Tonight is the Mid-American Conference's Game of the Century (of the Week) when 9-1 Ball State visits 9-0 and No. 15 Northern Illinois.
Northern Illinois has a chance to make a BCS bowl for the second consecutive year but the Huskies first must fight to even win the MAC West. Tonight's winner takes over first place, and the loser slips into a second-place tie with Toledo.
If Ball State wins, the Cardinals need only to win out to clinch. If Northern Illinois wins, the Huskies still must win at Toledo next week. Toledo is out tonight with a Ball State win by virtue of Ball State's 31-24 win over Toledo earlier in the season, but none of the top three teams have lost to another conference opponent or figure to.
Toledo could force a three-way tie if Northern Illinois wins tonight and Toledo beats Northern Illinois next week. Toledo would win a three-way tiebreaker by virtue of the conference's third tiebreaker, cross-division record. In that scenario , Toledo's MAC East oppponents would help the Rockets win the West's bid to the MAC title game.
The MAC East will likely be decided on Nov. 29 when Buffalo and Bowling Green play in Buffalo's Ralph Wilson Stadium. The MAC title game is Dec. 6 at Detroit's Ford Field.
Northern Illinois goes to a BCS game if it's the higest-rated team from a non-qualifying conference, finishes in the top 16 and ahead of the lowest-ranked champion of an automatic qualifying conference or in the top 12. The problem now is that Northern Illinois ranks behind Fresno State of the non-qualifying Mountain West.
