College football: MAC whacks BCS teams

On this day, you could call it the Big MAC.

The Mid-American Conference racked up four big victories Saturday against schools from BCS automatic-qualifying conferences.

It started with Central Michigan winning 32-31 at Iowa of the Big Ten by scoring nine points in the last minute, the final three on David Harman's 47-yard field goal with 3 seconds left.

Northern Illinois took out Kansas of the Big 12, 30-23, and the MAC got two home victories against the Big East.

Western Michigan beat Connecticut of the Big East 30-24, and Ball State won another against the Big East with a late touchdown against South Florida. Willie Snead made a sensational one-handed 19-yard TD catch in the back of the end zone for Ball State with 1:02 left and in the Cardinals' 31-27 victories.

The MAC gave it a good go to make it two victories against the Big Ten as Eastern Michigan led No. 21 Michigan State 7-3 at halftime and trailed only 9-7 heading into the fourth before falling 23-7.

The day was reminiscent of Sept, 20, 2003, when MAC teams beat three ranked opponents. Those three big wins came from Marshall (over No. 6 Kansas State in Manhattan), Northern Illinois (over No. 21 Alabama in Tuscaloosa) and Toledo (over No. 9 Pittsburgh at home).