters this year, but the boys discuss some of the cuts that caught them by surprise. Also in the news segment, we break down a potential proposal for basketball season and an expansion of the NCAA tournament. It’s a bit off the wall, and we give our thoughts on how likely it is to come to fruition.

Next up, we look back at week 1 of #WhatIfTion. Some teams underperformed (looking at you, Toledo), while others far exceeded expectations. How did your team do? Zach and Sam give their thoughts on the week 1 results, and give a brief rundown of the week 2 match ups. This week’s slate is another strong one, with multiple MAC teams hoping to snag an upset against a P5 opponent. Can Ball State go in to Ann Arbor and hang with the Wolverines? Can Kalil Pimpleton and CMU walk into Lincoln and defeat Nebraska? The boys give their thoughts.

To close out the show, Zach and Sam are joined by two special guests from Akron. First up, eSports head coach Sean Mitchuson stops by to discuss the growth of eSports, how to build a program, and why Akron has been so successful in the eSports space. Afterwards, former All-American Zip Lucy Bryan swings by to discuss her senior year being cut short by COVID, her brother playing in the English Premier League, and what’s next for her now that she’s graduated.

You guys know the drill: be sure to check on Twitter (@MAC_Bandwagon) over the weekend, as we’ll reveal our #WhatIfTion odds and matchups odds on Friday afternoon, and then the box scores of every game sometime Saturday evening before going over the results on the next episode.

The direct embed is below, or you can also find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other podcast platform. Be sure to subscribe to get the latest episodes as they come out!

Sam and Zach are bringing you guys some heat this week! We kick off this episode rounding out our MAC Mascot Mania Bracket where we reveal who ended up being crowned the #1 MAC Mascot. 

We move onto our brand new weekly segment the Whatiftion? Segment where we sim the 2020 MAC Season as if it was actually happening. Sam and Zach also go game-by-game of Week 1 MAC Matchups, predicting each MAC Game. 

We round out todays episode with a Group of 5 Roundtable. Sam and Zach are joined by people from the College Sports Connection Podcast, Mountain West Wire, and the Forgotten 5. Big shoutouts to them for coming on the podcast, and you should go check out all of their content! 

Follow us on Twitter @MAC_Bandwagon, to hop on the bandwagon and you can also message us your ideas that you would like to see for future episodes!

Happy Friday, all you beautiful people. We hope all of our fellow MAC fanatics have had a great week to this point, and we’re here to bring you into the weekend on a high note.

To open up this week’s episode, Zach and Sam discuss the potential format of a spring football season, as well as give an update on football recruiting. Which schools look to have the strongest 2021 recruiting classes? The boys break it down.

In the B block, Zach and Sam discuss the quarterfinals of the MAC Mascot Bracket challenge that has taken MAC Twitter by storm. We have what we feel are two very strong semifinal match-ups this week, and both of our hosts discuss who they think the favorite is moving forward.

To close out the show, the boys are joined by AJ Ruffing, Ball State alum and co-host of the College Sports Connection Podcast. AJ also drops by to discuss the Ball State Mt. Rushmore, and both him and Sam give Zach a bit of a history lesson on Ball State athletics.

We go a bit long on this episode, but we think you’ll enjoy it. Thanks again for stopping by, and we hope everyone out there has a great weekend!

We made it to Friday again everybody - we hope you’ve all had a great week! We’re excited to bring you another episode of the MAC bandwagon podcast, even if the news over the past week has been a bummer.

This week, Zach and Sam are joined by our fearless leader James to discuss the fallout from the MAC cancelling fall sports. As depressing as that news may be, the boys touch on the fact that the MAC again took the lead and was praised for being the first conference to make this very difficult decision.

Next up, the boys recap the first week of the MAC Mascot Challenge on Twitter. Boy did you guys show up to support your schools - all three match ups received over 300 votes! Zach and Sam recap the winners from round one, and preview the second round match ups that will surely be hotly contested this week.

To close out the show, Zach and Sam are joined by Mike Bundt, Ty B, and Kevin Massare from the BULLet Points blog and website. Mike, Ty, and Kevin stop by to discuss all things Buffalo sports, including the state of the football and basketball programs, and some advice for visiting fans to get the best game day experience. They really brought it, and it was a great conversation. You won’t want to miss this!

The polls for this weeks mascot match ups will be up this afternoon - don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @MAC_Bandwagon and vote for who you think is the best. Thanks again for stopping by, and have a great weekend!

Sam and Zach come at you with a long episode 5. They talk about the news surrounding the MAC, the Twitter Questions, a segment where they pick an ideal non-conference matchup for each MAC School, not to mention finishing off the episode with the one and only Ethan Dahlen, the Hustle Belt E-Sports Guru. 

Shoutout to Ethan for joining us for this episode. 

Also there will not be a Mount Rushmore this Monday, but there will be next Monday. 

Hope you guys Enjoy!

The Podcast Twitter is @MAC_Bandwagon, so be sure to give us a follow and send us your feedback on the episodes!

Welcome back everyone, and happy Friday! We're excited to bring you another episode.

This week, Zach and Sam break down some scheduling news from the ACC and the SEC and discuss how this news effects the MAC. The boys also give a quick snapshot of MAC recruiting for the class of 2021, as well as react to the Twitter comments for last week's "Mt. Rushmore of Central Michigan" bonus episode.

To close out this episode, Zach and Sam are joined by Lucas Borrow, an Australian punter and class of 2020 Ball State commit. The boys talk about Australian Rules Football, the success of Australian punters, and what Lucas' recruiting experience was like. 

Thanks for all of the support thus far guys, we can't thank you enough. Keep an eye out for the second Mt. Rushmore segment, which will be released on Monday!

It's Friday guys, we made it! 

In this weeks episode, Sam and Zach cover MAC players who were recognized on the recent football preseason awards watch lists, as well as cover some recent transfer news and the MAC's decision to delay the start of fall Olympic sports.

Next up, the boys react to Twitter responses from last week's question, where we asked you guys to tell us about your favorite MACtion moments.

Lastly, Jeremy Guy and Eric Kwiatkowski from the Call to MACtion podcast stop by to chat about their favorite MACtion moments and the perks of working for a Division 1 athletic conference. 

Thanks for stopping by and listening, we hope you enjoy! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @MAC_Bandwagon.

Welcome to the second episode of the Mid-American Bandwagon Podcast. 

Sam and Zach touch on general news surrounding the conference, underrated/overrated, and more!

Be sure to check out Episode 1 if you haven't.

Be sure to follow our twitter account @MAC_Bandwagon which you can find future episodes, twitter questions of the week and more!

https://www.hustlebelt.com/

Intro and Outro Music: Green Daze by Audionautix

We hope you guys come join the Mid-American Bandwagon with us. 

Welcome to a Brand New Podcast brought to you guys by Hustle Belt. This podcast is a new concept surrounding everything MAC Sports related, hosted by Sam Thilman and Zach Folly. 

In this episode Sam, the co-host and James the creative director of Hustle Belt give a short summary about what this podcast is going to be about. Not only that we get into a segment where Sam and James discuss what MAC Head Coaches are on the hot seat moving forward. 

 Be on the lookout for Friday July 10th for the first official episode of the Mid-American Bandwagon Podcast. 

Our twitter is @MAC_Bandwago, so be sure to give us a follow and not only that hit us up with feedback and suggestions.

Thank you guys and I hope you join the Mid-American Bandwagon.